Pressure device

Abstract

A pressure device is provided that can reduce the time required for a pressurizing step for a laminated body using a hydraulic cylinder that can output a large thrust while suppressing an increase in the size of the pressure device. [Solution] The pressure applying device 10 applies pressure to a stack W having a predetermined height dimension, which is formed by stacking multiple components in a temporarily held state, and is equipped with a first hydraulic cylinder 43 capable of outputting a first thrust, a second hydraulic cylinder 14 capable of outputting a second thrust smaller than the first thrust, and a contact portion 45 capable of contacting the stack W in the height direction. When the stack W is transported to a predetermined position, the pressure applying device 10 is configured to perform a moving step in which the second hydraulic cylinder 14 moves the first hydraulic cylinder 43 and the contact portion 45 a predetermined distance L1, and when the first hydraulic cylinder 43 and the contact portion 45 have moved the predetermined distance L1, the first hydraulic cylinder 43 moves the contact portion 45 a specific distance L3 shorter than the predetermined distance L1, while pressing the stack W with the first thrust.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pressure device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are known pressure devices for applying pressure to a laminate formed by stacking multiple components in a temporarily held state. For example, the pressure device described in Patent Document 1 below has upper and lower clamping members that clamp and apply pressure to the laminate. The pressure device places the laminate on the lower clamping member and slides the upper clamping member downward using the load of an air cylinder or the like, thereby applying a predetermined pressure to the laminate. Furthermore, for example, the pressure device described in Patent Document 2 below slides a pressure unit downward using the load of a servo press, thereby applying a predetermined pressure to the laminate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-087347 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-097494 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When it is necessary to apply a large load to the laminate, an air cylinder may not be able to output the desired thrust. When a servo press is used for pressure application, it is difficult to continuously apply a large thrust load to the laminate, and there are other problems, such as the need to replace the entire manufacturing equipment in the event of a malfunction.

[0005] To address this issue, it has been considered to use a hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a large thrust. However, because the operating speed of a hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a large thrust is slow, it takes time for the pressurizing unit to move. If a hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a large thrust is to be moved quickly, a large pump is required, which increases the size of the pressurizing device itself. In other words, when a hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a large thrust is used, there is a problem in reducing the time required for the pressurizing process of the laminate while miniaturizing the pressurizing device.

[0006] The present invention was completed based on the above circumstances, and aims to provide a pressure applying device that can reduce the time required for the pressurizing process of a laminate using a hydraulic cylinder that can output a large thrust while suppressing the increase in size of the pressure applying device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The pressurizing device of the present invention is a pressurizing device that pressurizes a stack having a predetermined height dimension, which is formed by stacking a plurality of members in a temporarily held state, and includes a first hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a first thrust, a second hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a second thrust smaller than the first thrust, and an abutment portion that can abut against the stack in a height direction, and is configured to perform the following steps when the stack is transported to a predetermined position: a moving step in which the second hydraulic cylinder moves the first hydraulic cylinder and the abutment portion a predetermined distance; and a pressing step in which, when the first hydraulic cylinder and the abutment portion have moved the predetermined distance, the first hydraulic cylinder moves the abutment portion a specific distance shorter than the predetermined distance while pressing the stack with the first thrust, and includes a movement limiting device that limits movement of the first hydraulic cylinder and the abutment portion in a direction opposite to a direction in which the stack is pressed, and the movement limiting device has a movement limiting wedge that moves in a direction intersecting the pressing direction between a limiting position and a non-limiting position, When the first hydraulic cylinder and the abutment portion move the predetermined distance, The travel limiting wedge is disposed at the limiting position. 、The movement of the abutment portion in the direction opposite to the pressing direction is restricted, and when the movement restricting wedge is positioned in the non-restricted position, movement of the abutment portion in the direction opposite to the pressing direction is permitted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, a moving step is performed in which the second hydraulic cylinder moves the first hydraulic cylinder and the contact portion a predetermined distance, followed by a pressing step in which the first hydraulic cylinder moves the contact portion a specific distance shorter than the predetermined distance and presses the stack with a first thrust. The second hydraulic cylinder has a fast operating speed because it generates a second thrust smaller than the first thrust, while the first hydraulic cylinder has a slow operating speed because it generates a first thrust larger than the second thrust. The moving step of the first hydraulic cylinder and the contact portion, which can output a desired thrust, is performed by the fast-acting second hydraulic cylinder, and then the pressing step of the stack is performed by the first hydraulic cylinder and the contact portion. This reduces the size of the pressurizing device itself and shortens the moving time of the first hydraulic cylinder compared to when the moving step and pressing step are performed using only the first hydraulic cylinder. Therefore, the time required for the pressing step of the stack using a hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a large thrust can be reduced while reducing the size of the pressurizing device. Furthermore, the pressure applying device is provided with a movement limiting device that limits the movement of the first hydraulic cylinder and the abutment portion in the direction opposite to the direction in which the stack is pressed during the pressing process. Therefore, during the pressing process, the reaction force acting on the abutment portion prevents the first hydraulic cylinder and the abutment portion from escaping in the direction opposite to the pressing direction, thereby enabling the stack to be suitably pressed with the desired thrust. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the pressure device in the present embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the pressure device, showing a part of the pressure device as viewed from the right side in the Z axis direction. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the pressure device when the upper jig unit is lowered, showing a part of the pressure device as seen from the right side in the Z axis direction. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the pressure device as seen from above in the Y-axis direction. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the movement-limiting wedge moves from the non-limiting position to the limiting position, and is a diagram illustrating a part of the pressure device as seen from the front side in the X-axis direction. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a pressure device, showing a part of the pressure device as seen from the front side in the X-axis direction. [Figure 7] 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the conveyor descends from a first height position to a second height position, and is an enlarged view of a region R of the pressure device in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 8] 6 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a pressure device, and is a partially enlarged view showing the periphery of the center position of the pressure device as viewed from above in the Y-axis direction of the laminate (position II in FIG. 6). FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown below. [1] The pressure applying device of the present invention is a pressure applying device that applies pressure to a stack having a predetermined height dimension, in which a plurality of members are stacked in a temporarily held state, and that includes a first hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a first thrust, a second hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a second thrust smaller than the first thrust, and a contact portion that can contact the stack in the height direction. When the stack is transported to a predetermined position, the pressure applying device is configured to perform a moving step in which the second hydraulic cylinder moves the first hydraulic cylinder and the contact portion a predetermined distance, and when the first hydraulic cylinder and the contact portion have moved the predetermined distance, the first hydraulic cylinder moves the contact portion a specific distance shorter than the predetermined distance, while pressing the stack with the first thrust.

