Release paper removal method

Abstract

To prevent a release paper and a sheet member from being peeled off together from a workpiece when the release paper is automatically peeled from the sheet member fixed to the workpiece.SOLUTION: By moving a workpiece 1 relative to a first roller 21 and a second roller 22 while holding a protruded part 3a of a release paper 3 between the first roller 21 and the second roller 22, in a release paper peeling method for peeling the release paper 3 from a sheet member 2, the sheet member 2 is pressed against the first roller 21 while the workpiece 1 is moved.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for peeling a release paper from a sheet member adhered to a workpiece.

Background Art

[0002] Reinforcement members (reinforcements) are often attached to the side panels of automobile bodies. In this case, a sheet member such as a solid sealant may be provided between the side panel and the reinforcement for the purpose of vibration damping and reinforcement.

[0003] A release paper (also referred to as "release paper" or "peel-off paper") is attached to the adhesive surface of the sheet member for the purpose of preventing drying and dust adhesion. Therefore, when attaching the sheet member to the vehicle body, it is necessary to peel the release paper from the sheet member. Such peeling work of the release paper is often performed manually by an operator, but in this case, the following problems occur. · The operator may forget to peel off the release paper. · Due to static electricity, the release paper may come off the hand, resulting in poor workability. · For each sheet member, it is necessary for the operator to peel the release paper from the sheet member and discard the peeled release paper, so the peeling work takes time.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 below shows a peeling device that automatically peels a release paper from a sheet member. In this peeling device, the sheet member on the workbench is sent from the rear to the front by a holding device (suction pad), so that the tip of the release paper adhered to the sheet member (the portion protruding forward from the sheet member) is inserted into the roller device, and the release paper is peeled from the sheet member by the rotation of the roller device. By using such a peeling device, the problems of the peeling work by manual operation as described above can be solved.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-227358 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Reinforcements are sometimes delivered to the body line with the sheet material already fixed in place. In this case, one side of the sheet material is fixed to the reinforcement, and release paper is attached to the other side. When assembling such a reinforcement to a side panel, it is necessary to peel off the release paper from the sheet material fixed to the reinforcement, but at this time there is a risk that the release paper and the sheet material may peel off from the reinforcement together.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to prevent the release paper and the sheet member from peeling off together from the workpiece when the release paper is automatically peeled off from the sheet member fixed to the workpiece. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a method for peeling release paper from a sheet member fixed to a workpiece, The process involves clamping the excess portion of the release paper that extends beyond the sheet member between the first clamping member and the second clamping member. The process includes the step of peeling the release paper from the sheet member by moving the workpiece relative to the first and second clamping members while the protruding portion of the release paper is being held between the first and second clamping members, The present invention provides a release paper peeling method characterized by pressing the sheet member against the first clamping member or the second clamping member while moving the workpiece.

[0009] Thus, in this invention, the workpiece is moved relative to the first and second clamping members, and the sheet member is pressed against the first or second clamping member during this movement. At this time, the sheet member is pressed against the workpiece by the reaction force of the force pressing the sheet member against the clamping members, so the adhesion between the sheet member and the workpiece is increased, and the sheet member becomes less likely to peel off the workpiece.

[0010] The above release paper peeling method preferably includes the steps of pressing the sheet member against the first clamping member or the second clamping member via the release paper while moving the workpiece before peeling the release paper from the sheet member, and pressing the sheet member against the first clamping member or the second clamping member while moving the workpiece while peeling the release paper from the sheet member, or after peeling the release paper from the sheet member. In this way, by pressing the sheet member against the clamping member before peeling the release paper from the sheet member, and during or after peeling the release paper from the sheet member, the adhesion between the workpiece and the sheet member is further enhanced.

[0011] As described above, in order to hold the protruding portion of the release paper with both clamping members, the protruding portion must be positioned in a location where it can be held by both clamping members (for example, between both clamping members). However, it is not easy to automatically hold the protruding portion of the release paper with both clamping members.

