Liquid material discharge device and coating device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a liquid material discharge device capable of performing quantitative discharge with higher accuracy than in the past, a coating device comprising the aforementioned device, and a liquid material discharge method. [Solution] A liquid material discharge device, a coating device, and a method, the liquid material discharge device being characterized by comprising: a pressure adjustment device 11 for adjusting a pressurized gas to a desired pressure; a discharge valve 21 for switching position to connect or disconnect the pressure adjustment device 11 and a storage container 61; a discharge valve supply passage 40 for connecting the pressure adjustment device 11 and the discharge valve 21; a storage part supply passage 50 for connecting the storage container 61 and the discharge valve 21; a storage part pressure gauge 22 for measuring the pressure of the storage part supply passage 50; a first housing 10 for accommodating the pressure adjustment device 11; a second housing 20 for accommodating the discharge valve 21 and the storage part pressure gauge 22, the second housing 20 being physically separate from the first housing 10; and a control device 30 for switching the position of the discharge valve 21 at a prescribed timing so that a fixed amount of a liquid material is discharged, the liquid material discharge device furthermore being characterized in that the control device 30 controls the amount of pressurized gas supplied from the discharge valve to the storage container on the basis of a measurement value from the storage part pressure gauge, and the volume of the storage part supply passage 50 is less than the volume of the discharge valve supply passage 40.

Description

Liquid material ejection device and coating device

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid material discharge device that discharges a fixed amount of liquid material by supplying pressurized gas to a storage container that communicates with a nozzle, and to an application device that includes the same device.

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art There is a liquid material discharging device called an air dispenser that supplies pressurized gas to a storage container that communicates with a nozzle, thereby discharging the liquid material in the storage container.

[0003] In a typical air-operated dispenser, the discharge amount and discharge timing are controlled using the pressure of the pressurized gas and the time during which the pressurized gas acts on the liquid material in the storage container as parameters. In other words, control of the pressurized gas is an important factor in determining the accuracy of the discharge amount and discharge timing of the air-operated dispenser.

[0004] To dispense a fixed amount of liquid, it is necessary to supply pressurized gas at a pressure that corresponds to the change in the head position in the storage container (i.e., the amount of liquid material remaining in the storage container), which decreases with each dispensing process. In Patent Document 1, the applicant disclosed a liquid dispenser that includes a first pressure sensor that measures the pressure in a first pipe connected to a syringe, and detects and feedbacks the change in the time it takes for the pressure measured by the first pressure sensor to reach a preset pressure, thereby dispensing a constant amount of liquid regardless of the amount of liquid remaining in the syringe. According to Patent Document 1, a constant negative pressure is maintained in the first pipe even after dispensing the liquid, preventing the problem of liquid dripping from the tip of the syringe due to its own weight (liquid leakage).

[0005] Patent Document 2 proposes a liquid supply device that includes a syringe for storing liquid and an air supply / exhaust means connected to a space that presses the liquid in the syringe and supplies and exhausts air, the air supply / exhaust means adjusting the air pressure in the space by supplying and exhausting air to press the liquid surface, and the air supply / exhaust means has an air supply / exhaust resistance setting means that sets at least one of the exhaust resistance when exhausting air from the space and the air supply resistance when supplying air into the space.

[0006] Japanese Patent No. 2511117 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-226489

[0007] In recent years, as electronic components have become increasingly miniaturized, the amount of liquid material dispensed has become increasingly minute. To achieve this, air dispensers are required to perform even more precise dispensing control. Specifically, they are required to detect the water head position and control the pressure to prevent dripping after dispensing with greater precision. Furthermore, as the amount of liquid dispensed decreases, the time required to dispense one drop (dispensing time) has also become shorter, and so there has been a demand for technology that can continuously dispense a fixed amount of liquid material with high precision in a short dispensing time.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a liquid material discharge device capable of discharging a fixed amount with higher accuracy than conventional devices, a coating device including the same, and a liquid material discharge method.

[0009] The liquid material discharge device of the present invention comprises the following technical means: [1] A liquid material discharge device that communicates with a discharge part having a discharge port and supplies pressurized gas to a storage container that stores the liquid material to discharge a fixed amount of the liquid material, comprising: a pressure regulator that regulates the pressure of the pressurized gas supplied from a pressurized gas supply source to a desired pressure; a discharge valve that switches between a position where the pressure regulator and the storage container are connected or blocked; a discharge valve supply path that communicates the pressure regulator and the discharge valve; a storage part supply path that communicates the storage container and the discharge valve; a storage part pressure gauge that measures the pressure of the storage part supply path; A liquid material discharging device comprising: a first housing for accommodating a pressure device; a second housing, physically separate from the first housing, for accommodating the discharge valve and the reservoir pressure gauge; and a control device for switching the position of the discharge valve at a predetermined timing so as to discharge a constant amount of liquid material, wherein the control device controls the amount of pressurized gas supplied from the discharge valve to the reservoir container based on the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge, and the volume of the reservoir supply channel is smaller than the volume of the discharge valve supply channel. [2] The liquid material discharging device described in [1], wherein the length of the reservoir supply channel is shorter than the length of the discharge valve supply channel. [3] The liquid material discharging device described in [1] or [2], wherein the volume of the reservoir supply channel is half or less the volume of the discharge valve supply channel, and the length of the reservoir supply channel is 11 to 105 cm. [4] The liquid material discharging device described in any one of [1] to [3], wherein the discharge valve supply path is at least partially flexible so that the relative positions of the first housing and the second housing can be changed. [5] The liquid material discharging device described in [4], wherein the second housing has a joint connected to an output port of the discharge valve, and the reservoir supply path includes a flexible tube detachably attached to the joint. [6] The liquid material discharging device described in any one of [1] to [5], wherein the pressure regulating device is an electropneumatic regulator that automatically controls pressure based on a command from the control device. [7] The liquid material discharging device described in any one of [1] to [6], wherein the control device controls the amount of pressurized gas supplied from the discharge valve to the reservoir container by controlling the timing of the discharge valve.[8] The liquid material discharging device according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the discharge valve is a flow rate proportional valve. [9] The liquid material discharging device according to any one of [1] to [8], further comprising a discharge valve pressure gauge for measuring the pressure in the discharge valve supply path, wherein the control device acquires the measurement value of the discharge valve pressure gauge and controls the operation of the pressure regulating device so that the pressure in the discharge valve supply path becomes a desired pressure.

[10] The liquid material discharging device according to [9], wherein the discharge valve pressure gauge is housed in the first housing.

[11] The liquid material discharging device according to [9], wherein the discharge valve pressure gauge is housed in the second housing.

[12] The liquid material discharging device according to

[10] , wherein the control device is configured to include a first control device housed in the first housing and controlling the pressure regulating device based on the measurement value of the discharge valve pressure gauge, and a second control device housed in the second housing and controlling the discharge valve based on the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge.

[13] The liquid material discharging device according to any one of [1] to

[12] , wherein the control device has a function of estimating a head position in the storage container based on the time required for the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge to reach a set pressure value.

[14] The liquid material discharging device according to any one of [1] to

[13] , wherein the control device has a function of estimating a head position in the storage container based on the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge when the pressurized gas is supplied to the storage container for a set time.