[0011] According to this configuration, a moving step is performed in which the second hydraulic cylinder moves the first hydraulic cylinder and the contact portion a predetermined distance, followed by a pressing step in which the first hydraulic cylinder moves the contact portion a specific distance shorter than the predetermined distance and presses the stack with a first thrust. The second hydraulic cylinder operates at a fast speed because the second thrust is smaller than the first thrust, while the first hydraulic cylinder operates at a slow speed because the first thrust is larger than the second thrust. The moving step of the first hydraulic cylinder and the contact portion, which can output a desired thrust, is performed by the fast-acting second hydraulic cylinder, and then the pressing step of the stack is performed by the first hydraulic cylinder and the contact portion. This reduces the size of the pressurizing device itself and shortens the moving time of the first hydraulic cylinder compared to when the moving step and pressing step are performed using only the first hydraulic cylinder. Therefore, the time required for the pressing step of the stack using a hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a large thrust can be reduced while reducing the size of the pressurizing device.

[0012] [2] The pressure device described in [1] above may further include a movement limiting device that limits movement of the first hydraulic cylinder and the contact portion in the direction opposite to the direction in which they press the stack during the pressing step. With this configuration, the reaction force acting on the contact portion during the pressing step prevents the first hydraulic cylinder and the contact portion from moving away in the direction opposite to the pressing direction, allowing the stack to be suitably pressed with a desired thrust.

[0013] [3] In the pressure device described in [1] or [2] above, the laminate may be transported to the predetermined position while being placed on a pallet, and the pressing step may be performed with the pallet removed from the laminate. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the force pressing the laminate from being applied to the pallet during the pressing step, thereby preventing the pallet from being damaged by the pressing force of the pressure device, allowing the pallet to be used in common for other steps in the production line, and enabling efficient product management of the laminate.

[0014] [4] In the pressurizing device according to any one of [1] to [3] above, the predetermined distance may be 10 times or more the specific distance. With this configuration, the movement of the predetermined distance, which is 10 times or more the specific distance, is performed by the second hydraulic cylinder, which has a faster operating speed. This significantly reduces the time required for the movement process, thereby reducing the time required for the pressurizing process of the laminated body by a pressurizing device using a hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a large thrust.

[0015] [5] In the pressurizing device according to any one of [1] to [4] above, the predetermined distance may have a length dimension that can accommodate a plurality of types of stacks having different heights. With this configuration, a single pressurizing device can perform the pressurizing process on a plurality of types of stacks having different heights.

[0016] [6] The pressurizing device according to any one of [1] to [5] above may have an oil flow path that returns oil discharged from the rod-side port of the second hydraulic cylinder to the bottom-side port. With this configuration, the oil discharged from the rod-side port is reused without being returned to the tank, so that the second hydraulic cylinder can move a long predetermined distance while maintaining a high operating speed, thereby shortening the time required for the pressurizing step of the stack using a pressurizing device that uses a hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a large thrust.

[0017] [7] The pressure applying device described in any one of [1] to [6] above may further include a third hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a third thrust smaller than the first thrust, and a height measuring unit that measures the height dimension of the stack, wherein in the pressing step, the stack can be pressurized with the first thrust from the first hydraulic cylinder and the third thrust from the third hydraulic cylinder, and the height measuring unit may be configured to measure the height dimension of the stack while the stack is being pressed only with the third thrust from the third hydraulic cylinder.

[0018] According to this configuration, when measuring whether the stack pressed by the first hydraulic cylinder has reached the desired dimensions in the height measurement step, it is desirable to measure the height of the stack while applying a predetermined force lower than the pressing force to the stack. If the stack pressing step and height measurement step were performed using only the first hydraulic cylinder, a predetermined amount of time would be required to control the switching when the thrust of the first hydraulic cylinder is switched from the first thrust for pressing to the lower thrust for height measurement. On the other hand, by configuring the stack pressing step to be performed using the first hydraulic cylinder and the third hydraulic cylinder and the height measurement step to be performed using only the third hydraulic cylinder, compared to performing the pressing step and measurement step using only the first hydraulic cylinder and switching the thrust of the first hydraulic cylinder from the first thrust for pressing to the thrust for height measurement, simply by controlling the thrust from the first hydraulic cylinder not to be transmitted to the stack, the third hydraulic cylinder can continuously apply the thrust for height measurement, i.e., a pressurized state appropriate for measuring the height dimension, and the time required to measure the height dimension of the stack can be quickly achieved. Therefore, the time required for the pressurizing step of the laminated body using a pressurizing device that uses a hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a large thrust can be shortened.

[0019] [8] The pressure device described in any one of [1] to [7] above may include a support that supports the stack from the side opposite to the contact direction of the contact portion in the pressing step, and a positioning mechanism that positions the stack with respect to the support in the moving step. With this configuration, the stack is accurately positioned on the support in the moving step, and then the pressing step is carried out, thereby ensuring the quality of the stack after pressing.

[0020] [9] The pressurizing device according to any one of [1] to [8] above may be configured to perform a return step in which the second hydraulic cylinder returns the first hydraulic cylinder and the contact portion by the predetermined distance after the pressing step. By using the second hydraulic cylinder for the return step, the return time can be shortened compared to when the return step is performed by the first hydraulic cylinder. Therefore, the time required for the pressurizing step of the laminated body by a pressurizing device using a hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a large thrust can be shortened.

[0021] <Example> An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 8. The pressurizing device 10 in this embodiment is a device used in the manufacturing process of a motor core, and is incorporated into the manufacturing line. The motor core is a rotor core or a stator core.

