Chip recovery system

Abstract

To provide a chip recovery system which reduces noise in usage without lowering chip recovery capability, and can improve working environment.SOLUTION: A chip recovery system 1 sucks and recovers chips M1 generated when a tip of an electrode tip T1 for spot welding is cut by a chip dresser 10, by a suction unit 2. The suction unit 2 includes: an electric motor 6 which is rotationally driven; a centrifugal impeller 5 which is rotated by the electric motor 6 and generates suction force; and a chip recovery case 9 which can recover the chips M1. The suction unit is configured to recover the chips M1 moving together with air sucked by the centrifugal impeller 5, in the chip recovery case 9.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a chip collection system for collecting chips generated when the tip of an electrode tip for spot welding is cut by a chip dresser.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a copper electrode tip is detachably attached to the tip of the shank of a welding gun used for spot welding. When the tip portion of the electrode tip is worn after performing welding a predetermined number of times, or when an oxide film or the like adheres thereto and the state deteriorates, an operation of periodically cutting with a chip dresser to remove the oxide film or the like is performed.

[0003] By the way, the chips generated when the tip of the electrode tip is cut by the chip dresser adhere to the driving part of the device, which increases the load on the driving part. In the worst case, the device may malfunction. Therefore, it is desirable to collect the chips immediately after they are generated.

[0004] To cope with this, for example, the chip collection system disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a suction unit capable of sucking chips. The suction unit includes a duct portion having a chip suction port provided at one end and connected to a chip collection case at the other end. An air inlet for introducing compressed air into the inside of the duct portion is provided in the middle of the duct portion. Then, by introducing compressed air from the air inlet to the side of the chip collection case inside the duct portion to make the side of the chip suction port inside the duct portion negative pressure, an air flow toward the chip collection case is generated inside the duct portion, and the chips falling from the chip dresser are sucked together with air from the chip suction port and collected in the chip collection case.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] Incidentally, in recent years, there has been a demand to significantly reduce noise and create a quieter, more comfortable working environment in factories, with the aim of improving the working environment. Efforts are being made to minimize the use of compressors that supply compressed air, which are commonly installed in factories. Therefore, even in suction units used in chip dressers such as the one described in Patent Document 1, there is a need to quietly collect chips without using compressed air from a compressor installed in the factory.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and its objective is to provide a chip recovery system that can improve the working environment by reducing noise during use without reducing chip recovery capacity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the present invention is characterized by an ingenious design for the drive source that operates the mechanism for generating suction force.

[0009] Specifically, the chip recovery system, which uses a suction unit to collect chips generated when cutting the tip of a spot welding electrode tip with a tip dresser, was targeted, and the following measures were taken.

[0010] In other words, in the first invention, the suction unit comprises a rotationally driven electric motor, an impeller that rotates with the electric motor to generate suction force, and a chip collection case capable of collecting the chips. , having a disc-shaped upper wall portion with a center line extending vertically and a cylindrical side wall portion extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the upper wall portion, and having a shape that opens downward, and a cover body that covers the electric motor and the impeller, and a mounting bracket for attaching the cover body to the mounting object, Equipped with, The cover body has a fitting wall portion formed on its outer surface, which, when viewed in the direction of the centerline, has a regular polygonal shape centered on the centerline, and the mounting bracket has a fitting hole formed therein that has the same regular polygonal shape as the fitting wall portion into which the fitting wall portion can be fitted. The system is characterized by being configured to collect the chips that move along with the air sucked in by the rotational movement of the impeller into the chip collection case.

[0012] The 2 In the invention, 1In the present invention, the impeller is a centrifugal impeller whose rotation center extends in the vertical direction and whose suction port faces downward, and the electric motor is disposed above the impeller.

[0013] The 3 In the invention, 2 In the present invention, the cover body is provided with a chip inlet for introducing air containing chips from the outside to the inside, and a partition plate is provided on the inside of the cover body that divides the internal space of the cover body into an upper region housing the electric motor and the impeller and a lower region corresponding to the chip inlet, with a communication hole corresponding to the suction port formed in the center, and an air filter is provided below the partition plate that has an air outlet connected to the communication hole and is a bottomed cylindrical shape extending vertically, and has a plurality of air inlets on its outer circumference for air to enter from the outside to the inside, and the chip collection case is a bottomed cylindrical shape that has an upward opening for mounting so as to close the lower end opening of the cover body.