[15] The liquid material discharging device according to any one of [1] to

[14] , wherein the control device has a negative pressure generator that generates negative pressure in the storage supply channel, the negative pressure generator being housed in the first housing.

[16] The liquid material discharging device according to

[15] , wherein the control device has a function of estimating a head position in the storage container, the negative pressure generator adjusting the negative pressure generated in the storage supply channel based on the estimated head position in the storage container.

[17] The liquid material discharge device according to

[16] , wherein the function of estimating the water head position is any one of the following (A) to (D):(A) A function to estimate the head position within the storage container based on the time required for the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge to reach a set pressure value. (B) A function to estimate the head position within the storage container based on the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge when the pressurized gas is supplied to the storage container for a set time. (C) A function to estimate the head position within the storage container based on the time required for the accumulated value of the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge over a specified cycle to reach a set value. (D) A function to estimate the head position within the storage container based on the accumulated value of the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge when the pressurized gas is supplied to the storage container for a set time.

[0010] The liquid material application device of the present invention comprises the following technical means:

[18] A liquid material application device comprising the liquid material discharge device according to any one of [1] to

[17] , a movable head having a holder for holding the storage container, and a robot for moving the movable head and an object to be applied relatively, wherein the second housing is detachably installed on the movable head.

[0011] The liquid material discharging method of the present invention comprises the following technical means:

[19] A liquid material discharging method for repeatedly discharging a fixed amount of liquid material by supplying pressurized gas to a storage container that is connected to a discharge unit having a discharge port and that stores the liquid material, the method comprising: adjusting the pressure of pressurized gas supplied from a pressurized gas supply source to a desired pressure using a pressure regulator, supplying the pressurized gas to a discharge valve via a discharge valve supply path, and discharging the fixed amount of liquid material from the discharge port by supplying and stopping the supply of the pressurized gas from the discharge valve to the storage container via a storage supply path at predetermined timings; and controlling the amount of pressurized gas supplied from the discharge valve to the storage container to discharge the fixed amount of liquid material based on a pressure value in the storage supply path measured by a pressure gauge, wherein the volume of the storage supply path is smaller than the volume of the discharge valve supply path.

[20] The liquid material discharging method described in

[19] , wherein the length of the storage supply path is shorter than the length of the discharge valve supply path.

[21] The method for discharging a liquid material according to

[19] or

[20] , wherein the pressure regulating device is housed in a first housing, the discharge valve is physically separate from the first housing and housed in a second housing mounted on a movable head of a robot, and the discharge valve supply path is at least partially flexible so that the relative positions of the first housing and the second housing can be changed.

[22] The method for discharging a liquid material according to

[21] , wherein a negative pressure generating device is provided for generating negative pressure in the reservoir supply path, the negative pressure generating device being housed in the first housing.

[23] The method for discharging a liquid material according to

[22] , wherein a reservoir pressure gauge for measuring the pressure in the reservoir supply path is provided, a head position in the reservoir container is estimated by any of the following (A) to (D), and the negative pressure generated in the reservoir supply path is adjusted based on the estimated head position in the reservoir container.(A) Estimating the head position within the storage container based on the time required for the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge to reach a set pressure value. (B) Estimating the head position within the storage container based on the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge when the pressurized gas is supplied to the storage container for a set time. (C) A function to estimate the head position within the storage container based on the time required for the accumulated value of the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge over a specified cycle to reach a set value. (D) A function to estimate the head position within the storage container based on the accumulated value of the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge when the pressurized gas is supplied to the storage container for a set time.

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a liquid material discharge device capable of discharging a fixed amount with higher accuracy than conventional devices, a coating device including the same device, and a liquid material discharge method.

[0013] 12 is a graph showing the pressure change of the pressure gauge for the reservoir when pressurized gas is supplied to the reservoir container in the device of FIG. 1; FIG. 13 is a graph obtained by superimposing FIG. 4 and FIG. 12; FIG. 14 is a graph showing the pressure change of the pressure gauge for the reservoir when pressurized gas is supplied to the reservoir container in the device of FIG. 1; １ 1 is a graph showing the time it takes for the water to reach the set time t １ 15 is a graph showing pressure changes when pressurized gas is supplied during a period of time. FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a liquid material discharge device of a second embodiment. FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a liquid material discharge device of a third embodiment. FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of a second housing of a third embodiment, where (A) is a see-through front view of the main parts and (B) is a sectional side view of the main parts of a holding member arranged in the second housing, viewed from the right side. FIG. 19 is an enlarged sectional view of the main parts of a reservoir pressure gauge of a third embodiment. FIG. 19 is a graph showing pressure changes in a reservoir pressure gauge when pressurized gas is supplied to a reservoir container in the device of FIG. 14. FIG. 20 is a diagram explaining changes in the water head position in a reservoir container. FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a conventional liquid material discharge device.

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, a conventional liquid material discharging apparatus 901 will be described. <<Conventional Example>> (Liquid Material Discharging Apparatus 901) As shown in FIG. 14 , the conventional liquid material discharging apparatus 901 includes a pressure regulator 911, a discharge valve pressure gauge 912, a discharge valve 913, and a reservoir pressure gauge 914 arranged within a housing 910. Pressurized gas supplied from a pressurized gas supply source 70 is reduced to a desired pressure by the pressure regulator 911, which is a regulator, and then supplied to the discharge valve 913. The discharge valve 913 functions as a switching valve that switches between a first position, which connects the reservoir 61 to the pressure regulator 911, and a second position, which connects the reservoir 61 to an exhaust port (not shown). The input port of the discharge valve 913 is connected to the pressure regulator 911 via an air tube 921, and the output port is connected to the adapter 63 via an air tube 922.

[0015] The control device 915 is a computer that controls the operation of the pressure regulator 911 and the discharge valve 913. The control device 915 controls the operation of the pressure regulator 911 based on the measurement value of the discharge valve pressure gauge 912 so that the pressure of the pressurized gas falls within a desired range, and adjusts the timing of the switching operation of the discharge valve 913 based on the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge 914, thereby enabling continuous constant discharge.

[0016] 13 shows a storage container 61 to which a conventional liquid material discharging device 901 is connected. The storage container 61 is a syringe having an inner cylinder 61a that opens downward at its lower end and an outer cylinder 61b that surrounds the inner cylinder. A nozzle 62 having a discharge port at its tip is attached to the inner cylinder 61a of this syringe. An adapter 63 is detachably attached to the upper end of the syringe.

[0017] The storage container 61 is filled with an amount of liquid material L that forms a space 64 above. The upper surface of the liquid material L is called the head position. The head position moves downward every time a discharge operation is performed. In FIG. 13, when the liquid material L is initially filled, the amount of liquid material is Q ０ (Full), water head position is L ０ When the dispensing operation is performed, the remaining amount of liquid material is Q １The head position is reduced to L １ If further dispensing is performed, the remaining amount of liquid material will be Q ２ The head position is reduced to L ２ It drops to.

