Paint treatment equipment

Abstract

To provide a coating treatment device that is able to ensure both coating quality and energy saving performance.SOLUTION: A coating treatment device 1 includes: a coating booth 10; a conveying robot 20 provided in the coating booth 10 and configured to be capable of conveying a work-piece W between a coating position P2 and retracting positions P1, P3; a coating machine 40 that jets a coating material N toward the work-piece W conveyed to the coating position P2 by the conveying robot 20; and an air supply chamber 12 as an air supply unit that downwardly supplies conditioned air A from a roof portion 11 of the coating booth 10 to a coating treatment space 13a. The retracting positions P1, P3 are higher than the coating position P2 and are deviated to a side from the coating position P2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a paint processing apparatus for painting automobile bodies as workpieces. This paint processing apparatus includes a robot installed in a paint booth and an air conditioning unit. The robot is an articulated robot with many joints, and is configured to hold a workpiece at its tip and change its position and posture, or transport the workpiece between a painting position and a retracted position. The air conditioning unit is installed in the ceiling of the paint booth and is configured to supply conditioned air with adjusted temperature and humidity into the paint booth. This air conditioning unit controls the air conditioning conditions inside the paint booth to be suitable for painting work. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-103446 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the energy cost required for air conditioning in the paint booth increases as the paint booth becomes larger. That is, the amount of air conditioning required increases as the size of the paint booth increases. Therefore, in order to improve the energy-saving performance of this type of paint processing equipment, it is preferable to reduce the size of the paint booth.

[0005] However, when the painting booth is made smaller, the lateral distance between the painting position and the retracted position becomes smaller, and paint dust scattered at the painting position may reach the retracted position. In this case, the scattered paint dust may adhere to the workpiece placed at the retracted position (i.e., the workpiece before or after painting). This phenomenon is generally referred to as "paint fogging."

[0006] For example, if paint dust adheres to a workpiece before painting, the color of the paint dust will mix with the color of the paint being painted. Furthermore, if paint dust adheres to a workpiece after painting, the paint dust will form paint lumps on the workpiece's surface. Therefore, reducing the size of the paint booth can result in a problem of reduced paint quality. However, if the retracted position is moved significantly horizontally away from the painting position to prevent paint dust from reaching the workpiece, the paint booth will become larger, making it difficult to achieve the desired energy-saving performance of the paint processing equipment, which is the original purpose of the paint processing equipment.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a paint processing apparatus that can achieve both high paint quality and energy-saving performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is Paint booth and a transfer robot that is provided in the painting booth and is configured to be able to transfer the workpiece between a painting position and a retreat position; a coating machine that sprays paint onto the workpiece transported to the coating position by the transport robot; an air supply unit that supplies conditioned air downward from the ceiling of the painting booth to the painting processing space; Equipped with The retracted position is higher than the painting position and is located laterally away from the painting position. And, As the retreat positions, a pre-painting position before the workpiece is transported to the painting position and a post-painting position to which the workpiece is transported after being painted at the painting position are set, a conveyor rail extending horizontally so as to support the workpiece at each of the pre-painting position and the post-painting position; The conveyor rail is located higher than the painting position., painting treatment equipment, is located. Another aspect of the present invention is Paint booth and a transfer robot that is provided in the painting booth and is configured to be able to transfer the workpiece between a painting position and a retreat position; a coating machine that sprays paint onto the workpiece transported to the coating position by the transport robot; an air supply unit that supplies conditioned air downward from the ceiling of the painting booth to the painting processing space; Equipped with The retracted position is higher than the painting position and is laterally spaced from the painting position, As the retreat positions, a pre-painting position before the workpiece is transported to the painting position and a post-painting position to which the workpiece is transported after being painted at the painting position are set, a conveyor rail extending horizontally so as to support the workpiece at each of the pre-painting position and the post-painting position; a paint treatment device in which a main body of the transport robot is provided directly below the conveyor rail; is located. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] In the paint treatment apparatus of the above aspect, a workpiece is transported between a painting position and a retracted position by a transfer robot provided in the paint booth. The workpiece is transported to the painting position by the transfer robot and then painted with paint sprayed from the paint sprayer. Meanwhile, conditioned air is supplied downward from the air supply unit into the paint treatment space. Therefore, paint dust that is sprayed from the paint sprayer at the painting position but does not adhere to the workpiece and then scatters around the workpiece flows downward through the paint treatment space in the paint booth along with the downward flow of conditioned air.