[0014] The 4 In the invention, 3 The invention is characterized in that a porous material is provided inside the air filter.

[0016] The 5 In this invention, A chip recovery system for collecting chips generated when cutting the tip of a spot welding electrode tip with a tip dresser, wherein the suction unit comprises a rotationally driven electric motor, an impeller that rotates to generate suction force by the electric motor, a chip recovery case capable of collecting the chips, and a cover body having a disc-shaped upper wall portion with a center line extending vertically and cylindrical side walls extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the upper wall portion, and having an opening that faces downward, and covering the electric motor and the impeller, wherein the impeller is a centrifugal impeller with a rotation center extending vertically and a suction port facing downward, and the electric motor is disposed above the impeller. Numerous exhaust holes are formed around the entire circumference of the cover body at positions corresponding to the centrifugal impeller on the outer surface of the cover body, allowing the air expelled radially outward from the centrifugal impeller to be exhausted to the outside of the cover body. In the area of ​​the outer circumferential surface of the cover body excluding the exhaust holes, a plurality of grooves extending in the same direction are arranged side by side, and a plurality of protrusions extending in the same direction are arranged side by side between each groove, and the chips that move with the air sucked in by the rotational movement of the impeller are collected in the chip collection case. It is characterized by having this feature.

[0018] The 6 In the invention, 5In the invention, the cover body is in a semi-divided shape divided into two parts with the center line as the boundary, and includes a pair of resin-made divided bodies having the same shape and assembled with their respective open edge portions abutting against each other. Each of the concave groove portions is recessed in the juxtaposed direction of the two divided bodies, each of the protruding portions protrudes in the juxtaposed direction of the two divided bodies, and each of the exhaust holes penetrates in the juxtaposed direction of the two divided bodies.

[0019] In the 7 invention of claim, in the first invention, the swarf recovery case is integrally formed of a transparent resin material.

[0020] In the 8 invention of claim, A chip recovery system for collecting chips generated when cutting the tip of a spot welding electrode tip with a tip dresser, wherein the suction unit comprises a rotationally driven electric motor, an impeller that rotates to generate suction force by the electric motor, a chip recovery case capable of collecting the chips, and a cover body having a disc-shaped upper wall portion with a center line extending vertically and cylindrical side walls extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the upper wall portion, and having an opening that faces downward, and covering the electric motor and the impeller, wherein the impeller is a centrifugal impeller with a rotation center extending vertically and a suction port facing downward, and the electric motor is disposed above the impeller. The cover body is provided with a chip inlet for introducing air containing the chips from the outside to the inside, and inside the cover body is provided with a partition plate that divides the internal space of the cover body into an upper region housing the electric motor and the impeller and a lower region corresponding to the chip inlet, with a communication hole corresponding to the suction port formed in the center, and below the partition plate is an air filter that has an air outlet connected to the communication hole and is a bottomed cylindrical shape extending vertically, with a plurality of air inlets on its outer surface for air to enter from the outside to the inside, and the chip collection case is a bottomed cylindrical shape with an upward opening that can be attached so as to close the lower end opening of the cover body, On the outer peripheral surface of, a plurality of annular groove portions are formed along the cylindrical center line, the cross section along the cylindrical center line is recessed in an arc shape, and extends over the entire circumference around the cylindrical center line. The system is configured to collect the chips that move along with the air sucked in by the rotational movement of the impeller into the chip collection case. It is characterized by the above.

Advantages of the Invention

[0021] In the first invention, since the impeller that generates the suction force for recovering swarf is rotated by the driving force of the electric motor, there is no need to operate the compressor generally installed in factories such as Patent Document 1 when recovering swarf. Therefore, the noise during the use of the swarf recovery system can be greatly reduced without reducing the swarf recovery ability, and the working environment can be improved. Furthermore, even if, for example, cooling water used to cool the electrode tip leaks from a welding gun or the like and pours down from above the suction unit, it is possible to prevent the cooling water from directly adhering to the electric motor or impeller. Furthermore, the fitting wall portion can be fitted into the fitting hole while the cover body is rotated by a desired angle around its centerline relative to the mounting bracket. Therefore, the position of the chip inlet relative to the mounted object can be changed according to the conditions around the suction unit.