[0018] 12 is a graph showing the pressure change of the reservoir pressure gauge 914 when pressurized gas is supplied to the reservoir 61 by the liquid material discharge device 901. When the discharge valve 913 is set to the first position and pressurized gas is supplied to the reservoir 61 from the pressure regulator 911, as shown in FIG. 12, the pressure in the reservoir 61 rises relatively gently over time, reaching a peak at time t ａ The target pressure p ｔ The dashed line indicates the head position L ０ The dotted line shows the pressure change when the head position is L ２ In the conventional liquid material discharge device 901, the air tube 922 is relatively long (for example, 2 to 10 m), and even if the water head position changes, the time t ａ In this respect, in this embodiment, as will be described later, the target pressure p ｔ The time it takes to reach this point varies so much that it is easy to distinguish.

[0019] Time t ｂ When the discharge valve 913 is set to the second position to connect the reservoir 61 to the atmosphere, the pressure in the reservoir 61 drops rapidly over time. ２ In the case of ０ In this respect, in this embodiment, as will be described later, the time required for venting to the atmosphere varies greatly depending on the change in the water head position, so that it is easy to distinguish between these two.

[0020] 1 , the liquid material discharging device 1 of the first embodiment is an air-operated dispenser that includes a first housing 10, a second housing 20, and a control device 30, and supplies pressurized gas to a reservoir 60 that is mounted on a robot, which will be described later. The second housing 20 is mounted on a movable head 606 of the robot, which will be described later. The first housing 10 and the second housing 20 are physically separate entities, and are connected by at least partially flexible piping (including air tubes and cables), so that the relative positional relationship between the two can be freely changed.

[0021] The first housing 10 is a case that houses at least the pressure regulator 11 and the discharge valve pressure gauge 12. The first housing 10 is sometimes called a main unit. A touch panel (not shown) may be provided on the side of the first housing 10 as a display device and input device for displaying and operating the set values ​​of the pressure regulator 11. Furthermore, although FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration in which the control device 30 is disposed outside the first housing 10, the control device 30 may also be disposed inside the first housing 10.

[0022] The pressure regulating device 11 is an electro-pneumatic regulator automatically controlled by the control device 30. It reduces the pressure of pressurized gas supplied from a pressurized gas supply source 70 connected to an input port on the upstream side (primary side) to a desired pressure, stabilizes the pressure, and supplies it to an output port on the downstream side (secondary side). One end of a discharge valve first supply path 41 made of a flexible air tube is detachably connected to the output port of the pressure regulating device 11. The other end of the discharge valve first supply path 41 is detachably connected to one end of a joint 14. A discharge valve second supply path 42 made of a flexible air tube is detachably connected to the other end of the joint 14. In this embodiment, the discharge valve first supply path 41, the discharge valve second supply path 42, and a discharge valve third supply path 43 (described later) may be collectively referred to as the discharge valve supply path 40.

[0023] The discharge valve pressure gauge 12 measures the pressure of the pressurized gas in the discharge valve first supply path 41 and transmits the measured value to the control device 30. The control device 30 controls the operation of the pressure regulating device 11 based on the measurement value of the discharge valve pressure gauge 12 so that the pressure of the pressurized gas in the discharge valve first supply path 41 falls within a desired range. Note that the pressure of the pressurized gas in the discharge valve supply path 40 may be controlled by the pressure regulating device 11 based on the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge 22 without providing the discharge valve pressure gauge 12.

[0024] The control device 30 is a computer that controls the operation of the pressure regulating device 11 and the discharge valve 21, and includes a processing device (not shown) and a storage device (not shown) that stores a control program. The control device 30 is communicatively connected to the pressure regulating device 11 via a wire 32 and to the discharge valve pressure gauge 12 via a wire 33. The discharge valve pressure gauge 12 may be built into the pressure regulating device 11, and the measurement value of the discharge valve pressure gauge 12 may be transmitted to the control device 30 via the wire 32 (in this case, the wire 33 is not required). The control device 30 is able to adjust the pressure value of the pressurized gas in the pressure regulating device 11 in accordance with changes in the hydraulic head position, based on the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge 22.

[0025] The control device 30 is communicatively connected to the discharge valve 21 via at least a partially flexible wiring 34, and to the reservoir pressure gauge 22 via a wiring 35. The wiring 31 to 35 may have any configuration capable of transmitting signals, such as a signal cable, a configuration using conductors formed on a substrate, or a configuration in which contacts are in direct contact with each other. Some or all of the wiring 31 to 35 may be replaced with wireless communication.

[0026] The control device 30 can optimally adjust the operation timing (i.e., opening / closing timing) of the discharge valve 21 in response to changes in the head position based on the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge 22. For example, when the remaining amount of liquid material in the reservoir 61 is large, the amount of pressurized gas sent to the reservoir 61 during discharging is relatively small, completing the pressure change in a short time, and the time for opening the discharge valve 21 is relatively short. However, when the remaining amount of liquid material in the reservoir 61 is small, the amount of pressurized gas sent to the reservoir 61 during discharging is relatively large, and the pressure change takes time, and the time for opening the discharge valve 21 is relatively long. In other words, by estimating the remaining amount of liquid material in the reservoir 61 (i.e., the head position) based on the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge 22 and feedback-controlling the operation (opening / closing timing) of the discharge valve 21, it is possible to solve the problem of variations in the discharge amount caused by changes in the remaining amount of liquid material in the reservoir 61.

[0027] The second housing 20 is a case that houses at least the discharge valve 21 and the reservoir pressure gauge 22. The device that the second housing 20 constitutes may also be called a switching device. A display device for displaying the setting value of the discharge valve 21, etc., may be provided on the side of the second housing 20.

[0028] The discharge valve 21 of the first embodiment is a three-way valve having an input port on the upstream side (primary side), an output port on the downstream side (secondary side), and an exhaust port (not shown) provided midstream. A discharge valve third supply path 43 connected to a joint 23 is detachably connected to the input port of the discharge valve 21. One end of a reservoir first supply path 51 made of an air tube is detachably connected to the output port of the discharge valve 21. The other end of the reservoir first supply path 51 is detachably connected to one end of a joint 24. The other end of the joint 24 is connected to a reservoir second supply path 52 made of a flexible air tube. In this embodiment, the reservoir first supply path 51 and the reservoir second supply path 52 may be collectively referred to as a reservoir supply path 50.

[0029] The reservoir supply path 50 is a flow path connecting the discharge valve 21 and the reservoir 60. It is important to make the volume of the reservoir supply path 50 smaller than the volume of the discharge valve supply path 40 in order to solve the problem of the present invention. Reducing the volume from the discharge valve 21 to the surface of the liquid material in the reservoir 61 reduces the amount of pressurized gas required to increase the pressure in the space 64 in the reservoir 61, making it possible to achieve a steeper pressure increase. This means that the required amount can be discharged even with a short pressurization time, improving productivity per unit time. The volume of the reservoir supply path 50 is preferably ½ or less, more preferably ⅓ or less, and even more preferably ¼ or less, of the volume of the discharge valve supply path 40.

[0030] The diameter (cross-sectional area) of the discharge valve supply path 40 is preferably equal to or larger than the diameter of the reservoir supply path 50. By making the flow resistance of the discharge valve supply path 40 smaller than the flow resistance of the reservoir supply path 50, it becomes possible to smoothly supply pressurized gas to the reservoir supply path 50, and the pressure rise on the downstream side (secondary side) of the discharge valve 21 can be made steeper.