[0010] This aspect is characterized in that the workpiece retraction position is located higher than the painting position and to the side of the painting position. As a result, paint dust generated at the painting position is prevented from reaching the retraction position from the painting position because the retraction position is higher than the painting position and because the paint dust flows down from the painting position due to the influence of air conditioning. This prevents paint dust from adhering to the workpiece located at the retraction position and deteriorating the painting quality.

[0011] Furthermore, if the retraction position is set higher than the painting position, the painting quality is less affected, and the lateral distance between the retraction position and the painting position can be kept small. In other words, the retraction position and the painting position can be placed as close together horizontally as possible. As a result, the painting booth can be made smaller, and energy-saving performance can be improved by reducing the amount of air conditioning used.

[0012] As described above, according to the above-described aspect, it is possible to provide a paint processing apparatus that can achieve both high paint quality and energy-saving performance. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing the internal structure of a coating treatment device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] A top view of the paint room in Figure 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the internal structure of the paint treatment device of the second embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a side view showing the internal structure of the paint treatment device of the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Preferred embodiments of the above aspects are described below.

[0015] The paint processing device of the above-mentioned aspect is preferably equipped with a painting robot that holds the paint sprayer from above, and the transport robot is configured to transport the work between the retracted position and the painting position while supporting the work from below.

[0016] This paint processing device is structured so that the transport robot supports the workpiece from below, while the painting robot holds the paint machine from above, preventing either the transport robot or the painting robot from interfering with the operation of the other.

[0017] In the paint processing device of the above-mentioned aspect, the retraction positions are set as a pre-painting position before the workpiece is transported to the painting position, and a post-painting position to which the workpiece is transported after being painted at the painting position, and it is preferable that this paint processing device is equipped with a conveyor rail extending horizontally so as to support the workpiece at each of the pre-painting position and the post-painting position.

[0018] This paint processing device can prevent paint dust generated at the painting position from adhering to the workpiece carried to the pre-painting position by the conveyor rail, causing the color of this paint dust to mix with the color of the paint used during painting, thereby reducing the quality of the paint.It can also prevent paint dust generated at the painting position from adhering to the workpiece before it is carried out from the post-painting position by the conveyor rail, causing paint dust to form paint bumps on the surface of the workpiece, thereby reducing the quality of the paint.

[0019] In the paint treatment device of the above aspect, it is preferable that the conveyor rail is disposed at a higher position than the painting position.

[0020] According to this paint processing device, by locating the conveyor rail higher than the painting position, it is possible to prevent paint dust generated at the painting position from adhering to the conveyor rail, thereby reducing the maintenance costs required for cleaning the conveyor rail.

[0021] In the paint processing apparatus of the above aspect, it is preferable that the main body of the transport robot is provided immediately below the conveyor rail.

[0022] With this paint processing equipment, the transport robot's main body is located directly below the conveyor rail, which shortens the transport distance of the transport robot, thereby shortening the cycle time required to transport workpieces between the evacuation position and the painting position.

[0023] When the paint processing device of the above-mentioned aspect is configured such that the air supply section is the first air supply section, in addition to the first air supply section, it is also provided with a second air supply section provided on the side wall section of the paint booth, and the second air supply section is configured to supply conditioned air laterally to the paint processing space and flow it from the side of the main body section and the conveyor rail toward the painting position.

[0024] This paint treatment device uses the conditioned air supplied from the second air supply unit to the paint treatment space to prevent paint dust generated at the painting position from adhering to the main body of the transfer robot and the conveyor rail, thereby reducing the maintenance costs required for cleaning the transfer robot and the conveyor rail.

[0025] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the paint treatment device of the above aspect will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0026] In the drawings for explaining this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, two mutually perpendicular horizontal directions of the painting booth are indicated by arrows X and Y, and the height direction (up and down direction) of the painting booth is indicated by arrow Z.

[0027] (Embodiment 1) 1, the paint processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment is an apparatus for spray coating a workpiece W. In this embodiment, the paint processing apparatus 1 is a large apparatus designed to treat the workpiece W as an automobile body. The paint processing apparatus 1 includes a paint booth 10, a conveyor rail 17, a transport robot 20, a paint robot 30, a paint sprayer 40, and an air conditioning unit 50.

[0028] Here, the paint booth 10 is broadly divided into a paint chamber 13, an air supply chamber 12 provided in the ceiling portion 11 above the paint chamber 13, and a paint recovery chamber 14 provided below the paint chamber 13.

[0029] The air supply chamber 12 is an air supply section that supplies conditioned air A downward from the ceiling 11 of the paint booth 10 to the paint processing space 13a of the paint chamber 13. The indoor space 12a of this air supply chamber 12 is connected to a duct 51 of an air conditioner 50. The air conditioner 50 has the function of generating conditioned air A by introducing outside air and adjusting the temperature and humidity. The conditioned air A generated by this air conditioner 50 is introduced into the indoor space 12a through the duct 51. The conditioned air A in the indoor space 12a is also supplied to the paint processing space 13a of the paint chamber 13 through a filter member 15.