[0023] In the 2 invention of claim, since the centrifugal impeller is located below the electric motor, it is difficult for cooling water or the like to reach the electric motor from below. Therefore, a swarf recovery system with high waterproof performance can be achieved.

[0024] In the 3In this invention, an electric motor is driven to rotate a centrifugal impeller, generating suction force. Air introduced into the chip collection case from the chip inlet passes through the air inlet and air outlet, rising through the air filter, and then reaches the centrifugal impeller through the communication hole. When chips are introduced from the chip inlet along with this airflow, the chips attempting to pass through the air filter are blocked by the air filter and remain in the chip collection case. When the operator removes the chip collection case from the cover, the chips accumulated in the case can be easily disposed of. In this way, chips can be collected and disposed of efficiently.

[0025] The 4 In this invention, the porous material inside the air filter absorbs the sound generated when air passes through the air filter. Therefore, the noise generated when using the chip recovery system can be further reduced.

[0027] The 5 In this invention, the area through which the exhaust air discharged radially outward from the centrifugal impeller passes through the cover is widened, and the area through which the air passes through the cover is dispersed over the circumferential direction of the cover. As a result, the force of the exhaust air passing through the cover is reduced, the noise generated when passing through the cover is reduced, and noise during use of the chip recovery system can be further reduced. Furthermore, the cover becomes lighter in the area where each groove is formed, while the section modulus increases in the area of ​​each protruding section, thereby increasing the rigidity of the cover. Therefore, a highly rigid yet lightweight chip recovery system can be created.

[0029] The 6 In this invention, by integrally molding each segmented body with resin material using a mold set so that the mold opening direction corresponds to the direction in which the segments are arranged side by side, it becomes possible to mold segments with a complex external shape having multiple recessed grooves, multiple protrusions, and multiple exhaust holes using a single mold while avoiding undercuts. Therefore, the number of molds used during molding can be reduced, and the cost of manufacturing the suction unit can be kept low.

[0030] The 7 This invention allows the operator to visually check the condition inside the chip collection case from the outside. Therefore, the operator can perform chip disposal work while checking the chip collection status, thereby increasing work efficiency.

[0031] The 8 In this invention, the section modulus of the cross-section along the centerline of the cylinder is increased, thus increasing the rigidity of the chip collection case against forces directed toward the centerline of the cylinder. Therefore, even if a large suction force is generated toward the air filter located toward the centerline of the cylinder of the chip collection case during operation of the chip collection system, it is possible to prevent the chip collection case from deforming and reducing the chip collection area. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0032] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view of a chip recovery system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the unit body in a suction unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is an exploded perspective view of the upper half of the unit body in a suction unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an exploded perspective view of the lower half of the unit body in a suction unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along the VV line. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view along the line VI-VI in Figure 5. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0033] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The following description of preferred embodiments is essentially illustrative.

[0034] Figure 1 shows a chip recovery system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The chip recovery system 1 includes a tip dresser 10 capable of cutting the tips of a pair of electrode tips T1 attached to a spot welding gun G, and a suction unit 2 that sucks up and recovers chips M1 (see Figure 5) generated when the tip dresser 10 cuts the tips of the electrode tips T1.

[0035] The chip dresser 10 is equipped with a main body case 10a that is roughly L-shaped in side view. The main body case 10a is equipped with a bottomed cylindrical motor housing section 10b whose cylindrical centerline extends vertically, and a holder housing section 10c that extends horizontally to the side from the upper part of the motor housing section 10b, and the holder housing section 10c is roughly teardrop-shaped in plan view.

[0036] An impact absorption mechanism 10d is attached to the side of the motor housing 10b at the base end of the holder housing 10c, to absorb the impact applied to the main body case 10a.

[0037] The holder housing portion 10c is plate-shaped with thickness, and a holder support hole 10e that opens vertically is provided in the center of its extended side.

[0038] A rotating holder 11 is provided in the holder support hole 10e of the holder housing section 10c, with the rotation axis C1 extending in the vertical direction. The rotating holder 11 is rotated around the rotation axis C1 by a drive motor (not shown) housed in the motor housing section 10b.