[0031] The discharge valve 21 functions as a switching valve that switches between a first position where the storage container 61 communicates with the pressure adjusting device 11 and a second position where the storage container 61 communicates with an exhaust port (not shown). The exhaust port (not shown) may be connected to an exhaust port provided on the side surface of the second housing 20, for example, or may be configured to exhaust air into the second housing 20.

[0032] The reservoir first supply path 51 and the wiring 34 are detachably connected to the discharge valve 21. In this embodiment, the pressure regulating device 11 and the discharge valve 21 are stored in physically separate housings, and the discharge valve 21 is connected to other components via the flexible discharge valve second supply path 42 and the wiring 34, so that the discharge valve 21 can be easily replaced.

[0033] In conventional devices, the pressure regulator, control device, and discharge valve are housed in the same housing along with piping such as electrical wiring and air tubing, and the piping must be disconnected and connected within the space-constrained housing, making on-site replacement of the discharge valve difficult. In contrast, in this embodiment, the discharge valve 21 is detachably housed in the second housing 20, separate from the first housing 10 that houses the pressure regulator 11, making replacement easy.

[0034] The discharge valve 21 may be an air-operated or electrically operated type, but in a discharge device used in a mass production process in a production factory, it is preferable to use an electromagnetic three-way valve whose operation timing can be accurately controlled by a computer (i.e., the control device 30). The switching operation of the discharge valve 21 may be performed by manually issuing an instruction to the control device 30 each time switching between discharge operation and stop.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, storage unit 60 has a storage container 61 that stores a liquid material, a nozzle 62 that communicates with the storage container and has a discharge port, and an adapter 63 that is detachably connected to storage container 61 and supplies pressurized gas. A known syringe as shown in Figure 13 was used as storage container 61. Nozzle 62 attached to the tip of inner cylinder 61a of this syringe constitutes the discharge unit. The discharge unit in this specification is an element that constitutes storage unit 60. The discharge unit to which the technical concept of the present invention is applicable is not limited to a nozzle having a discharge port formed at the tip of a cylindrical or approximately conical shape, but may also be, for example, an orifice nozzle having a discharge port formed by drilling into a flat lower end surface.

[0036] The storage container 61 and the nozzle 62 may be connected via a flexible liquid feed tube, in which case the nozzle 62 and the liquid feed tube form the discharge portion. The elements that form the storage portion 60 may also be partially formed as a single unit. For example, the storage container and the discharge portion located at the bottom end of the storage container may be integrally molded from resin. An intermediary member (float) called a plunger that contacts the upper surface of the liquid material L in the storage container 61 may also be interposed.

[0037] The storage container 61 is provided with a known adapter 63 that is detachably attached to its upper end, and pressure-regulated air is supplied from the discharge valve 21 via the storage portion second supply path 52, which is made of a flexible air tube. Because the second housing 20 and the storage container 61 are at least partially connected by a flexible air tube, the relative positional relationship between them can be freely changed.

[0038] Factory air, a gas cylinder, etc. can be used as the pressurized gas supply source 70. It is preferable to provide a filter (not shown) or an oil mist trap (not shown) in the flow path connecting the pressurized gas supply source 70 and the liquid material discharge device 1, so that dry, clean pressurized gas can be supplied to the liquid material discharge device 1.

[0039] The liquid material dispensing device 1 supplies pressurized gas from a pressurized gas supply source 70 to a storage container 61 via a pressure regulator 11, a discharge valve supply path 40, a discharge valve 21, and a storage section supply path 50, and dispenses a fixed amount of liquid material stored in the storage container 61 from a nozzle (discharge section) 62. During the dispensing operation, the discharge valve 21 is set to the first position by the control device 30. When the control device 30 switches the discharge valve 21 to the second position, the pressurized gas in the storage container 61 is discharged from an exhaust port (not shown) of the discharge valve 21, which communicates with the atmosphere, and dispensing of the liquid material from the discharge section 62 stops. In this embodiment, the open time of the discharge valve 21 (the time during which the valve is in the first position), which changes with changes in the head position, is automatically controlled based on the measurement value of the storage section pressure gauge 22, thereby achieving highly accurate fixed-quantity dispensing. It is preferable that even during standby when no discharge operation is being performed, discharge valve 21 be set to the second position described above, and reservoir supply path 50 be connected to the atmosphere, thereby opening reservoir 61 to the atmosphere.

[0040] (Coating Apparatus 2) As shown in Figure 2, the liquid material discharging apparatus 1, together with a robot 600, constitutes a coating apparatus 2. The robot 600 is equipped with three motion axes, X, Y, and Z (601, 602, 603), a base 604, and a bridge 605 supported by two supports 607a and 607b. A movable head 606 is mounted on the bridge 605, on which the X-axis member 601 is provided, so as to be movable in the X direction (along the first motion axis). A second housing 20 is attached to the side surface of the movable head 606 on the X axis, and a Z-axis member 603 is mounted on the front surface of the movable head 606 (the side surface on the Y axis) so as to be movable in the Z direction (along the second motion axis).

[0041] In this embodiment, the second housing 20 is detachably attached to the movable head 606 by a connector such as a screw or an attachment (mounting device). FIG. 3 is a front view showing an example of an attachment 610 for attaching the second housing 20 to the movable head 606. The attachment 610 is an L-shaped member when viewed from the front. The second housing 20 is placed on a first surface 610a extending horizontally and detachably fixed by a fastener 611. The second surface 610b extending vertically of the attachment 610 abuts against the side surface of the movable head 606 and is detachably fixed by a fastener 612. The discharge valve 21, which is a consumable part, can be replaced with the side surface of the second housing 20 open, or by replacing the second housing 20 itself. A detachable member (e.g., a DIN rail) may be added to the attachment 610 to facilitate attachment and detachment of the second housing 20.

[0042] The Z-axis member 603 is equipped with a holder to which the storage container 61 and the discharge unit 62 can be detachably attached. A work table T on which the target workpiece W is placed is mounted so as to be movable in the Y direction (along the third motion axis) on the Y-axis member 602 arranged on the upper surface of the stand 604. The discharge unit 62 mounted on the robot 600 and the target workpiece W are movable relative to each other in the three axes of X, Y, and Z. When the control program is executed, the coating device 2 forms a desired coating pattern on the target workpiece W by switching the discharge valve 21 between the first and second positions while moving the discharge unit 62 and the target workpiece W relative to each other.

[0043] The first housing 10 of the liquid material discharge device 1 is placed near the stand 604. In the example of FIG. 2 , the control device 30 is disposed inside the first housing 10. The storage container 61 and the discharge unit 62 are components that require frequent replacement, and can be replaced by an on-site worker after moving the movable head 606 and the Z-axis member 603 to a position that is easy to work with (for example, the end of the X-axis member 601). In this embodiment, similar to the replacement of the storage container 61, the discharge valve 21 of the second housing 20 can also be replaced by moving the movable head 606 to a position that is easy to work with (for example, the end of the X-axis member 601 on the side where the second housing 20 is provided).

[0044] The X-axis member 601 moves the movable head 606 to which the second housing 20 is attached to a position that is easy to work with, and the X-axis member 601 of the robot 600 maintains an excited state, thereby fixing the position of the second housing 20. In other words, there is no need to hold the second housing 20 with one hand, and the discharge valve 21 can be replaced using both hands, improving workability.