[0022] FIG. 1 shows an external perspective view of a pressure device 10. The pressure device 10 performs a pressure process on a production line, in which a laminate W in which multiple punched members are temporarily held in a stacked state by caulking or the like is pressed. The laminate W is cylindrical and has a shaft hole H in its center. The laminate W pressed by the pressure device 10 constitutes part of a motor core. The punched members are plate-like bodies obtained by punching electromagnetic steel sheets into a predetermined shape. The thickness of the punched member 1 is, for example, 0.3 mm. The laminate W has a predetermined height (in this embodiment, 300 punched members × 0.3 mm = 90 mm), and by being pressed with a predetermined load, the gaps between the punched members are reduced, forming a pressed laminate (not shown) in which the punched members are fixed together.

[0023] In the following description of each component, for convenience, the positive side of the X axis will be referred to as the front side, the negative side of the X axis as the rear side, the positive side of the Y axis as the top side, the negative side of the Y axis as the bottom side, the positive side of the Z axis as the right side, and the negative side of the Z axis as the left side. The Y axis is parallel to the direction in which pressure is applied to the laminate W. In the drawings, for convenience of explanation, some of the components may be exaggerated or simplified. Furthermore, the dimensional ratios of each part may differ from the actual ones.

[0024] The laminate W before pressure application is placed on a pallet 90 and moves along the production line. The direction of movement of the pallet 90 is parallel to the Z axis. Parallel does not mean parallel in the strict sense, but rather means that there is a range within which the effects of the present invention can be achieved as long as the range is considered parallel. In this embodiment, the pallet 90 moves from the right side in the Z axis direction to the left side in the Z axis direction.

[0025] 1, the pressure applying device 10 includes at least an upper surface plate 11, four support columns 12, a loader device 13, a moving cylinder (second hydraulic cylinder) 14, an upper jig unit 15, a movement limiting device 16, an ID unit 17, a pallet lifter 18, a lower jig (support) 19, and a positioning mechanism. In this embodiment, the pressure applying device 10 operates based on an instruction signal from a control device (not shown), and is configured to perform the following steps in the pressure applying step of applying pressure to the laminate W: a moving step in which the moving cylinder 14 operates, a pressing step in which the pressing cylinder 43 and the sub-cylinder 44 operate, and a returning step in which the pressing cylinder 43 returns to its initial position.

[0026] The laminate W is placed on a pallet 90 and transported by a loader device 13 from the previous process to a central position (predetermined position) C of the pressure device 10, where it is pressed by the pressure device 10 and then transported to the subsequent process. The central position C of the pressure device 10 is the position where a contact portion 45 and a lower jig 19, which will be described later, are located, and coincides with the central axis of the moving cylinder 14.

[0027] The loader device 13 is disposed behind the pressure device 10 and has a wheel conveyor 31 and a chuck 32. The wheel conveyor 31 is divided into a portion that extends from the preceding process toward the center position C of the pressure device 10, and a portion that extends from the center position C of the pressure device 10 toward the succeeding process. A conveyor 61 of a pallet lifter 18, which will be described later, is disposed in the area including the center position C of the pressure device 10 (see FIG. 6).

[0028] The chuck 32 grips the protrusions of the pallet 90 with the laminate W placed thereon, and moves the pallet 90 on the wheel conveyor 31. The chuck 32 is driven by a servo motor or the like. The pressure device 10 transports the pallet 90 using the loader device 13, so the time required for transportation can be shortened compared to when a belt conveyor is used for transportation.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the pressure device 10, showing a portion of the pressure device 10 as viewed from the right side. The moving cylinder 14 is located at the center of the upper surface plate 11 and extends upward from the upper surface plate 11. The moving cylinder 14 penetrates downward through the upper surface plate 11 and is fixed to an upper portion 41 of the upper jig unit 15. The moving cylinder 14 is capable of outputting a thrust (second thrust) smaller than the thrust (first thrust) of a pressing cylinder (first hydraulic cylinder) 43 described below. The thrust of the moving cylinder 14 is, for example, 24 kN, but may be changed according to the weight of the upper jig unit 15. Because the moving cylinder 14 has a smaller thrust than the pressing cylinder 43, its operating speed is faster (for example, 330 mm / s) than that of the pressing cylinder 43.

[0030] The four support columns 12 are arranged to surround the center position C of the pressure device 10 and extend vertically in the up-down direction (see FIG. 1). Each support column 12 is cylindrical and has a small diameter portion 22 that is smaller in diameter than the other portions, as shown in FIG. 2. Each small diameter portion 22 is provided at the same height as the movement restriction device 16.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, the pallet 90 is plate-shaped and moves on the wheel conveyor 31 with the laminate W placed on its upper surface. The pallet 90 has a data unit 92. The data unit 92 is erected on the upper surface of the pallet 90 and is disposed at a corner of the pallet 90 (see FIG. 8). The data unit 92 holds information about the laminate W placed on the pallet 90.

[0032] The pallet 90 has a plurality of positioning pins 91 (four in this embodiment) that position the stack W (see FIG. 8). The positioning pins 91 are erected upward from the upper surface of the pallet 90 and are adjacent to protruding portions on the outer circumferential surface of the stack W, thereby positioning the stack W relative to the pallet 90. When positioned by the positioning pins 91, the central axis of the shaft hole H of the stack W is aligned with the central axis of the pallet opening 93.

[0033] The pallet 90 has positioning portions 95 that constitute a positioning mechanism. The positioning portions 95 are used for positioning with the pallet lifter 18. The positioning portions 95 are circular holes that pass through the pallet 90 in the vertical direction (see FIG. 8). One positioning portion 95 is provided at each of the diagonally opposite corners of the pallet 90.

[0034] The pallet 90 has measurement part relief portions 96 (see FIG. 8). Multiple measurement part relief portions 96 (three in this embodiment) are provided corresponding to the height measurement lower parts 75. The measurement part relief portions 96 are holes that are connected to the pallet openings 93 and penetrate the pallet 90 in the vertical direction. The measurement part relief portions 96 are arranged at equal angular intervals around the central axis of the pallet opening 93.