[0039] The rotating holder 11 has a roughly C-shape in plan view, and a notch 11a is formed which gradually widens in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis C1 as it extends radially outward from the rotation axis C1, opening outward and also opening up and down.

[0040] Furthermore, a pair of curved recesses 11b are formed symmetrically in the direction of the rotation axis C1 on the upper and lower surfaces of the rotating holder 11, with the diameter gradually decreasing towards the central portion of the rotating holder 11. Note that Figure 1 shows only the upper curved recess 11b of the pair of curved recesses 11b.

[0041] The shape of the curved recess 11b corresponds to the curved shape of the tip of the electrode tip T1, allowing the tip of the electrode tip T1 to be inserted while the central axis of the electrode tip T1 coincides with the rotation axis C1.

[0042] A cutting cutter 12 for cutting the tip of the electrode tip T1 is attached to one of the inner surfaces of the notch 11a that extends outward from the rotation axis C1.

[0043] The cutting cutter 12 is provided with a cutting edge portion 12a that extends in a direction intersecting the rotation axis C1, and the shape of the cutting edge portion 12a is gently curved to correspond to each curved recess 11b.

[0044] Then, with the rotating holder 11 rotated, one of the pair of opposing electrode tips T1 is inserted into the upper curved recess 11b, and the other is inserted into the lower curved recess (not shown), so that the tip of each electrode tip T1 is cut by the cutting edge 12a of the cutting cutter 12.

[0045] The suction unit 2 comprises a unit body 3 which has a roughly cylindrical shape with a column centerline extending in the vertical direction, and a duct hose 4 which guides the chips M1 generated by the chip dresser 10 to the unit body 3.

[0046] The duct hose 4 has a chip intake port 4a at one end and is connected to the unit body 3 at the other end, and the chip intake port 4a is positioned to face the chip fall area below the rotating holder 11 of the chip dresser 10.

[0047] As shown in Figure 3, the unit body 3 comprises a blower unit 30 that is roughly T-shaped in side view, and a resin cover body 7 that covers the blower unit 30.

[0048] As shown in Figure 5, the blower unit 30 includes a centrifugal impeller 5 which is roughly disc-shaped with its rotation center C2 facing vertically and its suction port 5a facing downward, and an electric motor 6 which is positioned above the centrifugal impeller 5 and whose rotation shaft 6a faces directly downward.

[0049] The centrifugal impeller 5 is housed in a thick, disc-shaped blower cover 30a, which is open downwards and has multiple air passage windows 30b formed on its outer surface.

[0050] The centrifugal impeller 5 rotates around the rotation center C2 by the rotational drive of the electric motor 6, generating suction force by moving the air drawn upward from the suction port 5a radially outward and discharging it to the outside of the blower cover 30a through each air passage window 30b.

[0051] As shown in Figure 2, the cover body 7 comprises a disc-shaped upper wall portion 7a with a center line C3 extending vertically, and a cylindrical side wall portion 7b extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the upper wall portion 7a, and has a shape that opens downward.

[0052] As shown in Figure 3, multiple upper spring yacht claws 7k are formed around the opening periphery of the cover body 7 at predetermined intervals around the center line C3. Note that only one upper spring yacht claw 7k is shown in Figure 3.

[0053] As shown in Figure 2, the cover body 7 comprises a first divided part 7A and a second divided part 7B, which are two halves divided along the center line C3.

[0054] In the middle region of the first divided body 7A, multiple slit-shaped exhaust holes 7c are formed along the center line C3, penetrating in the direction in which the first divided body 7A and the second divided body 7B are arranged side by side, and extending in the circumferential direction around the center line C3.

[0055] As shown in Figure 3, an opening 7d is provided in the center of the lower region of the first divided body 7A.

[0056] In the region of the outer surface of the first divided body 7A, excluding each exhaust hole 7c, there are a plurality of recessed grooves 7e that are recessed in the direction in which the first divided body 7A and the second divided body 7B are arranged side by side, and that extend in the same direction in a direction intersecting the center line C3 and along the dividing surface.

[0057] Furthermore, between each groove 7e on the outer surface of the first divided body 7A, there are multiple protruding portions 7f that project in the direction in which the first divided body 7A and the second divided body 7B are arranged side by side, and that extend in the same direction as each groove 7e.