[0045] In this embodiment, the second housing 20 is attached to the side of the movable head 606 for the following reasons. The first reason is to minimize the load on the Z-axis member 603, which requires high-speed mobility. Mounting the second housing 20 on the Z-axis member 603 is undesirable because it requires a drive unit with a large driving force for the Z-axis member 603 and increases the inertial force during movement in the Z direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second housing 20 is installed on the movable head 606, which is mounted on the X-axis member 601, which is the upper axis of the Z-axis. In this embodiment, neither the discharge valve 21 nor the reservoir pressure gauge 22 is mounted on the Z-axis member 603, thereby minimizing the driving force required for the reciprocating movement of the Z-axis member 603.

[0046] The second viewpoint is the ease of replacing the storage container 61 and the nozzle (discharge portion) 62. The storage container 61 is replaced when the remaining amount of liquid material falls below a certain level, but if the second housing 20 is located near the storage container 61, the workability of the replacement is impaired. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second housing 20 is disposed at a certain distance from the storage container 61 (for example, 10 cm or more, preferably 20 cm or more, and more preferably 30 cm or more), and the storage container 61 is connected to the second housing 20 by a flexible storage portion second supply path 52.

[0047] The third viewpoint is to prevent the liquid material from flowing back through the reservoir supply path 50 and reaching the discharge valve 21 while minimizing pressure fluctuations. Specifically, when an air pulse is applied, the liquid material may jump up from the liquid surface and reach the discharge valve 21. Furthermore, in a configuration in which negative pressure is supplied to the reservoir 61, as in the embodiment described below, the liquid material in the reservoir 61 may flow back through the reservoir supply path 50 and reach the discharge valve 21. Furthermore, if the distance between the reservoir 61 and the second housing 20 is too short, the effects of non-reproducible pressure fluctuations that occur when the discharge valve 21 opens are directly transmitted to the reservoir 61, causing variations in the discharge amount. In this regard, it is preferable to smooth out the pressure fluctuations by passing the pressurized gas supplied from the discharge valve 21 through an air tube having a length that serves as an approach section. Taking these factors into consideration, it is disclosed that the distance between the reservoir 61 and the second housing 20 (the length of the reservoir second supply path 52) is preferably, for example, 10 to 95 cm, and more preferably 10 to 50 cm. In other words, it is disclosed that the length of the reservoir supply path 50 is preferably, for example, 11 to 105 cm, and more preferably 11 to 60 cm.

[0048] (Pressure Change in Storage Container) Fig. 4 is a graph showing the pressure change of the storage pressure gauge 22 when pressurized gas is supplied to the storage container 61 by the liquid material discharge device 1 (see Fig. 13 for the water bottle position). ０ The dotted line shows the pressure change when the head position is L ２When the discharge valve 21 is set to the first position and pressurized gas is supplied from the pressure regulator 11 to the storage container 61, the pressure in the storage container 61 rises relatively rapidly over time, and the head position reaches L, as shown in FIG. ０ In the case of time t ０ The target pressure p ｔ and the head position reaches L ２ In the case of time t ２ The target pressure p ｔ to reach.

[0049] Time t ｂ When the discharge valve 21 is set to the second position to connect the reservoir 61 to the atmosphere, the pressure in the reservoir 61 drops rapidly over time. ２ In the case of ０ It can be seen that the speed of pressure release is slower than in the case of

[0050] 5 is a graph obtained by superimposing FIG. 4 and FIG. 12 (see FIG. 13 for the water bottle position). From FIG. 5, it can be seen that the discharge device 1 of this embodiment is able to obtain the desired pressure p ｔ Time to reach (t ０ , t ２ ) is significantly shorter. In addition, in the discharge device 1 of this embodiment, the desired pressure p ｔ Time to reach (t ０ , t ２ ) is large. ｂ It can be seen that the speed of pressure release when the discharge valve 21 is set to the second position and the storage container 61 is connected to the atmosphere is also faster in the discharge device 1 of this embodiment.

[0051] In this way, in the discharge device 1 of this embodiment, the volume of the storage section supply path 50 is smaller than the volume of the discharge valve supply path 40, and the length of the storage section supply path 50 is shorter than the length of the discharge valve supply path 40, so it is possible to make the pressure rise when the storage container 61 is pressurized and the pressure release when it is exhausted more rapid than in the discharge device 901 of the conventional device.

[0052] FIG. 6 shows the pressure in the reservoir 61 at a set pressure p １ Graph S １ is the water head position L ０ Graph S ２ is the water head position L ２ Graph S ３ is the water head position L ０ Graph S ４ is the water head position L ２ 13 shows the measured value of the reservoir pressure gauge 914 in the case of (see FIG. 13 for the water bottle position).

[0053] As shown in FIG. 6, in the discharge device 1 of this embodiment, the water head position is L ０ When the water head position is L ２ In the case of pressure p １ The time it takes to reach １ There is a difference in the water head position for each type of liquid material. ｎ By measuring in advance and storing it in the storage device of the control device 30, it becomes possible to accurately estimate the water head position based on the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge 22. Here, the water head position may be estimated based on the time it takes for the integrated value of the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge 22 (for example, the total value of the measurement values ​​acquired by the reservoir pressure gauge 22 at intervals of 0.1 ms) to reach a predetermined value. Note that even in the discharge device 901 of the conventional example, the water head position is ０ When the water head position is L ２ In the case of pressure p １ The time it takes to reach ２ There is a difference of Δt １ Since the difference is small compared to the above, the accuracy of estimating the water head position is lower than that of the discharge device 1 of this embodiment.

[0054] FIG. 7 shows the time t １ Graph S shows the pressure change when pressurized gas is supplied during ５ is the water head position L ０ Graph S ６ is the water head position L２ Graph S ７ is the water head position L ０ Graph S ８ is the water head position L ２ 13 shows the measured value of the reservoir pressure gauge 914 in the case of (see FIG. 13 for the water bottle position).

[0055] As shown in FIG. 7, in the discharge device 1 of this embodiment, the water head position is L ０ When the water head position is L ２ In the case of Δp １ There is a difference in Δp depending on the difference in head position for each type of liquid material. １ is measured in advance and stored in the storage device of the control device 30, the time t １ It is possible to accurately estimate the water head position based on the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge 22 when pressurized for the set time t １ The water head position may be estimated based on an integral value of the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge 22 (for example, the total value of the measurement values ​​acquired by the reservoir pressure gauge 22 at intervals of 0.1 ms) until the elapse of 100 seconds. ０ When the water head position is L ２ In the case of Δp ２ There is a difference between Δp １ Since the difference is significantly smaller than that of the discharge device 1 of this embodiment, the accuracy of estimating the water head position is significantly lower than that of the discharge device 1 of this embodiment.

[0056] The control device 30 has a function of outputting a low-level warning signal when the estimated head position reaches a preset minimum reference value. Specifically, it is disclosed that when the head position reaches the minimum reference value, a buzzer sounds from a built-in alarm device (not shown) and a low-level warning signal is transmitted to an external information terminal via wireless or wired communication. The control device 30 may also be provided with a function of estimating the remaining amount of liquid material based on the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge 22 and outputting the result to an external information terminal via wireless or wired communication.