[0012] Therefore, the above-described method for peeling off release paper preferably includes a step of positioning the protruding portion of the release paper in a position where it can be gripped by the first clamping member and the second clamping member by sucking it with a suction means. In this way, the protruding portion of the release paper can be easily positioned in a position where it can be gripped by both clamping members by sucking it with a suction means, making it possible to reliably grip the protruding portion of the release paper with both clamping members.

[0013] In an apparatus for performing the above-described release paper peeling method, if a collection unit for collecting the release paper sucked up by a suction means and a connecting pipe connecting the suction means and the collection unit are provided, it is preferable that the collection unit has a vent that allows air to pass through but does not allow the release paper to pass through. As a result, the air discharged from the suction means is discharged through the connecting pipe and out of the vent in the collection unit, so the airflow is not obstructed and a decrease in the suction force of the suction means can be prevented. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] As described above, according to the present invention, the adhesion between the workpiece and the sheet member is improved, thereby preventing the release paper and the sheet member from peeling off the workpiece together. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a schematic side view of a release paper peeling device. [Figure 2] This is an enlarged side view showing the procedure for peeling off the release paper using the above-mentioned release paper peeling device, with the workpiece positioned near the first roller. [Figure 3] This is an enlarged side view showing the procedure for peeling off the release paper using the above-mentioned release paper peeling device, illustrating how the sheet material is pressed against the first roller while the workpiece is raised. [Figure 4] This is an enlarged side view showing the procedure for peeling off the release paper using the above-mentioned release paper peeling device, illustrating how the excess portion of the release paper is being sucked up and curved by a suction device. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged side view showing the procedure for peeling off the release paper using the above-mentioned release paper peeling device, with the excess portion of the release paper placed on the first roller. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged side view showing the procedure for peeling off the release paper using the above-mentioned release paper peeling device, and shows the state in which the protruding portion of the release paper is held between the first roller and the second roller. [Figure 7] This is an enlarged side view showing the procedure for peeling off the release paper using the above-mentioned release paper peeling device, illustrating the process of peeling the release paper from the sheet material. [Figure 8]It is an enlarged side view showing the procedure of peeling off the release paper by the above release paper peeling device, and shows the state where the peeling of the release paper is completed. [Figure 9] It is an enlarged side view showing the procedure of peeling off the release paper by the above release paper peeling device, and shows a state where the peeled release paper is sucked by the suction means and the sheet member is detected by the second sensor. [Figure 10] It is an enlarged side view showing another method of peeling off the release paper by the above release paper peeling device.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a release paper peeling device for performing a release paper peeling method according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, one surface of a sheet member 2 (for example, a solid sealer) is previously fixed to a work 1 (for example, a reinforcement attached to a side panel of a vehicle body) by adhesion or the like, and the release paper 3 is automatically peeled from the adhesive surface provided on the other surface of the sheet member 2.

[0018] The release paper peeling device mainly includes a robot 10 as work moving means for moving the work 1, a clamping means 20 for clamping the release paper 3, a suction means 31 for sucking the release paper 3, and a control unit for controlling these. In the following description, the side of the robot 10 in the horizontal direction (the left side in the figure) is referred to as the "front side", and the opposite side (the right side in the figure) is referred to as the "rear side".

[0019] The robot 10 has an arm 11 having a plurality of joints and a holding portion 12 provided at the tip of the arm 11 for holding the work 1. By moving the arm 11 of the robot 10 according to a command from the control unit, the work 1 can be translated or rotated.

[0020] The clamping means 20 has a first roller 21 as a first clamping member, a second roller 22 as a second clamping member, and a cylinder 23 as clamping drive means for moving the second roller 22.

[0021] The first roller 21 is fixed in a predetermined position and is capable of free rotation around its own axis. Preferably, at least the outer surface of the first roller 21 is formed of a cushioning material (for example, urethane).