[0030] The paint recovery chamber 14 is used to recover paint dust D that has not been used in the painting chamber 13. In the painting treatment space 13a of the painting chamber 13, the paint dust D flows downward as atomized mist following the downward flow of airflow A due to the suction action of an exhaust fan (not shown). The paint dust D flows into the interior space 14a of the paint recovery chamber 14 through a recovery port 16a in the partition floor 16 and is recovered.

[0031] The painting treatment space 13a of the painting chamber 13 is provided with a conveyor rail 17, a transfer robot 20, and a painting robot 30. The conveyor rail 17 extends linearly in the horizontal direction Y so as to support the workpiece W at a pre-painting position P1 and a post-painting position P3. The transfer robot 20 and the painting robot 30 are robots with similar structures.

[0032] The transfer robot 20 generally has the function of transferring the workpiece W between the painting position P2 and the pre-painting position P1 and post-painting position P3. The transfer robot 20 transfers the workpiece W appropriately between the pre-painting position P1 and the painting position P2, and also appropriately transfers the workpiece W between the post-painting position P3 and the painting position P2.

[0033] In contrast, the painting robot 30 generally has the function of holding and moving the paint coater 40. According to this painting robot 30, the paint coater 40 is transported to above the painting position P2 during the painting process of the workpiece W. At this time, the paint coater 40 is controlled to spray the paint N toward the workpiece W transported to the painting position P2 by the transport robot 20.

[0034] Here, the painting position P2 is the position where the paint N is actually sprayed from the paint sprayer 40 onto the workpiece W. In contrast, the pre-painting position P1 is the position before the workpiece W is transported to the painting position P2. Furthermore, the post-painting position P3 is the position to which the workpiece W is transported after being painted at the painting position P2. Therefore, both the pre-painting position P1 and the post-painting position P3 are retreat positions relative to the painting position P2. In this embodiment, both the pre-painting position P1 and the post-painting position P3 are higher than the painting position P2 (see FIG. 1) and positioned laterally away from the painting position P2 (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0035] 1. Structure of the transport robot 20 1 and 2, the transport robot 20 is an articulated robot having a main body 21 and a robot arm 22 with an articulated structure extending from the main body 21. In this embodiment, the main body 21 of the transport robot 20 is provided directly below the conveyor rail 17 in the height direction Z. Although not particularly shown, a holding mechanism capable of holding and releasing a workpiece W is provided at the arm tip of the robot arm 22 of the transport robot 20.

[0036] In this transfer robot 20, the position and posture of the arm tip of the robot arm 22 are controlled. This allows the transfer robot 20 to transfer the workpiece W along a desired path between the painting position P2 and the pre-painting position P1 and post-painting position P3. In this embodiment, the transfer robot 20 is configured to transfer the workpiece W while supporting it from below.

[0037] 2. Structure of painting robot 30 1 and 2, the painting robot 30, like the transport robot 20, is an articulated robot having a main body 31 and a robot arm 32 with an articulated structure extending from the main body 31. FIG. 1 shows a simplified structure of the painting robot 30. A paint sprayer 40 is fixed to the tip of the robot arm 32 of the painting robot 30. The number of painting robots 30 is not particularly limited, but this embodiment illustrates a case where multiple paint sprayers 40 with different paint colors are used, and accordingly, multiple painting robots 30 (four in FIG. 2) are provided.

[0038] In each painting robot 30, the position and posture of the arm tip of the robot arm 32 are controlled. This allows each painting robot 30 to move the paint sprayer 40 so that the paint N is sprayed from a desired position in a desired direction onto the workpiece W. In this embodiment, each painting robot 30 is configured to hold the corresponding paint sprayer 40 from above.

[0039] 3. Work W transport operation As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the workpiece W is first carried into the painting treatment space 13a of the painting room 13 from outside the painting booth 10 by the conveyor rail 17. The transfer robot 20 is controlled to pick up the workpiece W at a pre-painting position P1 on the conveyor rail 17 and transport it to a painting position P2. As a result, the workpiece W is positioned at the painting position P2. Meanwhile, the painting robots 30 are controlled so that the paint sprayers 40 approach the workpiece W positioned at the painting position P2. Then, the surface of the workpiece W is painted with paint N sprayed from the paint spray nozzles (not shown) of the paint sprayers 40 held by each painting robot 30. At this time, the transfer robot 20 is controlled to maintain a state in which it supports the workpiece W from below.