[0035] The ID unit 17 reads information from the data section 92 of the pallet 90 placed at the center position C of the pressure device 10. The information from the data section 92 is sent to the control device. The ID unit 17 is movable by an air cylinder or the like between a position where it is retracted from the conveyance path of the pallet 90 and a position where it can enter the conveyance path of the pallet 90 and read the data section 92.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2, the upper jig unit 15 includes an upper portion 41, an intermediate portion 42, a pressing cylinder (first hydraulic cylinder) 43, a sub-cylinder (third hydraulic cylinder) 44, a contact portion 45, a height measurement upper part 46, and a guide portion 47.

[0037] The upper part 41 is in the form of a plate that is thicker than the upper surface plate 11 and is disposed parallel to the upper surface plate 11. The upper part 41 has four step portions 53 (see FIG. 1). The step portions 53 are block-shaped and are fixed to the four corners of the upper surface of the upper part 41. The upper surfaces of the step portions 53 form horizontal, flat stopper surfaces 53A.

[0038] Through holes 54 are formed in the four corners of the upper portion 41 (at the positions of the support posts 12). The through holes 54 are large enough to allow the upper portion 41 to move up and down relative to the support posts 12. The through holes 54 pass through the step portion 53. The middle portion 42 is plate-shaped and fits inside the four support posts 12.

[0039] The pressing cylinder 43 is provided between the upper portion 41 and the middle portion 42 and is fixed to the upper portion 41 and the middle portion 42. The pressing cylinder 43 is disposed at the center position C of the pressure device 10. The pressing cylinder 43 is capable of outputting a thrust (first thrust) that is significantly greater than the thrust of the moving cylinder 14. The pressing cylinder 43 outputs most of the force applied to the stack W in the pressing process. The magnitude of the force applied to the stack W in the pressing process is approximately 40 to 80 tons. The thrust of the pressing cylinder 43, when combined with the thrust of the sub-cylinder 44, is, for example, 60 tons to pressurize the stack W, is approximately 532 kN.

[0040] The sub-cylinders 44 are provided between the upper portion 41 and the middle portion 42, with one on each of the front and rear sides of the pressing cylinder 43. The sub-cylinders 44 are capable of outputting a thrust (third thrust) smaller than the thrust of the pressing cylinder 43. The sub-cylinders 44 supplementarily output a portion of the force applied to the laminate W in the pressing process. The thrust of the sub-cylinders 43 is approximately 34 kN per sub-cylinder when pressing the laminate W with, for example, 60 tons. The thrust of the sub-cylinders 43 may be changed depending on the magnitude of the force pressing the laminate W.

[0041] The contact portion 45 is provided below the intermediate portion 42 and can contact the stack W in the height direction. The contact portion 45 is lowered a specific distance L3 relative to the upper portion 41 by the thrust of the pressing cylinder 43 and the thrust of the sub-cylinder 44, and presses the stack W (see FIG. 3). The specific distance L3 is set appropriately depending on the type of stack W to be pressed, the magnitude of the pressing force, the time required for pressing, etc. In this embodiment, the specific distance L3 is, for example, 20 mm. The lower end of the contact portion 45 has a contact surface 45A that can contact the upper surface of the stack W. The lower end of the contact portion 45 can be replaced depending on the type of stack W.

[0042] The height measurement upper part 46 constitutes the height measurement unit. In the returning process, the height measurement upper part 46 measures the height dimension of the laminate W pressed in the pressing process. A plurality of height measurement upper parts 46 (three in this embodiment) are provided and fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the abutment portion 45. The height measurement upper part 46 is a discrimination displacement sensor that abuts against the upper end of the height measurement lower part 75 provided on the lower jig 19 and can detect the position of the top surface of the laminate W to measure the height.

[0043] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the pressure device 10 with the upper jig unit 15 lowered, and similarly to FIG. 2, shows a portion of the pressure device 10 as seen from the right side in the Z-axis direction. The upper jig unit 15 can be raised and lowered between a first position and a second position by the thrust of the moving cylinder 14. In FIG. 3, the outline of the upper jig unit 15 in the first position is shown by a two-dot chain line, and the upper jig unit 15 in the second position is shown by a solid line. The vertical movement distance between the first position and the second position is referred to as the predetermined distance L1.

[0044] In the initial state of the pressurizing device 10 (before the laminate W is transported from the previous process to the center position C of the pressurizing device 10), the upper jig unit 15 is disposed at a first position (initial position) as shown in FIG. 2. When the upper jig unit 15 is disposed at the first position, a predetermined distance L2 is ensured between the contact surface 45A of the contact portion 45 and the upper end of the wheel conveyor 31. The predetermined distance L2 has a length dimension that can accommodate multiple types of laminates W with different height dimensions. This allows a single pressurizing device 10 to perform the pressurizing process on multiple types of laminates W with different height dimensions.

[0045] When the laminate W is placed at the center position C of the pressure device 10, the upper jig unit 15 descends a predetermined distance L1 from the first position to the second position, as shown in FIG. 3. The predetermined distance L1 is longer than the predetermined interval L2 and is at least 10 times the specific distance L3. The predetermined distance L1 is, for example, 330 mm. By using the moving cylinder 14, which has a high operating speed, to move the predetermined distance L1, which is at least 10 times the specific distance L3, the time required for the moving process can be significantly reduced, thereby reducing the time required for the pressurizing process of the laminate W by the pressure device 10, which uses the pressing cylinder 43, which can output a large thrust.

[0046] The pressurizing device 10 has an oil flow path (not shown) that returns oil discharged from the rod-side port (not shown) of the moving cylinder 14 to the bottom-side port (not shown). In the moving process, by reusing the oil discharged from the rod-side port without returning it to the tank, it is possible to move the moving cylinder 14 over a long predetermined distance L1 while maintaining a high extrusion speed. This makes it possible to shorten the time required for the entire pressurizing process of the laminate W using a pressing hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a large thrust.

[0047] The pressurizing device 10 also has an oil flow path that returns the oil discharged from the bottom-side port of the moving cylinder 14 to the rod-side port. In the return process, the oil discharged from the bottom-side port is reused without being returned to the tank, so that the moving cylinder 14 can be returned over a long predetermined distance L1 while maintaining a high speed for the retraction operation.