[0058] As shown in Figure 5, a protruding plate 7g is provided on the lower inner surface of the first divided body 7A, projecting toward the second divided body 7B, so as to divide the inner space of the first divided body 7A into an upper region and a lower region. The protruding plate 7g has a notched recess 7h that opens toward the protruding end of the protruding plate 7g.

[0059] Since the second segment 7B has the same structure as the first segment 7A, it is given the same reference numeral as the first segment 7A, and a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0060] The first divided body 7A and the second divided body 7B are integrally molded from resin material using a single mold set such that the mold opening direction corresponds to the direction in which they are arranged side by side.

[0061] As shown in Figure 3, the cover body 7 is assembled by butting the open edges of the first and second divided parts 7A and 7B together with the blower unit 30 positioned between them. When the cover body 7 is assembled, as shown in Figure 5, a partition plate 70 is formed by the protruding plate 7g of the first divided part 7A and the protruding plate 7g of the second divided part 7B, dividing the internal space S1 of the cover body 7 into an upper region where the blower unit 30 is housed and a lower region corresponding to the opening 7d. Additionally, a communication hole 70a corresponding to the suction port 5a of the centrifugal impeller 5 is formed by the notched recess 7h of the first divided part 7A and the notched recess 7h of the second divided part 7B.

[0062] Each exhaust port 7c is located on the outer surface of the cover body 7, corresponding to the centrifugal impeller 5, when the cover body 7 is assembled. In other words, each exhaust port 7c is provided around the entire circumference of the cover body 7, and is designed to exhaust the air discharged radially outward from the centrifugal impeller 5 to the outside of the cover body 7.

[0063] A cylindrical member 71 is fitted into the opening 7d on the first divided body 7A side of the cover body 7, and the space inside the cylindrical member 71 serves as a chip inlet 71a for introducing air containing chips M1 from the outside to the inside of the cover body 7.

[0064] On the other hand, the opening 7d on the second divided body 7B side of the cover body 7 is closed from the outer surface side by a rectangular plate-shaped lid member 72.

[0065] Furthermore, a fitting wall portion 73 is formed adjacent to the upper spring yacht claw 7k near the lower end of the outer circumferential surface of the cover body 7, recessed toward the center line C3 and extending in an annular shape around the center line C3. As shown in Figure 6, the outer circumferential surface of the fitting wall portion 73, when viewed in the direction of the center line C3, has a regular dodecagonal shape centered on the center line C3.

[0066] Below the partition plate 70, as shown in Figure 5, an air filter 8 is provided, which is a long, narrow, bottomed cylindrical shape that extends vertically and has an air outlet 8b connected to a communication hole 70a.

[0067] The air filter 8 has a tapered shape, with its outer surface gradually decreasing in diameter towards the bottom. It comprises a filter body 81 integrally molded from a resin material and a filter material 82 made of nonwoven fabric that covers the filter body 81 from above.

[0068] On the outer surface of the filter body 81, on the side furthest from the cylindrical member 71, multiple slit-shaped air inlets 81a are arranged vertically in a row, extending in the circumferential direction around the center line C3. Air enters the air filter 8 from the outside to the inside through each of these air inlets 81a.

[0069] Furthermore, the inside of the filter body 81 is lined with a porous material 83. It is preferable to use a porous material 83 that has many pores and excellent sound absorption properties, such as a sponge or a resin foam.

[0070] As shown in Figure 1, the lower part of the cover body 7 is supported by a mounting bracket 13 for attaching the suction unit 2 to a mounting body B1 such as a support frame.

[0071] As shown in Figure 4, the mounting bracket 13 comprises a bracket body 13b that is ring-shaped in plan view and has a fitting hole 13a inside, and a mounting portion 13c that is continuously provided so as to protrude outward from a part of the outer peripheral edge of the bracket body 13b and has a substantially L-shaped vertical cross-section. The fitting hole 13a has the same regular dodecagonal shape as the fitting wall portion 73 into which the fitting wall portion 73 can be fitted.

[0072] The mounting bracket 13 is divisible into two parts at the center of the mounting portion 13c, and by sandwiching the fitting wall portion 73 of the cover body 7 from the side with each divided part, the fitting wall portion 73 is fitted into the fitting hole 13a.

[0073] Below the cover body 7, a bottomed cylindrical chip collection case 9 is provided, which has an upward-opening mounting opening 9a. The chip collection case 9 is integrally molded from a transparent resin material.