[0022] The second roller 22 has an axis parallel to the axis of the first roller 21 and is capable of free rotation around its own axis. In the illustrated example, the outer diameter of the second roller 21 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first roller 22. The material of the second roller 21 is not particularly limited and can be made of metal or resin, for example. The second roller 22 is capable of parallel movement in a direction perpendicular to its axis. In this embodiment, the second roller 22 is attached to the tip of a pin of the cylinder 23. By extending and retracting the pin of the cylinder 23 in response to a command from the control unit, the second roller 22 is made capable of moving between a clamping position in which it clamps the release paper 3 between itself and the first roller 21 (see Figure 1) and a retracted position away from the first roller 21 (see Figure 2). In this embodiment, the axis of the second roller 22 positioned in the clamping position is positioned directly above the axis of the first roller 21 (see Figure 1). Furthermore, the retracted position of the second roller 22 is provided in an oblique upward direction toward the rear (right side in the figure) relative to the clamping position (see Figure 2).

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the suction means 31 has a suction port 31a and an outlet port 31b, and air drawn in from the suction port 31a is discharged from the outlet port 31b. The control unit controls the ON / OFF of the suction of the suction means 31. The suction means 31 is positioned near the clamping portion P formed by the first roller 21 and the second roller 22, specifically on the far side (right side in the figure) of the clamping portion P. The suction port 31a of the suction means 31 opens toward the clamping portion P side (front side), and the outlet port 31b of the suction means 31 opens toward the far side.

[0024] The discharge port 31b of the suction means 31 is connected to a collection box 33, which serves as a collection unit, via a connecting pipe 32. The collection box 33 is provided with a vent 33a. The vent 33a is configured to allow air to pass through but not the release paper 3. For example, the vent 33a is fitted with a mesh member having a mesh size that prevents the release paper 3 from passing through. The collection box 33 is sealed except for the connection to the connecting pipe 32 and the vent 33a.

[0025] The above-described release paper peeling device is equipped with a first sensor 41 that detects the passage of the peeled release paper 3. The first sensor 41 is connected to the control unit. In this embodiment, the first sensor 41 is provided in the connecting pipe 32 and positioned to detect the release paper 3 passing through the connecting pipe 32. In this embodiment, a fiber sensor is used as the first sensor 41. Fiber sensors are not normally used to detect the passage of such objects, but as a result of the inventors' verification, it has become clear that by using a fiber sensor, it is possible to detect whether or not the release paper 3 has passed.

[0026] The release paper peeling device is equipped with a second sensor 42. The second sensor 42 is connected to the control unit. The second sensor 42 is positioned, for example, near the clamping means 20, and in the illustrated example, it is positioned above the first roller 21. The second sensor 42 checks the state of the sheet member 2 to confirm whether the release paper 3 has been properly peeled off from the sheet member 2.

[0027] In this embodiment, the workpiece 1 is made of metal (e.g., steel) and has a glossy surface. The sheet member 2 is made of resin, such as thermosetting resin, particularly butyl-based or epoxy-based thermosetting resin, and its surface (at least the adhesive side) exhibits a color that reflects very little light (e.g., black). The release paper 3 is made of a resin film of any color (e.g., colorless, transparent, white, etc.) and its surface reflects light easily. In this case, if a photoelectric sensor is used as the second sensor 42, it is possible to detect whether or not the release paper 3 has been properly peeled off from the sheet member 2. The principle is explained below.

[0028] The photoelectric sensor turns ON when it receives a certain amount of reflected light when light is shone onto an object, and turns OFF if the amount of received light is less than the predetermined amount. For example, if the sheet member 2 has peeled off the workpiece 1, the metal workpiece 1 is exposed where the sheet member 2 should be attached. When light is shone from the second sensor 42 onto this area, the second sensor 42 detects the reflected light reflected from the surface of the workpiece 1 and turns ON. Also, if release paper 3 is attached to the sheet member 2, when light is shone from the second sensor 42 onto this area, the second sensor 42 detects the reflected light reflected from the surface of the release paper 3 and turns ON.