[0048] The pressure applying device 10 uses the moving cylinder 14, which has a high operating speed, to move the predetermined distance L1, which is more than 10 times the specific distance L3. This significantly reduces the time required for the moving process in the pressure applying step, in which a predetermined gap L2 must be set due to the different height dimensions of the stack W. This reduces the time required for the entire pressure applying step of the pressure applying device 10, which uses the pressing cylinder 43, which can output a large thrust.

[0049] The guide portion 47 linearly guides the movement of the abutment portion 45 over a specific distance L3 in the vertical direction. A plurality of guide portions 47 (four in this embodiment) are provided. Each guide portion 47 has a guide tube 48 and a guide bar 49. The guide tube 48 is cylindrical and is fixed integrally with the upper portion 41. The guide tube 48 extends through the upper portion 41 in the vertical direction.

[0050] The guide bars 49 are thinner than the support columns 12, are inserted into the guide tubes 48, and are slidable up and down relative to the guide tubes 48. The lower ends of the guide bars 49 are fixed to the intermediate section 42. The guide bars 49 are longer than the guide tubes 48, and extend through the guide tubes 48 on both the upper and lower sides. In the first position, the heads 51 of the guide bars 49 are disposed above the top plate 11 (see FIG. 2). A neck 52 is provided below the heads 51.

[0051] Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the pressure device 10. As shown in Fig. 4, the upper surface plate 11 has fall prevention wedges 21 that can prevent the upper jig unit 15 from falling off. A plurality of fall prevention wedges 21 (two in this embodiment) are arranged on the upper side of the upper surface plate 11, and are moved horizontally by an air cylinder or the like to switch between a locked state and an unlocked state.

[0052] 4 shows the fall prevention wedge 21 in the unlocked state. In the unlocked state, the fall prevention wedge 21 moves away from the neck portion 52 and retracts from directly below the head portion 51, allowing the head portion 51 to move downward.

[0053] In the locked state, the fall prevention wedge 21 fits into the neck 52 of the guide bar 49 and is positioned directly below the head 51, restricting the downward movement of the head 51. This restricts the downward movement of the upper jig unit 15 when the fall prevention wedge 21 is locked. When the pressure device 10 is not in use, for example, the fall prevention wedge 21 can be locked to prevent the upper jig unit 15 from accidentally falling off the upper surface plate 11 in the event of a power outage, thereby ensuring safety.

[0054] As shown in Figure 4, the movement limiting device 16 has four movement limiting wedges 23. Each movement limiting wedge 23 is adjacent to a corresponding support 12. Each movement limiting wedge 23 has a recess 24 that can be fitted onto the small diameter portion 22 of the support 12. The recess 24 is open toward the adjacent support 12 and has an arc shape that follows the outer surface of the small diameter portion 22 of the support 12 in a plan view.

[0055] The movement limiting wedge 23 can be moved horizontally in the left-right direction by an air cylinder or the like, and can be positioned at a limiting position that limits the movement of the upper jig unit 15, and at a non-limiting position that allows the movement of the upper jig unit 15.

[0056] 4 shows the movement limiting wedge 23 placed in the non-restricted position. In a plan view, the movement limiting wedge 23 in the non-restricted position is located outside the upper surface plate 11. When the upper jig unit 41 is in the first position, the movement limiting wedge 23 is placed at the same height as the upper part 41, as shown in FIG. 2, and is restricted from inadvertently moving to the restricted position in the event of a power outage or the like.

[0057] When the upper jig unit 41 is lowered to the second position, as shown in Figure 3, the step 53 of the upper part 41 is lowered below the movement limiting wedge 23. This allows the movement limiting wedge 23 to move to the limiting position.

[0058] FIG. 5 shows the movement of the movement limiting wedge 23 from the non-limiting position to the limiting position. The movement limiting wedge 23 moves horizontally from the non-limiting position along the stopper surface 53A of the step portion 53 to the limiting position. In FIG. 5, the movement limiting wedge 23 in the non-limiting position is indicated by a solid line, and the movement limiting wedge 23 in the limiting position is indicated by a two-dot chain line. In the limiting position, the recess 24 of the movement limiting wedge 23 fits onto the outside of the small diameter portion 22, and both front and rear portions of the recess 24 face the stopper surface 53A in the vertical direction. This allows the movement limiting device 16 to restrict the upper portion 41 of the upper jig unit 15 from moving in the opposite direction (upward) to the direction in which the laminate W is pressed during the pressing process. This prevents the load from escaping in the opposite direction when the pressing cylinder 43 presses the laminate W during the pressing process, allowing the laminate W to be pressed appropriately.

[0059] 6 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the pressure device 10, showing an enlarged portion of the pressure device 10 as viewed from the front side in the X-axis direction. The pallet lifter 18 includes a conveyor 61, a pallet placement table 62, and left and right lifts 64.

[0060] The conveyor 61 can be raised and lowered freely between a first height position and a second height position. Figure 6 shows the conveyor 61 at the first height position. The conveyor 61 is raised and lowered by a thin cylinder or the like. The first height position is the same height position as the wheel conveyor 31 of the loader device 13. The conveyor 61 is located at the first height position in the initial state of the pressure device 10. In the initial state of the pressure device 10, the pallet placement table 62 is located below the conveyor 61.

[0061] 7 shows the conveyor 61 descending from the first height position to the second height position. The second height position is lower than the first height position and is about 5 mm lower than the pallet mounting table 62. In FIG. 7, the conveyor 61, pallet 90, and stack W at the first height position are shown by two-dot chain lines, and the conveyor 61, pallet 90, and stack W at the second height position are shown by solid lines. The vertical distance between the first height position and the second height position is, for example, 30 mm.

[0062] As the conveyor 61 descends from the first height position to the second height position, the pallet 90 is placed from the conveyor 61 onto the pallet placement table 62. At this time, the pallet positioning portions 63 of the pallet placement table 62 fit into the positioning portions 95 of the pallet 90, and the pallet 90 is positioned relative to the pallet placement table 62. Details of the pallet positioning portions 63 will be described later.