[0074] As shown in Figure 5, the outer surface of the chip collection case 9 has multiple annular grooves 9b formed along the cylinder centerline C4, with the cross section along the cylinder centerline C4 being recessed in an arc shape toward the cylinder centerline C4 and extending around the entire circumference with the cylinder centerline C4 as the centerline C4.

[0075] As shown in Figure 4, a pair of lower spring yacht claws 9c are provided at a predetermined interval around the cylinder centerline C4 in the mounting opening 9a of the chip collection case 9.

[0076] The chip collection case 9 is installed in a manner that closes the lower end opening of the cover body 7 by engaging each lower spring yacht claw 9c with each upper spring yacht claw 7k of the cover body 7.

[0077] Here, we will explain the chip collection operation in the suction unit 2.

[0078] When the tip dresser 10 begins cutting the electrode tip T1 attached to the tip of the shank G1 of the welding gun G for spot welding, the suction unit 2 is powered on and the electric motor 6 rotates, as shown in Figure 5.

[0079] When the electric motor 6 rotates and the rotating shaft 6a rotates, the centrifugal impeller 5 rotates in conjunction with it. As a result, the air drawn upward from the suction port 5a moves radially outward through the centrifugal impeller 5, passing through the air passage windows 30b of the blower cover 30a, and then being exhausted from the exhaust holes 7c of the cover body 7. This series of movements generates a suction force inside the suction unit 2.

[0080] When suction force is generated inside the suction unit 2, air is sucked in from the chip suction port 4a of the duct hose 4 and introduced into the chip collection case 9 from the chip inlet 71a. This air passes through the air inlets 81a and air outlets 8b, rising through the air filter 8, and then reaches the centrifugal impeller 5 through the communication hole 70a. When the chips M1 sucked in from the chip suction port 4a along with this airflow are introduced into the suction unit 2 through the chip inlet 71a, the chips M1 attempting to pass through the air filter 8 are blocked by the air filter 8 and remain in the chip collection case 9. Therefore, when an operator removes the chip collection case 9 from the cover body 7, the chips M1 accumulated in the chip collection case 9 can be easily disposed of. In this way, the chip collection system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention can efficiently collect and dispose of chips M1.

[0081] As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the centrifugal impeller 5 that generates the suction force for collecting the chips M1 is rotated by the driving force of the electric motor 6, so there is no need to operate a compressor, such as the one commonly installed in factories as described in Patent Document 1, when collecting the chips M1. Therefore, the noise during use of the chip collection system 1 can be greatly reduced without reducing the chip collection capacity, thereby improving the working environment.

[0082] Furthermore, since the cover body 7 covers the centrifugal impeller 5 and the electric motor 6, even if, for example, cooling water for cooling the electrode tip T1 leaks from the welding gun G or the like and pours down from above the suction unit 2, it is possible to prevent the cooling water from directly adhering to the electric motor 6 or the centrifugal impeller 5.

[0083] Furthermore, since the centrifugal impeller 5 is located below the electric motor 6, it becomes difficult for cooling water or other liquids to reach the electric motor 6 from below. Therefore, a chip recovery system 1 with high waterproof performance can be created.

[0084] Furthermore, since the inside of the air filter 8 is lined with porous material 83, the porous material 83 inside the air filter 8 absorbs the sound generated when air passes through the air filter 8. Therefore, the noise generated when using the chip recovery system 1 can be further reduced.

[0085] Furthermore, since the fitting wall portion 73 of the cover body 7 and the fitting hole 13a of the mounting bracket 13 into which the fitting wall portion 73 fits have corresponding regular dodecagonal shapes, the fitting wall portion 73 can be fitted into the fitting hole 13a while the cover body 7 is rotated by a desired angle around its center line C3 relative to the mounting bracket 13. Therefore, the position of the chip inlet 71a relative to the mounted object B1 can be changed according to the conditions around the suction unit 2.

[0086] Furthermore, since numerous exhaust holes 7c are formed along the entire circumferential surface of the cover body 7 at positions corresponding to the centrifugal impeller 5, the area through which the exhaust air discharged radially outward from the centrifugal impeller 5 passes through the cover body 7 is widened, and the area through which the air passes through the cover body 7 is dispersed along its circumferential surface. Consequently, the force of the exhaust air passing through the cover body 7 weakens, reducing the noise generated when passing through the cover body 7, and further reducing noise during use of the chip recovery system 1.