[0029] On the other hand, if the sheet member 2 is properly attached to the workpiece 1 and the release paper 3 has been peeled off, the black sheet member 2 will be placed in the area detected by the second sensor 42. When light is shone from the second sensor 42 onto this area, the surface of the sheet member 2 reflects almost no light, so the second sensor 42 does not receive reflected light, and the second sensor 42 remains in the OFF state. Therefore, when the second sensor 42 detects the area on the workpiece 1 where the sheet member 2 should be attached, if the second sensor 42 is OFF, it can be determined that the peeling off of the release paper 3 has been completed successfully (i.e., the sheet member 2 has been properly attached and the release paper 3 has been peeled off). On the other hand, if the second sensor 42 is ON, it can be determined that the release paper 3 has not been properly peeled off (i.e., the sheet member 2 has been peeled off from the workpiece 1, or the release paper 3 is still attached to the sheet member 2).

[0030] The following describes an embodiment of the release paper peeling method according to the present invention, which involves peeling off the release paper 3 using the above-described release paper peeling device.

[0031] First, the robot 10 (see Figure 1) moves the workpiece 1 to the vicinity of the gripping means 20 (see Figure 2). Specifically, the sheet member 2 attached to the workpiece 1 is positioned diagonally below (downward towards the front) the first roller 21. At this time, the pin of the cylinder 23 is retracted, and the second roller 22 is positioned in a retracted position away from the first roller 21. Once the workpiece 1 is positioned near the gripping means 20, the suction means 31 starts suction (see dotted arrow).

[0032] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 3, the workpiece 1 is raised. At this time, the sheet member 2 attached to the workpiece 1 is pressed against the first roller 21 via the release paper 3 while the workpiece 1 is raised. As a result, the sheet member 2 is pressed against the workpiece 1 by the reaction force from the first roller 21, thereby improving the adhesion between the sheet member 2 and the workpiece 1. At this time, since the first roller 21 is rotatable, the workpiece 1 can be smoothly raised while pressing the sheet member 2 and rotating the first roller 21.

[0033] Subsequently, when the workpiece 1 is raised further, the sheet member 2 and release paper 3 are positioned above the first roller 21, as shown in Figure 4. At this time, because the suction means 31 is sucking in the air around the suction port 31a, the overhang portion 3a of the release paper 3 that extends downward from the sheet member 2 is curved, and the lower end (free end) of the overhang portion 3a moves to the back. In this embodiment, the workpiece 1 is raised and moved slightly to the back, causing the release paper 3 to enter the area above the first roller 21. By bringing the overhang portion 3a of the release paper 3 closer to the suction means 31 in this way, the overhang portion 3a becomes easier to suck in by the suction means 31. In the illustrated example, by sucking with the suction means 31, the lower end of the overhang portion 3a of the release paper 3 is positioned further back than the upper end of the first roller 21 (the part that forms the clamping portion P with the second roller 22).

[0034] As described above, the protruding portion 3a is sucked and curved by the suction means 31, and the workpiece 1 is lowered as shown in Figure 5, so that the protruding portion 3a of the release paper 3 is placed on the first roller 21 and the workpiece 1 is stopped. In this embodiment, in order to avoid interference with the first roller 21, the workpiece 1 is lowered while being slightly retracted. In the illustrated example, the protruding portion 3a of the release paper 3 is positioned so as to cover the upper end of the first roller 21. In this state, by extending the pin of the cylinder 23, the protruding portion 3a of the release paper 3 is clamped between the first roller 21 and the second roller 22, and the clamped portion P is formed (see Figure 6).

[0035] In this embodiment, since the outer surface of the first roller 21 is formed of a cushioning material (for example, urethane), the outer surface of the first roller 21 deforms slightly when pressed by the second roller 21. As a result, the contact area between both rollers 21 and 22 and the release paper 3 increases, allowing both rollers 21 and 22 to firmly hold the protruding portion 3a of the release paper 3.

[0036] As described above, in order to clamp the release paper 3 with both rollers 21 and 22, the workpiece 1 and the sheet member 2 must be positioned so as not to interfere with the second roller 22 (see Figure 6) at the clamping position. In this embodiment, since the second roller 22 has a smaller diameter than the first roller 21, the sheet member 2 can be brought closer to the clamping portion P of both rollers 21 and 22 than if the second roller 22 had a larger diameter. This makes it easier to clamp the release paper 3 with both rollers 21 and 22 even if the overhang portion 3a of the release paper 3 is short.