[0063] The left and right lifts 64 support the conveyor 61 and the pallet platform 62, and can be raised and lowered between a start position and an end position by an air cylinder or the like. When the conveyor 91 descends from the first height position to the second height position, the left and right lifts 64 descend from the start position to the end position. At the end position, the conveyor 91 and the pallet platform 62 are positioned below the support surface 76 of the lower jig 19, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0064] 6, the lower jig 19 is disposed at the center position C of the pressure device 10, and is positioned directly below the contact portion 45 in the vertical direction. The lower jig 19 supports the laminate W from the lower side (the side opposite to the contact direction of the contact portion 45) during the pressing process. The lower jig 19 has a first plate portion 71, a second plate portion 72, a third plate portion 73, a column portion 74, and multiple (three in this embodiment) height measurement lower parts 75.

[0065] The first plate portion 71 is disposed at the lowest position. The second plate portion 72 is provided above the first plate portion 71 and is slightly smaller than the first plate portion 71 in a plan view. The third plate portion 73 is provided above the second plate portion 72 and is slightly smaller than the second plate portion 72 in a plan view, and is sized to fit into the mounting table opening 65 and the pallet opening 93 described below. The upper surface of the third plate portion 73 is a support surface 76 on which the lower surface of the stack W is placed. The support surface 76 has an annular shape surrounding the column portion 74 in a plan view.

[0066] The pillar portion 74 stands upward from the upper surface of the third plate portion 73. The pillar portion 74 is cylindrical and fits into the shaft hole H of the laminate W. In this way, the pillar portion 74 positions the laminate W with respect to the lower jig 19 with high precision.

[0067] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the pressure device 10, showing an enlarged view of a portion around the center position C of the pressure device 10 as viewed from above in the Y-axis direction of the laminate W. As shown in FIG. 8, the pallet 90 has a rectangular shape in a plan view, and a pallet opening 93 is formed in the center. The pallet opening 93 has a circular shape and penetrates the pallet 90 in the thickness direction (vertical direction). The pallet opening 93 is smaller than the outline of the laminate W in a plan view. As a result, the opening edge of the pallet opening 93 supports the outer peripheral edge of the underside of the laminate W.

[0068] As shown in Fig. 8, a platform opening 65 is formed in the center of the pallet platform 62. The platform opening 65 is rectangular and passes through the pallet platform 62 in the thickness direction (vertical direction). The platform opening 65 is smaller than the outline of the pallet 90 in a plan view. The area surrounding the platform opening 65 supports the underside of the pallet 90.

[0069] The pallet placing table 62 has a pallet positioning portion 63. The pallet positioning portion 63 constitutes a positioning mechanism. The pallet positioning portion 63 is a cylindrical protrusion that fits into the positioning portion 95 of the pallet 90 (see FIG. 7). One pallet positioning portion 63 is provided at a position corresponding to the positioning portion 95 of the pallet 90.

[0070] The height measurement lower parts 75 constitute the height measurement unit. As shown in Fig. 7, each height measurement lower part 75 is a cylindrical pin that extends from the upper surface of the first plate portion 71 to above the upper surface of the pillar portion 74. Each height measurement lower part 75 is located directly below the height measurement upper part 46 in the vertical direction, and comes into contact with the lower end of the height measurement upper part 46 during the movement process (see Fig. 3).

[0071] Next, an example of a pressurizing process performed by the pressurizing device 10 of this embodiment will be described. As described above, the pressurizing device 10 performs a moving process, a pressing process, and a returning process. In the moving process, the upper jig unit 15 moves a predetermined distance L1 using the thrust of the moving cylinder 14. In the pressing process, the contact portion 45 of the upper jig unit 15 moves a specific distance L3, which is shorter than the predetermined distance L1, while pressing the laminate W mainly using the thrust of the pressing cylinder 43 (and sub-cylinder 44). In the returning process, the height measurement upper part 46 and the height measurement lower part 75 perform a height measurement process to measure the height dimension of the laminate W, and the upper jig unit 15 returns the predetermined distance L1 using the thrust of the moving cylinder 14.

[0072] When measuring whether the laminate W pressed by the pressing cylinder 43 has reached the desired dimensions in the height measurement step, it is desirable to measure the height while applying a predetermined force lower than the pressing force to the laminate W. Here, if the pressing step and height measurement step of the laminate W were performed using only the pressing cylinder 43, it would take a predetermined time for the switching control to switch the thrust of the pressing cylinder 43 from the thrust for pressing to the lower thrust for height measurement. On the other hand, by configuring the pressing cylinder 43 and the sub-cylinder 44 to perform the pressing step of the laminate W, and the sub-cylinder 44 to perform the height measurement step alone, compared to when the pressing step and the measurement step are performed using only the pressing cylinder 43 and the thrust of the pressing cylinder 43 is switched from the pressing thrust to the height measurement thrust, simply by controlling the thrust from the pressing cylinder 43 not to be transmitted to the laminate W, it is possible to quickly achieve a state in which the thrust for height measurement is continuously applied by the sub-cylinder 44, that is, a pressurized state appropriate for measuring the height dimension, and the time required to measure the height dimension of the laminate W can be shortened. Therefore, the time required for the pressurization step of the laminate W by the pressurizing device 10 using the pressing cylinder 43 that is capable of outputting a large thrust can be shortened.

[0073] In the initial state of the pressure application device 10, the upper jig unit 15 is disposed at a first position, as shown in Fig. 2. The laminate W placed on the pallet 90 is transported on the wheel conveyor 31 from the previous process to the center position C of the pressure application device 10, and is then placed on the conveyor 61 of the pallet lifter 18. The conveyor 61 is disposed at a first height position, and there is a predetermined space L2 between the upper end of the conveyor 61 and the contact surface 45A of the contact portion 45, so that the pressure application process can be performed with one pressure application device 10 on laminates W of different height dimensions.

[0074] When the pallet 90 reaches the center position C of the pressure device 10, the conveyor 61 of the pallet lifter 18 descends from the first height position to the second height position as a movement process. As the conveyor 61 descends from the first height position to the second height position, the pallet 90 is placed on the pallet mounting table 62 when it has descended approximately 25 mm from the first height position. At this time, the positioning portions 95 of the pallet 90 fit into the pallet positioning portions 63 of the pallet mounting table 62, and the pallet 90 is positioned in the correct position relative to the pallet mounting table 62. The conveyor 61 descends a further 5 mm, leaving the pallet 90 on the pallet mounting table 62, and the pallet 90 is placed at a second height position that is lower than the pallet mounting table 62.