[0087] Furthermore, since the cover body 7 has multiple recessed grooves 7e and multiple protrusions 7f, the cover body 7 becomes lighter in the area where each recessed groove 7e is formed, while the section modulus increases in the area where each protrusion 7f is formed, thereby increasing the rigidity of the cover body 7. Therefore, a highly rigid and lightweight chip recovery system 1 can be made.

[0088] Furthermore, by integrally molding the first divided body 7A and the second divided body 7B with resin material using a mold set so that the mold opening direction corresponds to the direction in which they are arranged side by side, it becomes possible to mold the first divided body 7A and the second divided body 7B, which have a complex outer shape with multiple recessed grooves 7e, multiple protrusions 7f, and multiple exhaust holes 7c, using a single mold while avoiding undercuts. Therefore, the number of molds used during molding can be reduced, and the cost of manufacturing the suction unit 2 can be kept low.

[0089] Furthermore, since the chip collection case 9 is integrally molded from transparent resin material, the worker can visually check the condition inside the chip collection case 9 from the outside. Therefore, the worker can perform the chip disposal work while checking the chip collection status of M1, thereby increasing work efficiency.

[0090] Furthermore, since multiple recessed grooves are formed on the outer surface of the chip collection case 9 along the cylinder centerline C4, the section modulus of the cross section along the cylinder centerline C4 becomes larger, increasing the rigidity of the chip collection case 9 against forces directed toward the cylinder centerline C4. Therefore, even if a large suction force is generated toward the air filter 8 located at the cylinder centerline C4 of the chip collection case 9 during operation of the chip collection system 1, it is possible to prevent the chip collection case 9 from deforming and reducing the chip collection area M1.

[0091] In this embodiment of the present invention, a centrifugal impeller 5 is used to generate suction force, but other types of impellers may be used, including axial-flow and mixed-flow impellers.

[0092] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the fitting hole 13a of the mounting bracket 13 and the fitting wall portion 73 of the cover body 7, which fit together, have a regular dodecagonal shape, but the invention is not limited to this, and other regular polygonal shapes may also be used.

[0093] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the porous material 83 is laid inside the filter body 81, but it is sufficient to place it inside the filter body 81, and for example, it may be in a cylindrical shape that covers the inner surface of the filter body 81. [Industrial applicability]

[0094] This invention is suitable for a chip recovery system that collects chips generated when cutting the tip of a spot welding electrode tip with a chip dresser. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0095] 1. Chip recovery system 2 Suction Unit 5. Centrifugal impeller 6 Electric motor 7 Cover body 7A 1st division body 7B Second division body 7a Upper wall 7b Side wall part 7c Exhaust hole 7e Concave groove 7f Projection part 8. Air filter 8b Air outlet 9. Chip collection case 9a Mounting opening 9b Annular groove 10 Chip Dresser 13 Mounting bracket 13a Fitting hole 70 partition plates 70a Communication hole 71a Chip inlet 73 Fitting wall section 81a Air Inlet 83 Porous materials B1 Mounted object M1 chips T1 electrode tip

Claims

1. A chip recovery system that uses a suction unit to collect chips generated when cutting the tip of a spot welding electrode tip with a tip dresser, The suction unit comprises a rotationally driven electric motor, an impeller that rotates with the electric motor to generate suction force, a chip collection case capable of collecting the chips, a cover body having a disc-shaped upper wall portion with a center line extending vertically and cylindrical side walls extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the upper wall portion, and having an opening at the bottom, and covering the electric motor and the impeller, and a mounting bracket for attaching the cover body to the mounting object. The cover body has a fitting wall portion formed on its outer surface, which, when viewed in the direction of the centerline, has a regular polygonal shape centered on the said centerline. The mounting bracket has a fitting hole formed therein that has the same regular polygonal shape as the fitting wall portion into which the fitting wall portion can be fitted. A chip collection system characterized by being configured to collect chips that move along with the air sucked in by the rotational movement of the impeller into the chip collection case.