[0057] The control device 30 also corrects the discharge parameters of the control signal sent to the pressure regulator 11 and / or the discharge valve 21 based on the estimated head position. This is because the discharge volume decreases if the discharge parameters are not corrected when the space 64 in the reservoir increases. Specifically, the disclosure discloses increasing the pressure of the pressurized gas supplied from the pressure regulator 11 in response to a decrease in head position, lengthening the time for applying an air pulse with the discharge valve 21 in the first position, and increasing the volumetric supply rate of the pressurized gas. Here, the disclosure discloses a device configuration for increasing the volumetric supply rate of the pressurized gas by configuring the discharge valve 21 as a flow proportional valve and adjusting the valve opening in response to a decrease in head position to increase the volumetric supply rate of the pressurized gas passing through the discharge valve 21, and providing a flow control device controllable by the control device 30 in the discharge valve supply path 40 or the reservoir supply path 50.

[0058] The liquid material discharge device 1 of the first embodiment described above can estimate changes in the hydraulic head position with high accuracy, thereby achieving more accurate constant-volume discharge than conventional devices. Furthermore, by detecting the remaining amount of liquid material in the storage container 61 with high accuracy, the storage container 61 can be replaced at the appropriate time. Furthermore, since the discharge valve 21 is housed in a second housing that is physically separate from the first housing that houses the pressure regulator 11, the discharge valve 21, which is a consumable part, can be easily replaced.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, because the distance between the discharge valve 21 and the storage container 61 (the length of the storage supply path 50) is sufficiently short, even if the distance between the pressure regulating device 11 and the storage container 61 is long (for example, 2 to 10 m), there is little risk of delays in the pressure increase and pressure release within the storage container 61 during the switching operation of the discharge valve 21. In the conventional discharge device 901 shown in Figure 14, the discharge valve 913 was provided close to the pressure regulating device 911, which caused delays in the pressure increase and pressure release of the pressurized gas applied to the storage container when discharge started and stopped, causing disruptions to the coating shape.

[0060] Furthermore, in the coating device 2 of this embodiment, it is possible to move the movable head 606, on which the second housing 20 is disposed, to a position where it is easy to work, and then perform the work of replacing the discharge valve 21. Furthermore, since the discharge valve 21 and the storage container 61 are connected by the storage part supply path 50, which is made of a flexible air tube that is long enough not to impair workability, it is easy to replace both the discharge valve 21 and the storage container 61, which are consumable parts.

[0061] Although the present embodiment illustrates a robot 600 having three motion axes (601, 602, 603), X, Y, and Z, the configuration of the robot is not limited to this. For example, the effects of the present invention can be achieved by attaching the second housing 20 to an arm near the point of application of a multi-axis robot. In this case, it is preferable that the second housing 20 be mounted not on the rotation axis at the end of the arm, but on at least one rotation axis higher up.

[0062] 8 is different from the first embodiment mainly in that a discharge valve pressure gauge 112 is disposed inside a second housing 120. In the following, elements common to the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0063] 8, the liquid material discharging device 101 of the second embodiment is an air-operated dispenser that includes a first housing 110, a second housing 120, and a control device 130, and supplies pressurized gas to a reservoir 60 mounted on the robot 600. The second housing 120 is mounted on a movable head 606 of the robot 600, and constitutes a liquid material application device. The first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are physically separate entities, and are connected at least partially by flexible piping (including air tubes and cables), so that the relative positional relationship between them can be freely changed.

[0064] The first housing 110 is a case that houses at least the pressure regulator 11. A touch panel (not shown) may be provided on the side of the first housing 110 as a display device and input device for displaying and operating the setting values ​​of the pressure regulator 11. Although FIG. 8 illustrates a configuration in which the control device 130 is disposed outside the first housing 110, the control device 130 may also be disposed inside the first housing 110.

[0065] The second housing 120 is a case that houses at least the discharge valve 21, the reservoir pressure gauge 22, and the discharge valve pressure gauge 112. The device that the second housing 120 constitutes may also be called a switching device. A display device for displaying the setting value of the discharge valve 21, etc. may be provided on the side of the second housing 120.

[0066] The discharge valve pressure gauge 112 can be the same device as the discharge valve pressure gauge 12. The discharge valve pressure gauge 112 measures the pressure of the pressurized gas in the discharge valve third supply path 43 and transmits the measured value to the control device 130 via a wiring 133. The control device 130 is a computer equipped with a control program that controls the operation of the pressure regulator 11 and the discharge valve 21, and controls the operation of the pressure regulator 11 based on the measured value of the discharge valve pressure gauge 112 so that the pressure of the pressurized gas in the discharge valve third supply path 43 falls within a desired range. In addition, the control device 130 optimally adjusts the operation timing (opening / closing timing) of the discharge valve 21 in accordance with changes in the head position based on the measured value of the reservoir pressure gauge 22.

[0067] The pressure regulating device 11 and the discharge valve 21 are fluidly connected by a discharge valve supply channel 40. The discharge valve 21 and the reservoir 60 are fluidly connected by a reservoir supply channel 50. In the second embodiment, too, the volume of the reservoir supply channel 50 is made smaller than the volume of the discharge valve supply channel 40 (preferably ½ or less, more preferably ⅓ or less, and even more preferably ¼ or less of the volume of the discharge valve supply channel 40), thereby enabling a steep pressure increase and pressure release in the space 64 within the reservoir 61. As in the first embodiment, the diameter (cross-sectional area) of the discharge valve supply channel 40 is preferably equal to or larger than the diameter of the reservoir supply channel 50.

[0068] The liquid material discharge device 101 of the second embodiment described above can estimate the change in the hydraulic head position with high accuracy, and therefore can achieve a fixed amount of discharge with higher accuracy than conventional devices. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the distance between the discharge valve 21 and the reservoir 61 (the length of the reservoir supply path 50) is sufficiently short, so that delays in the pressure increase and pressure release within the reservoir 61 during the switching operation of the discharge valve 21 are unlikely to occur.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pressure in the discharge valve third supply path 43 connected to the discharge valve 21 is measured by the discharge valve pressure gauge 112, and therefore it is possible to adjust the pressure of the pressure regulating device 11 with higher precision based on the pressure value at a position close to the reservoir supply path 50.

[0070] 9 differs from the first embodiment mainly in that it includes a second pressure adjusting device 213, a vacuum ejector 214, and a first control device 230 arranged in a first housing 210, and an exhaust valve 223 and a second control device 240 arranged in a second housing 220. In the following, elements common to the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

[0071] 9, the liquid material discharge device 201 of the third embodiment is an air-operated dispenser that includes a first housing 210 and a second housing 220 and supplies pressurized gas to a reservoir 60. The second housing 220 is mounted on the movable head 606 of the robot 600 described above and constitutes the liquid material application device. The first housing 210 and the second housing 220 are physically separate entities and are connected by at least partially flexible piping (including air tubes and cables), so that the relative positional relationship between them can be freely changed.

[0072] The first housing 210 is a case that houses the pressure regulator 11, the discharge valve pressure gauge 12, the first control device 230, the second pressure regulator 213, and the vacuum ejector 214. The pressure regulator 11 can be the same as that of the first embodiment, and a discharge valve supply path 241 made of an air tube is detachably connected to the output port.