[0075] Next, the pressure device 10 lowers the upper jig unit 15 and the pallet lifter 18 in parallel. By lowering the upper jig unit 15 and the pallet lifter 18 in parallel, the time required for the movement process can be shortened compared to when these steps are performed in order with a complete lag.

[0076] The upper jig unit 15 is lowered a predetermined distance L1 from the first position to the second position by the thrust of the moving cylinder 14. The predetermined distance L1 is at least 10 times the specific distance L3. Because the movement of the predetermined distance L1, which is at least 10 times the specific distance L3, is performed by the moving cylinder 14, which has a fast operating speed, the time required for the movement process can be significantly reduced, and therefore the time required for the pressurization process of the laminate W using the pressing cylinder 43, which is capable of outputting a large thrust, can be reduced.

[0077] When the upper jig unit 15 descends to the second position, the stopper surface 53A of the upper portion 41 is positioned below the movement limiting wedge 23. The pressure device 10 slides the movement limiting wedge 23 from the non-restricting position to the restricting position. The movement limiting wedge 23 is positioned directly above the stopper surface 53A and restricts the upward movement of the upper jig unit 15.

[0078] The lift 64 of the pallet lifter 18 descends from the start position to the end position. The pallet mounting table 62 descends with the pallet 90 loaded thereon, and the mounting table opening 65 and pallet opening 93 pass downward over the column sections 74 of the lower jig 19. The height measurement lower part 75 penetrates upward through the measurement part relief section 96 and abuts against the lower end of the height measurement upper part 46. The shaft hole H of the stack W fits into the column sections 74, and the underside of the stack W abuts against the support surface 76 of the third plate section of the lower jig 19, and the stack W is supported by the support surface 76. The mounting table opening 65 and pallet opening 93 pass through the third plate section 73, and the pallet mounting table 62 and pallet 90 move downward away from the stack W, and the pallet 90 is removed from the stack W. This prevents the force pressing the laminate W from being applied to the pallet 90 during the pressing process, preventing the pallet 90 from being damaged by the pressing force from the pressure device 10, allowing the pallet 90 to be used in common in other processes on the production line, and enabling efficient product management of the laminate W.

[0079] The pallet placing table 62 is placed on the upper surface of the first plate portion 71 with the pallet 90 placed on the upper surface. In this way, the stack W is accurately positioned relative to the lower jig 19 while separated from the pallet 90. Since the pressing step is carried out after the stack W is accurately positioned relative to the lower jig 19 in the moving step, the quality of the stack W after pressing can be ensured. In this embodiment, the time required for the moving step (including the positioning and locking operations) is, for example, 2 to 3 seconds.

[0080] Next, in the pressing step, the contact portion 45 presses the laminate W with a large force using the thrust of the pressing cylinder 43 and the thrust of the sub-cylinder 44. The contact portion 45 presses the laminate W while moving a specific distance L3 using the thrust of the pressing cylinder 43 and the thrust of the sub-cylinder 44. During this movement, the upward movement of the upper portion 41 is limited by the movement limiting device 16, so the thrust of the pressing cylinder 43 and the thrust of the sub-cylinder 44 act on the laminate W without escaping upward, thereby applying an appropriate thrust to the laminate W. During the movement of the specific distance L3, the guide bar 49 slides relative to the guide tube 48, and the downward movement of the contact portion 45 is guided vertically. Since the pressing device 10 performs the pressing step on the laminate W that has been accurately positioned on the lower jig 19 during the moving step, the quality of the laminate W after pressing can be ensured. In this embodiment, the pressing step takes, for example, 3 seconds.

[0081] After the pressing step, the pressure device 10 performs a height measurement step as a return step. In the height measurement step, the processing device 10 measures the height dimension of the laminate W using the height measurement upper part 46 and the height measurement lower part 75. At this time, the pressure device 10 controls the thrust from the pressing cylinder 43 so that it is not transmitted to the laminate W, and keeps the thrust for height measurement applied only by the sub-cylinder 44. This allows the pressure device 10 to apply a load to the laminate W that meets the conditions for height measurement using the thrust of the sub-cylinder 44. The load is, for example, 3.5 tons. The sub-cylinder 44 has a small thrust and therefore a fast operating speed, so it can quickly achieve a pressurized state appropriate for measuring the height dimension, thereby shortening the time required to measure the height dimension of the laminate W.

[0082] After the pressing step, the pressure device 10 slides the movement limiting wedge 23 from the limiting position to the non-limiting position. The movement limiting wedge 23 retreats from directly above the stopper surface 53A to the outside, allowing the upper jig unit 15 to rise. In the return step, the pressure device 10 returns the upper jig unit 15 a predetermined distance L1 using the moving cylinder 14. By using the moving cylinder 14 in the return step, the pressure device 10 can shorten the return time compared to when using the pressing cylinder 43. Therefore, the time required for the pressure step of the pressure device 10 using the pressing cylinder 43, which can output a large thrust, to press the laminate W can be shortened. At the same time, the pressure device 10 also raises the lift 64 of the pallet lifter 18 from the end position to the start position. During this time, the pallet 90 is placed on the pallet placement table 62, and the laminate W is placed on the pallet 90. Since the pressing step is performed with the pallet 90 removed from the laminate W, the force pressing the laminate W during the pressing step is prevented from being applied to the pallet 90, and the pallet can be used in other steps without any problems.

[0083] When the lift 64 rises to the start position, the conveyor 61 rises from the second height position to the first height position with the pallet 90 on it, and is positioned at the same height as the wheel conveyor 31, and the pallet 90 carrying the pressed laminate W is transported to the subsequent process by the loader device 13.