[0040] After the workpiece W has been painted, the transfer robot 20 is controlled to transfer the workpiece W from the painting position P2 to a post-painting position P3 on the conveyor rail 17 and release the workpiece W at the post-painting position P3. The workpiece W is then transported by the conveyor rail 17 from the painting treatment space 13a of the painting chamber 13 to the outside of the painting booth 10.

[0041] According to the above-described first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0042] In the paint processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, the workpiece W is transported between a painting position P2 and a pre-painting position P1 and a post-painting position P3 by a transfer robot 20 provided in the painting booth 10. The workpiece W is painted with paint N sprayed from a paint coater 40 while being transported to the painting position P2 by the transfer robot 20. Meanwhile, conditioned air A is supplied downward from the air supply chamber 12 to the paint processing space 13a of the painting booth 13. Therefore, paint dust D that is sprayed from the paint coater 40 at the painting position P2 and then scattered around the workpiece W without being coated thereon flows downward through the paint processing space 13a in the painting booth 10 with the flow of the downward conditioned air A.

[0043] In the first embodiment, the pre-painting position P1 and the post-painting position P3 of the workpiece W are located higher than the painting position P2 and laterally offset from the painting position P2. As a result, paint dust D generated at the painting position P2 is prevented from reaching the pre-painting position P1 and the post-painting position P3 from the painting position P2 because the pre-painting position P1 and the post-painting position P3 are higher than the painting position P2 and because the paint dust D flows down from the painting position P2 due to the influence of the air conditioning air A.

[0044] Therefore, it is possible to prevent a deterioration in painting quality due to paint buildup such as paint dust D adhering to the workpiece W positioned at the pre-painting position P1 and the post-painting position P3. That is, it is possible to prevent a deterioration in painting quality due to paint dust D generated at the painting position P2 adhering to the workpiece W carried to the pre-painting position P1 by the conveyor rail 17 and the color of this paint dust D mixing with the color of the paint used during painting. It is also possible to prevent a deterioration in painting quality due to paint dust D generated at the painting position P2 adhering to the workpiece W before it is carried out from the post-painting position P3 by the conveyor rail 17 and the paint dust D forming paint bumps on the surface of the workpiece W.

[0045] Furthermore, if the pre-painting position P1 and the post-painting position P3 are set higher than the painting position P2, the painting quality is less affected, and the lateral distance between the pre-painting position P1 and the post-painting position P3 and the painting position P2 can be kept small. In other words, the pre-painting position P1 and the post-painting position P3 and the painting position P2 can be brought as close as possible to the horizontal direction X. As a result, the painting booth 10 can be made smaller, and the amount of conditioned air A used can be reduced, thereby improving energy-saving performance.

[0046] As described above, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to provide the paint processing apparatus 1 that can achieve both high paint quality and energy-saving performance.

[0047] According to the paint processing device 1 of embodiment 1, the transport robot 20 supports the workpiece W from below, while the painting robot 30 holds the paint sprayer 40 from above, thereby preventing either the transport robot 20 or the painting robot 30 from interfering with the operation of the other.

[0048] According to the paint processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, the main body 21 of the transfer robot 20 is provided directly below the conveyor rail 17, thereby shortening the transfer distance performed by the transfer robot 20. This makes it possible to shorten the cycle time required for the transfer of the workpiece W between the pre-painting position P1 and the post-painting position P3 and the painting position P2.

[0049] Hereinafter, other embodiments related to the above-described embodiment 1 will be described with reference to the drawings. In the other embodiments, the same elements as those in embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description of the same elements will be omitted.

[0050] (Embodiment 2) As shown in FIG. 3, the paint processing device 1A of the second embodiment differs from the paint processing device 1 of the first embodiment in that the conveyor rail 17 is disposed higher than the painting position P2.

[0051] The other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0052] According to the paint processing device 1A of the second embodiment, the conveyor rail 17 is disposed at a higher position than the painting position P2, thereby preventing paint dust D generated at the painting position P2 from adhering to the conveyor rail 17. This reduces the maintenance cost required for cleaning the conveyor rail 17.

[0053] In addition, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved.

[0054] (Embodiment 3) 4, the paint processing apparatus 1B of the third embodiment differs from the paint processing apparatus 1 of the first embodiment in that it includes an air supply chamber 19 in addition to the air supply chamber 12. The air supply chamber 19 is an air supply section that supplies conditioned air A laterally from the side wall section 18 of the paint booth 10 to the paint processing space 13a of the paint chamber 13. When the air supply chamber 12 is defined as the first air supply section 12, the air supply chamber 19 is defined as the second air supply section 19.