[0037] As described above, with the protruding portion 3a of the release paper 3 held between both rollers 21 and 22, the workpiece 1 is moved away from the clamping portion P (see Figure 7). In this embodiment, the sheet member 2 is lowered to below the clamping portion P. This causes the release paper 3 to begin to peel off from the sheet member 2. At this time, as shown in Figure 7, while peeling the release paper 3 from the sheet member 2, the sheet member 2 attached to the workpiece 1 is pressed against the first roller 21 via the release paper 3. As a result, the sheet member 2 is pressed against the workpiece 1 by the reaction force from the first roller 21, further improving the adhesion between the sheet member 2 and the workpiece 1. Subsequently, by lowering the workpiece 1 further, the release paper 3 is completely peeled off from the sheet member 2 (see Figure 8).

[0038] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 9, the pin of the cylinder 23 is retracted, causing the second roller 22 to separate from the first roller 21, thereby releasing the release paper 3 from being held by both rollers 21 and 22. The release paper 3, now free, is sucked up by the suction means 31 and collected in the collection box 33 via the connecting pipe 32 (see Figure 1). At this time, the passage of the release paper 3 is detected by the first sensor 41 provided in the connecting pipe 32, confirming that the release paper 3 has been peeled off from the sheet member 2. If the passage of the release paper 3 is not detected by the first sensor 41 after a predetermined time has elapsed since the second roller 22 was moved to the retracted position, an alarm (sound, screen display, etc.) is issued by a command from the control unit. In addition, since the exhaust from the suction means 31 is discharged to the outside through the vent 33a of the collection box 33, a decrease in the suction force of the suction means 31 can be avoided.

[0039] Then, the robot 10 moves the workpiece to position the sheet member 2 from which the release paper 3 has been peeled off at the detection position of the second sensor 42 (see Figure 9). Based on the detection result of the second sensor 42, it is possible to confirm whether or not the peeling of the release paper 3 has been completed successfully. That is, if an ON signal is not transmitted from the second sensor 42 to the control unit (i.e., the second sensor 42 remains in the OFF state), it is determined that the peeling of the release paper 3 has been completed successfully (i.e., the sheet member 2 has been properly attached and the release paper 3 has been peeled off), and the workpiece 1 is transported to the next process (assembly process to the side panel). On the other hand, if an ON signal is transmitted from the second sensor 42 to the control unit, it is determined that there was an abnormality in the peeling of the release paper 3 (i.e., the sheet member 2 has peeled off from the workpiece 1, or the release paper 3 remains attached to the sheet member 2), and an alarm (sound, screen display, etc.) is issued.

[0040] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below, but redundant explanations of points similar to those in the embodiments described above will be omitted.

[0041] In the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the sheet member 2 is pressed against the first roller 21 while the release paper 3 is peeled off from the sheet member 2, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, as shown by the arrow in Figure 10, the release paper 3 may be peeled off from the sheet member 2 without pressing the sheet member 2 against the first roller 21 by lowering the workpiece 1 diagonally downwards toward the front. After peeling off the release paper 3 from the sheet member 2, the workpiece 1 may be moved to press the sheet member 2 against the first roller 21, or the process may proceed to the inspection process by the second sensor 42 without going through the step of pressing the sheet member 2 against the first roller 21.

[0042] Furthermore, the step of pressing the sheet member 2 against the first roller 21 before peeling off the release paper 3 (see Figure 3) may be omitted. In this case, the adhesion between the workpiece 1 and the sheet member 2 can be improved by performing at least one of the steps of pressing the sheet member 2 against the first roller 21 while peeling off the release paper 3 (see Figure 7), or pressing the sheet member 2 against the first roller 21 after peeling off the release paper 3.