[0084] The pressurizing step is completed in this manner. In this manner, the pressurizing device 10 performs a moving step in which the moving cylinder 14 moves the pressing cylinder 43 and the contact portion 45 a predetermined distance L1, and then performs a pressing step in which the pressing cylinder 43 moves the contact portion 45 a specific distance L3 that is shorter than the predetermined distance L1, while pressing the laminate W with the thrust of the pressing cylinder 43. The moving cylinder 14 has a smaller thrust than the thrust of the pressing cylinder 43, and therefore has a faster operating speed, while the pressing cylinder 43 has a larger thrust than the thrust of the moving cylinder 14, and therefore has a slower operating speed. Then, by using the fast-acting moving cylinder 14 to perform the moving step of the pressing cylinder 43 and the abutment portion 45, which are capable of outputting a desired thrust, and then performing the pressing step of the laminate W using the pressing cylinder 43 and the abutment portion 45, it is possible to reduce the moving time of the pressing cylinder 43 while suppressing an increase in size of the pressurizing device 10 itself compared to when the moving step and pressing step are performed using only the pressing cylinder 43. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the time required for the pressing step of the laminate W using the pressing cylinder 43, which is capable of outputting a large thrust, while suppressing an increase in size of the pressurizing device 10.

[0085] In this embodiment, the time required for the pressurizing step is, for example, 15 seconds. The pressurizing step using the pressurizing device 10 can reduce the work time for all steps, including the moving step, pressing step, height measurement step, and returning step, so the time required for the pressurizing step of the laminate W using the pressing cylinder 43 capable of outputting a large thrust can be reduced compared to the conventional method.

[0086] <Other Examples> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present invention. (1) In the above embodiment, the pressure applying device 10 is provided with the movement limiting device 16. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the pressure applying device does not necessarily have to be provided with a movement limiting device, or may be provided with a movement limiting device having a different configuration from that of the above embodiment. (2) In the above embodiment, the pressure device 10 includes the sub-cylinder 44, but the pressure device does not necessarily have to include a sub-cylinder. The time required for the pressure step can be shortened compared to the conventional method, even if the pressing step and measurement of the height of the stack are performed using only the pressing cylinder. (3) In the above embodiment, a specific configuration of the positioning mechanism is illustrated, but the shape and position of the positioning portion of the positioning mechanism may be changed as appropriate. (4) In the above embodiment, the pressurizing device 10 has an oil flow path that returns oil discharged from the bottom side port of the moving cylinder 14 to the rod side port, but it is not necessarily required to have such an oil flow path. (5) In the above embodiment, the pallet 90 is transported in the Z-axis direction, but the transport direction of the pallet is not limited to this, and it may be transported, for example, in the X-axis direction. (6) In the above embodiment, the pressure device 10 applies pressure to the stack W in the vertical direction, but the pressure direction is not limited to this, and pressure may be applied in the horizontal direction. (7) In the above embodiment, the pressure device 10 presses the laminate W with the thrust of the first pressing cylinder 43 and the thrust of the second sub-cylinder 44, but the number of pressing cylinders and sub-cylinders is not limited to this. For example, the pressure device may have multiple pressing cylinders capable of outputting the same thrust, and the laminate may be pressed with the thrust of these multiple pressing cylinders, or may have multiple pressing cylinders capable of outputting different thrusts, and the laminate may be pressed with the thrust of these multiple pressing cylinders. (8) In the above embodiment, the pressure device 10 lowers the pallet 90 by the pallet lifter 18 to perform the pressing step, but this is not limiting, and the pressure device may perform the pressing step without lowering the pallet. (9) In the above embodiment, the pressing device 10 is used in the manufacturing process of a motor core, but the pressing device according to the present invention may be applied to devices used in the manufacturing process of products other than motor cores. In this case, if the laminate has a through hole that penetrates in the pressing direction, the through hole may be used for positioning. (10) In the above embodiment, the sub-cylinder is a hydraulic cylinder, but the present invention is not limited to this and the sub-cylinder may be an air cylinder or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 10...Pressure device 14...Transfer cylinder (second hydraulic cylinder) 16...Movement restriction device 19...Lower jig (support) 43...Pressing cylinder (first hydraulic cylinder) 44...Sub-cylinder (third hydraulic cylinder) 45...Contact part 46...Height measurement upper part (height measurement part) 63...Pallet positioning unit (positioning mechanism) 75...Height measurement lower part (height measurement part) 90...Palette 95... Positioning unit (positioning mechanism) C: Center position of pressure device (predetermined position) L1...predetermined distance L2: Predetermined interval L3…Specific distance W...Laminate

Claims

1. A pressure applying device that applies pressure to a stack having a predetermined height dimension, in which a plurality of members are stacked in a temporarily held state, a first hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a first thrust; a second hydraulic cylinder capable of outputting a second thrust smaller than the first thrust; a contact portion that can contact the stack in a height direction, a moving step of moving the first hydraulic cylinder and the contact portion by the second hydraulic cylinder a predetermined distance when the stack is transported to a predetermined position; a pressing step of pressing the stack with the first thrust while moving the abutment portion by the first hydraulic cylinder a specific distance shorter than the predetermined distance when the first hydraulic cylinder and the abutment portion have moved the predetermined distance, a movement limiting device that limits movement of the first hydraulic cylinder and the abutting portion in a direction opposite to a direction in which the first hydraulic cylinder and the abutting portion press the stack in the pressing step; The movement limiting device has a movement limiting wedge that moves between a limiting position and a non-limiting position in a direction intersecting the pressing direction, and when the first hydraulic cylinder and the abutting portion move the predetermined distance, the movement limiting wedge is positioned at the limiting position and limits movement of the abutting portion in the direction opposite to the pressing direction, and when the movement limiting wedge is positioned at the non-limiting position, allows movement of the abutting portion in the direction opposite to the pressing direction. A pressure device characterized by:

2. The stack may be transported to the predetermined position while being placed on a pallet, The pressing step is performed in a state where the pallet is removed from the stack.

2. The pressure device according to claim 1.

3. The predetermined distance is 10 times or more the specific distance.

3. The pressure device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The predetermined distance has a length dimension that can accommodate a plurality of types of stacked bodies with different height dimensions.

3. The pressure device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. a support that supports the stack from an opposite side to the contact direction of the contact portion in the pressing step; a positioning mechanism for positioning the stack with respect to the support in the moving step.

3. The pressure device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. After the pressing step, a returning step is performed in which the first hydraulic cylinder and the abutting portion are returned by the second hydraulic cylinder by the predetermined distance.

3. The pressure device according to claim 1 or 2.

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