[0073] The first control device 230 is a computer that controls the operation of the pressure regulating device 11 and the second pressure regulating device 213, and is configured to be able to communicate with the second control device 240 connected by at least a partially flexible wiring 231. The first control device 230 is able to communicate with the pressure regulating device 11 by wiring 232, is able to communicate with the discharge valve pressure gauge 12 by wiring 233, and is able to communicate with the second pressure regulating device 213 by wiring 234, and automatically controls each of the connected devices.

[0074] The second pressure adjusting device 213 constitutes a negative pressure generating device together with the vacuum ejector 214. The second pressure adjusting device 213 may be constituted by, for example, a flow rate proportional valve that adjusts the pressurized gas supplied from the pressurized gas supply source 70 to a desired flow rate by adjusting the opening / closing degree of the valve in proportion to the current value or voltage value applied from the first control device 230, or may be constituted by a pressure proportional valve that adjusts the pressurized gas to a desired pressure.

[0075] The first control device 230 of this embodiment optimally adjusts the operation timing (opening / closing timing) of the second pressure adjusting device 213 in accordance with changes in the head position, based on the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge 222 received via the second control device 240. If the negative pressure applied is not appropriately weakened as the head position drops, problems such as dripping from the nozzle or suction into the nozzle will occur, so it is important to accurately estimate the head position and apply an appropriate negative pressure.

[0076] The input port of the vacuum ejector 214 is connected to the second pressure regulator 213, the negative pressure port is connected to the discharge valve 221 by a negative pressure supply path 242 made of a flexible air tube, and the exhaust port is connected to the exhaust port 215 via an exhaust path 243 made of an air tube. The vacuum ejector 214 generates negative pressure in the negative pressure supply path 242 by an airflow that exhausts the pressurized gas supplied via the second pressure regulator 213 from the exhaust path 243 and the exhaust port 215. The exhaust port 215 may be provided on a side surface of the first housing 210 or at a position where it is exhausted into the first housing 210. Alternatively, the exhaust path 243 made of an air tube may not be provided, and the exhaust port of the vacuum ejector 214 may serve as the exhaust port 215.

[0077] If the requirement for reducing the weight of the second housing 220 is not strict, the negative pressure generating devices (213, 214) may be provided on the second housing 220 side. This configuration makes it possible to reduce the number of air tubes extending from the first housing 210. In this case, the second pressure adjusting device 213 may be configured to be controlled by the second control device 240.

[0078] The second housing 220 is a case that houses the second control device 240, the discharge valve 221, the reservoir pressure gauge 222, and the exhaust valve 223. Although not shown in FIG. 9 , a holding member 260 that holds the discharge valve 221 and the exhaust valve 223 is disposed within the second housing 220 (see FIG. 10 ). In the third embodiment, the discharge valve 221 and the exhaust valve 223 are consumable parts that require periodic replacement. By housing the second control device 240, the discharge valve 221, and the exhaust valve 223 within the second housing 220, it is possible to prevent the routing of piping from being exposed to the outside, which makes it possible to mount multiple devices on the movable head 606 of the robot.

[0079] The discharge valve 221 is a three-port solenoid valve having an input port 226, an exhaust port 227, and an output port 228. The input port 226 is a joint connected to a discharge valve supply path 241. The exhaust port 227 is a joint connected to a negative pressure supply path 242. The discharge valve 221 switches between a first position, at which the discharge valve supply path 241 communicates with a reservoir first supply path 251, and a second position, at which the negative pressure supply path 242 communicates with the reservoir first supply path 251. An air tube, which constitutes one end of the reservoir first supply path 251, is detachably connected to the output port 228 of the discharge valve 221. The other end of the air tube is connected to an internal flow path 273 of the holding member 260 (described later) and constitutes the reservoir first supply path 251 together with the internal flow path 273.

[0080] Instead of the illustrated air tube, the entire reservoir first supply path 251 may be formed inside the holding member 260, which will be described later. When the discharge valve 221 is connected to the holding member 260, the output port 228 of the discharge valve 221 communicates with one end of the reservoir first supply path 251 formed inside the holding member 260 and with the internal flow path 273. The other end of the reservoir first supply path 251 formed inside the holding member 260 communicates with a joint 224 provided on the holding member 260. The input port 226 of the discharge valve 221 communicates with a joint 264 provided on the holding member 260, and the exhaust port 227 communicates with a joint 265 provided on the holding member 260.

[0081] The reservoir first supply path 251 also communicates with the exhaust valve 223 via an exhaust branch path 253. The exhaust valve 223 is a two-port solenoid valve that switches between a first position in which the reservoir first supply path 251 is opened to the atmosphere via the second exhaust path 254 and the exhaust port 225, and a second position in which the communication between the reservoir first supply path 251 and the second exhaust path 254 is blocked. To enable rapid exhaust from the exhaust port 225, it is preferable to minimize the piping resistance of the exhaust branch path 253 and the second exhaust path 254. For example, a preferred embodiment is disclosed in which the diameters of the exhaust branch path 253 and the second exhaust path 254 are larger than those of the reservoir first supply path 251, and the exhaust port 225 is provided in the second housing 220. Here, the exhaust port 225 may be provided on a side surface of the second housing 220 or at a position that exhausts air into the second housing 220. Alternatively, the second exhaust path 254 may not be provided, and the exhaust port of the exhaust valve 223 may serve as the exhaust port 225 .

[0082] The second control device 240 can communicate with the discharge valve 221 via a wire 237 and automatically controls the switching operation of the discharge valve 221. When starting discharge, the second control device 240 switches the discharge valve 221 to the first position to connect the pressurized gas supply source 70 and the reservoir 60, thereby applying pressurized gas to the reservoir 60 and discharging the liquid material from the discharge port of the nozzle 62.

[0083] At the end of discharge, the second control device 240 switches the discharge valve 221 to the second position and simultaneously opens the exhaust valve 223 for an extremely short time (e.g., several milliseconds to several tens of milliseconds) to exhaust the pressurized gas stored in the reservoir 60 and the reservoir first supply path 251 from the exhaust port 225 via the second exhaust path 254. Because exhaust from the exhaust port 215 on the first housing 210 side has a large piping resistance and takes time to complete, the discharge cycle can be accelerated by rapidly exhausting the pressurized gas in the reservoir 60 and the reservoir first supply path 251 from the exhaust port 225 on the second housing 220 side for only an extremely short time immediately after discharge is completed. The second control device 240 of this embodiment optimally adjusts the operation timing (opening / closing timing) of the exhaust valve 223 in response to changes in the head position based on the measurement value of the reservoir pressure gauge 222.

[0084] After the extremely short-time rapid exhaust, the second control device 240 switches the exhaust valve 223 to the second position to close it. During this time, the reservoir 60 and the vacuum ejector 214 remain in communication with each other via the discharge valve 221, which is maintained in the second position, and negative pressure continues to be applied to the reservoir 60.

[0085] After the discharge operation is completed, the second control device 240 keeps the discharge valve 221 in the second position even during standby, maintaining communication between the storage unit 60 and the vacuum ejector 214, thereby continuing to apply negative pressure to the storage unit 60. This is because the liquid material may be discharged from the nozzle 62 due to its own weight even during standby. By constantly maintaining negative pressure inside the storage unit 60 even during standby, it is possible to maintain balance with the gravity of the liquid material and prevent the liquid material from being discharged from the nozzle 62 during standby. Note that during standby, the exhaust valve 223 is maintained in the second position (closed state).