[0043] Furthermore, if sheet members 2 are provided at multiple locations on the workpiece 1, clamping means 20 and suction means 31 may be arranged at each position corresponding to each sheet member 2. This allows the release paper 3 to be peeled off from multiple sheet members 2 simultaneously, thereby improving work efficiency. In this case, it is preferable to merge the connecting pipes 32 connected to multiple suction means 31 into one and connect it to a single collection box 33. This simplifies the structure of the release paper peeling device and allows all the release paper 3 peeled off from the sheet members 2 to be collected in a single collection box 33, thus improving the efficiency of the release paper 3 disposal work.

[0044] Furthermore, the protruding portion 3a of the release paper 3 may be positioned so that it can be gripped by both rollers 21 and 22 by a method other than the suction means 31. For example, if the protruding portion 3a of the release paper 3 can be placed on the first roller 21 simply by moving the workpiece 1 with the robot 10, the suction means 31 can be omitted, thereby reducing costs.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the first roller 21 and the second roller 22 are shown to be rotatable around their own axes, but if there is no particular need, one or both of them may be made non-rotatable. Furthermore, the first clamping member and the second clamping member are not limited to rollers, but may be clamping members having planar clamping surfaces relative to each other, for example.

[0046] In the above embodiment, the excess portion 3a of the release paper 3 is held between the rollers 21 and 22, the rollers 21 and 22 are fixed, and the workpiece 1 and sheet member 2 are moved to peel off the release paper 3 from the sheet member 2. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the excess portion 3a of the release paper 3 is held between the rollers 21 and 22, the workpiece 1 and sheet member 2 are fixed, and the release paper 3 is moved to peel off the sheet member 2 from the sheet member 2 from the workpiece 1 and sheet member 2 from the rollers 21 and 22 from the workpiece 1 and sheet member 2 from the rollers 21 and 22 from the release paper 3. Alternatively, the excess portion 3a of the release paper 3 is held between the rollers 21 and 22, and the release paper 3 is moved from the sheet member 2 from the workpiece 1 and sheet member 2, as well as the rollers 21 and 22 from the workpiece 1 and sheet member 2.

[0047] Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows a case where the sheet member 2 is pressed against the first clamping member (first roller 21) while the workpiece 1 is being moved, the invention is not limited to this, and the sheet member 2 may also be pressed against the second clamping member (second roller 21). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0048] 1 Work 2 Sheet members 3 Release paper 3a Overhang 10. Robots (workpiece movement means) 11 Arms 12 Holding part 20 Clamping means 21. First roller (first clamping member) 22. Second roller (second clamping member) 23 Cylinder (clamping drive means) 31 Suction means 31a Inlet 31b Outlet 32 connecting pipes 33 Collection box (collection section) 33a Ventilation opening 41 First Sensor 42. Second Sensor

Claims

1. A method for peeling release paper from a sheet member fixed to a workpiece, The process involves clamping the excess portion of the release paper that extends beyond the sheet member between the first clamping member and the second clamping member, The process involves peeling the release paper from the sheet member by moving the workpiece relative to the first and second clamping members while the protruding portion of the release paper is held between the first and second clamping members, Before peeling the release paper from the sheet member, the process involves moving the workpiece while pressing the sheet member against the first clamping member or the second clamping member via the release paper, A method for removing a release paper, comprising the steps of pressing the sheet member against the first clamping member or the second clamping member while moving the workpiece, either while peeling the release paper from the sheet member or after peeling the release paper from the sheet member.

2. A method for peeling release paper from a sheet member fixed to a workpiece, The process involves clamping the excess portion of the release paper that extends beyond the sheet member between the first clamping member and the second clamping member, The process includes the step of peeling the release paper from the sheet member by moving the workpiece relative to the first and second clamping members while the protruding portion of the release paper is being held between the first and second clamping members, While moving the workpiece, press the sheet member against the first clamping member or the second clamping member. A method for removing release paper, comprising the step of using a suction means to suck up the protruding portion of the release paper so that it can be held between the first clamping member and the second clamping member.

3. An apparatus for performing the release paper peeling method described in claim 2, The system includes a collection unit for collecting the release paper sucked up by the suction means, and a connecting pipe for connecting the suction means and the collection unit. The recovery unit is a release paper peeling device having a vent that allows air to pass through but does not allow the release paper to pass through.

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