2. In the chip recovery system according to claim 1, The impeller is a centrifugal impeller in which the center of rotation extends in the vertical direction and the suction port faces downward. The chip collection system is characterized in that the electric motor is positioned above the impeller.

3. In the chip recovery system according to claim 2, The cover body is provided with a chip inlet for introducing air containing the chips from the outside to the inside. Inside the cover body, a partition plate is provided that divides the internal space of the cover body into an upper region that houses the electric motor and the impeller and a lower region corresponding to the chip inlet, with a communication hole in the center corresponding to the suction port. Below the partition plate, an air filter is provided, which has an air outlet connected to the communication hole, is a bottomed cylindrical shape extending vertically, and has multiple air inlets on its outer surface through which air enters from the outside to the inside. The chip collection system is characterized in that the chip collection case has a bottomed cylindrical shape with an upward-opening mounting opening that can be attached to close the lower end opening of the cover body.

4. In the chip recovery system according to claim 3, A chip recovery system characterized in that a porous material is arranged inside the air filter.

5. A chip recovery system that collects chips generated when cutting the tip of a spot welding electrode tip with a tip dresser by sucking them up with a suction unit, The suction unit comprises a rotationally driven electric motor, an impeller that rotates with the electric motor to generate suction force, a chip collection case capable of collecting the chips, and a cover body having a disc-shaped upper wall portion with a centerline extending vertically and cylindrical side walls extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the upper wall portion, and having an opening at the bottom, and covering the electric motor and the impeller. The impeller is a centrifugal impeller in which the center of rotation extends in the vertical direction and the suction port faces downward. The electric motor is positioned above the impeller, Numerous exhaust holes are formed around the entire circumference of the cover body at positions corresponding to the centrifugal impeller on the outer surface of the cover body, allowing the air expelled radially outward from the centrifugal impeller to be exhausted to the outside of the cover body. In the area of ​​the outer circumferential surface of the cover body excluding the exhaust holes, a plurality of recessed grooves extending in the same direction are arranged side by side, and a plurality of protrusions extending in the same direction are arranged side by side between each of the recessed grooves. A chip collection system characterized by being configured to collect chips that move along with the air sucked in by the rotational movement of the impeller into the chip collection case.

6. In the chip recovery system according to claim 5, The cover body is divided into two halves along a center line and comprises a pair of resin divisions that are of the same shape and assembled by butting their respective open edges together. Each of the aforementioned grooves is recessed in the direction in which the two divided bodies are arranged side by side. Each of the aforementioned protruding portions projects in the direction in which the two divided bodies are arranged side by side. The chip recovery system is characterized in that each of the exhaust holes penetrates in the direction in which the two divided bodies are arranged side by side.

7. In the chip recovery system according to claim 1, The chip collection system is characterized in that the chip collection case is integrally molded from a transparent resin material.

8. A chip recovery system that collects chips generated when cutting the tip of a spot welding electrode tip with a tip dresser by sucking them up with a suction unit, The suction unit comprises a rotationally driven electric motor, an impeller that rotates with the electric motor to generate suction force, a chip collection case capable of collecting the chips, and a cover body having a disc-shaped upper wall portion with a centerline extending vertically and cylindrical side walls extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the upper wall portion, and having an opening at the bottom, and covering the electric motor and the impeller. The impeller is a centrifugal impeller in which the center of rotation extends in the vertical direction and the suction port faces downward. The electric motor is positioned above the impeller, The cover body is provided with a chip inlet for introducing air containing the chips from the outside to the inside. Inside the cover body, a partition plate is provided that divides the internal space of the cover body into an upper region that houses the electric motor and the impeller and a lower region corresponding to the chip inlet, with a communication hole in the center corresponding to the suction port. Below the partition plate, an air filter is provided, which has an air outlet connected to the communication hole, is a bottomed cylindrical shape extending vertically, and has multiple air inlets on its outer surface through which air enters from the outside to the inside. The chip collection case has a bottomed cylindrical shape with an upward-opening mounting opening that can be attached to close the lower end opening of the cover body, and multiple annular grooves are formed on its outer surface along the center line of the cylinder, with the cross section along the center line of the cylinder being recessed in an arc shape and extending around the entire circumference with respect to the center line of the cylinder. A chip collection system characterized by being configured to collect chips that move along with the air sucked in by the rotational movement of the impeller into the chip collection case.

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