[0055] The interior space 19a of the air supply chamber 19 is connected to the interior space 12a of the air supply chamber 12. Therefore, the conditioned air A generated by the air conditioner 50 is supplied from the air supply chamber 12 to the paint processing space 13a of the paint chamber 13, and is also supplied from the air supply chamber 19 to the paint processing space 13a of the paint chamber 13. The conditioned air A supplied from the air supply chamber 19 flows from the side of the main body 21 of the transfer robot 20 and the conveyor rail 17 toward the painting position P2.

[0056] The other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0057] According to the paint processing apparatus 1B of the third embodiment, the paint dust D generated at the painting position P2 can be prevented from adhering to the main body 21 of the transfer robot 20 and the conveyor rail 17 by the conditioned air supplied from the air supply chamber 19 to the paint processing space 13a of the painting chamber 13. This makes it possible to keep the maintenance costs required for cleaning the transfer robot 20 and the conveyor rail 17 low.

[0058] In addition, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved.

[0059] In a modification particularly related to the third embodiment, if necessary, the paint treatment device 1A of the second embodiment may be configured to have the air supply chamber 19 of the third embodiment added thereto.

[0060] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various applications and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the following embodiments can be implemented by applying the above-described embodiments.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the case where the coater 40 is held by the coating robot 30 has been exemplified, but instead, the coating robot 30 can be omitted and a structure can be adopted in which the coater 40 is always fixed at the coating position P2 in the coating booth 10. When this structure is adopted, the workpiece W can be transported while being supported from below by the transport robot 20, or while being supported from another direction.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the main body 21 of the transport robot 20 is provided directly below the conveyor rail 17, but the positional relationship between the main body 21 and the conveyor rail 17 is not limited to this. For example, a structure in which the main body 21 of the transport robot 20 is provided to the side of the conveyor rail 17 may also be used.

[0063] In the above embodiment, an example is given of a case where the evacuation positions within the painting booth 10 are set to two positions, a pre-painting position P1 and a post-painting position P3, but the number of evacuation positions is not limited to this and may be set to one or three or more positions as needed.

[0064] In the above embodiment, a paint processing device used for painting automobile bodies has been exemplified, but the structure of this paint processing device can also be applied to the structure of paint processing devices for automobile parts, or the structure of paint processing devices in fields other than automobiles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1, 1A, 1B Paint treatment equipment 10 Paint Booth 11 Ceiling 12 Air supply chamber (air supply section, first air supply section) 13a Painting processing space 18 Side wall 19 Air supply chamber (second air supply section) 20 Transport robot 21 Main body 30 Painting robot A. Air conditioning N paint P1 Pre-painting position (retracted position) P 3 Post-painting position (retracted position) double work Y horizontal direction

Claims

1. Paint booth and a transfer robot that is provided in the painting booth and is configured to be able to transfer the workpiece between a painting position and a retreat position; a coating machine that sprays paint onto the workpiece transported to the coating position by the transport robot; an air supply unit that supplies conditioned air downward from the ceiling of the painting booth to the painting processing space; Equipped with The retracted position is higher than the painting position and is laterally spaced from the painting position, As the retreat positions, a pre-painting position before the workpiece is transported to the painting position and a post-painting position to which the workpiece is transported after being painted at the painting position are set, a conveyor rail extending horizontally so as to support the workpiece at each of the pre-painting position and the post-painting position; The paint processing device, wherein the conveyor rail is disposed at a higher position than the paint position.

2. A paint booth; a transfer robot that is provided in the painting booth and is configured to be able to transfer the workpiece between a painting position and a retreat position; a coating machine that sprays paint onto the workpiece transported to the coating position by the transport robot; an air supply unit that supplies conditioned air downward from the ceiling of the painting booth to the painting processing space; Equipped with The retracted position is higher than the painting position and is laterally spaced from the painting position, As the retreat positions, a pre-painting position before the workpiece is transported to the painting position and a post-painting position to which the workpiece is transported after being painted at the painting position are set, a conveyor rail extending horizontally so as to support the workpiece at each of the pre-painting position and the post-painting position; The paint processing apparatus, wherein the main body of the transport robot is provided directly below the conveyor rail.

3. 3. The paint processing device according to claim 2, wherein when the air supply unit is a first air supply unit, in addition to the first air supply unit, a second air supply unit is provided on a side wall of the paint booth, and the second air supply unit is configured to supply conditioned air laterally into the paint processing space and flow it from the side of the main body and the conveyor rail toward the painting position.

4. a coating robot that holds the coating machine from above, 3. The paint processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport robot is configured to transport the workpiece between the retracted position and the painting position while supporting the workpiece from below.

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