[0086] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the second housing 220 of this embodiment, where (A) is a see-through front view of the essential parts, and (B) is a cross-sectional side view of the essential parts of the holding member 260 disposed within the second housing 220, viewed from the right side. As shown in FIG. 10(A), the holding member 260 is disposed within the second housing 220. The holding member 260 includes a base 261 and a mounting member 262. The base 261 is a block-shaped member having a gas flow path formed therein. The second control device 240 is disposed to the side of the base 261 via a fixture 263. The wiring 234, 236 electrically connecting the discharge valve 221 and the second control device 240 can be disconnected with a single touch using a connector 267. The reservoir pressure gauge 222 is disposed between the side of the base 261 and the second control device 240.

[0087] A joint 224 protruding from the second housing 220 is disposed on the front surface of the base 261. The joint 224 is in communication with an output port 228 of the discharge valve 221, and is connected to a reservoir second supply path 252 made of a flexible air tube. A joint 264 in communication with an input port 226 of the discharge valve 221 and a joint 265 in communication with an exhaust port 227 are disposed on the back surface of the base 261.

[0088] The mounting member 262 functions as a holder for mounting the discharge valve 221 and the exhaust valve 223, and is detachably fixed to the base 261 with fasteners 266 such as screws. A seal member is provided at the portion of the mounting member 262 that comes into contact with the base 261, so that the space inside the mounting member 262 can be made airtight when fixed. Note that seal members may also be provided at the portion where the discharge valve 221 and the mounting member 262 come into contact and at the portion where the exhaust valve 223 and the mounting member 262 come into contact.

[0089] The mounting member 262 has flow paths that communicate with the discharge valve 221 and the exhaust valve 223, and when the mounting member 262 is attached to the base 261, the gas flow paths in the base 261 are connected to the discharge valve 221 and the exhaust valve 223. Therefore, when replacing the discharge valve 221 and the exhaust valve 223, the replacement work can be easily performed by attaching and detaching the mounting member 262. The discharge valve 221 and the exhaust valve 223 may be detachably attached to the mounting member 262, or the mounting member 262 may be replaced as a consumable part together with the discharge valve 221 and the exhaust valve 223. In the latter case, the replacement work can be performed more easily by replacing the mounting member 262 including the discharge valve 221 and the exhaust valve 223.

[0090] 2, the worker will perform the work of attaching or detaching the attachment member 262 while looking diagonally down at the second housing 220. For this reason, in this embodiment, the side of the attachment member 262 is made sloped, and the fastener 266 is configured by a screw that screws into the sloped surface, thereby improving operability.

[0091] The fasteners 266 are preferably designed so that they do not fall off the mounting member 262. This is because this prevents the fasteners 266 from being lost when the mounting member 262 is attached or detached on-site. Furthermore, the fasteners 266 are preferably designed to have a length such that when the removed mounting member 262 is placed on a flat surface with its bottom face down, the tip of the fasteners 266 abuts against the flat surface, causing the bottom of the mounting member 262 to rise up. This is to prevent dust and other particles adhering to the bottom surface of the mounting member 262 from entering the airtight space when the mounting member 262 is attached to the base 261.

[0092] 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main portion of the reservoir pressure gauge 222 according to the third embodiment. The reservoir pressure gauge 222 is disposed on a side surface of the base 261 so as to be pressed against the side surface of the second control device 240. An insertion hole 271 through which a pressure sensor 222a is inserted is provided on the side surface of the base 261 on which the reservoir pressure gauge 222 is disposed. A sealing member 272 (e.g., an O-ring) is disposed on the end of the insertion hole 271 on the reservoir pressure gauge 222 side. The end of the insertion hole 271 opposite the reservoir pressure gauge 222 communicates with an internal flow path 273 formed within the base 261. The internal flow path 273 constitutes a part of the reservoir first supply path 251, and one end is connected to the joint 224.

[0093] The reservoir pressure gauge 222 measures the pressure of the pressurized gas in the internal flow path 273 and transmits the measured value to the second control device 240. The pressure sensor 222a is embedded in the insertion hole 271 that branches off from the internal flow path 273, which is continuous with the reservoir second supply path 252 made of an air tube connected to the reservoir container 61, so that rapid pressure changes at the start and end of discharge can be accurately detected.

[0094] The liquid material discharge device 201 of the third embodiment described above can estimate changes in the head position with high accuracy, thereby achieving more accurate constant-volume discharge than conventional devices. Furthermore, the operation timing (opening / closing timing) of the second pressure regulator 213 and the exhaust valve 223 can be optimally adjusted in response to changes in the head position, thereby shortening the time required to discharge a single constant volume (discharge time). Furthermore, since the discharge valve 221 and the exhaust valve 223 are housed in the mounting member 262, the discharge valve 221 and the exhaust valve 223, which are consumable parts, can be easily replaced.

[0095] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications and improvements can be made to the above-described embodiments, and such modifications and improvements are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0096] For example, the control device 30 may be provided with an operation management function that measures the number of operations or the operating time of the discharge valve, and if the number of operations or the operating time exceeds a set value, sends a notification signal to a display device or an external terminal to prompt replacement of the discharge valve.

[0097] Furthermore, a unique individual number may be assigned to each discharge valve, and an individual management function may be provided in which the control device 30 identifies the individual number of the discharge valve and manages the number of operations or the operating time for each individual number. This makes it possible to execute the above-mentioned operation management function even when a used discharge valve is reused or when a discharge valve scheduled for disposal is mistakenly re-installed. The operation management function and the individual management function can be applied to any of the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0098] Furthermore, the pressure gauge used in the present invention is capable of outputting the detection result of a pressure sensor such as a capacitance type, piezoelectric type, or MEMS type as an electrical signal, and does not necessarily have to have a pressure indicator. Note that as long as the pressure value is a physical quantity that can be converted into pressure, it is not necessarily required to output the pressure value as an electrical signal; for example, the electrical resistance of a load cell deformed by air pressure may be output as an electrical signal.

[0099] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Liquid material discharge device 2...Applicator 10...First housing 11...Pressure regulator 12...Pressure gauge for discharge valve 13, 14...Joint 20...Second housing 21...Discharge valve 22...Pressure gauge for reservoir 23, 24...Joint 30...Control device 31-35...Wiring 40...Discharge valve supply path 41...Discharge valve first supply path 42...Discharge valve second supply path 43...Discharge valve third supply path 50...Reservoir supply path 51...Reservoir first supply path 52...Reservoir second supply path 60...Reservoir 61...Reservoir container 62...Nozzle (discharge part) 63...Adapter 70...Pressurized gas supply source 600...Robot 601...X-axis member 602...Y-axis member 603...Z-axis member 604...Base 605...Bridge 606...Movable head 607... Support 610... Attachment 611... Fixing tool 612... Fixing tool 901... (Conventional example) liquid material discharge device T... Work table W... Work

Claims

1. A liquid material dispensing device that communicates with a discharge part having a discharge port and supplies pressurized gas to a storage container that stores a liquid material to discharge a fixed amount of liquid material, comprising: a pressure regulating device that regulates the pressure of the pressurized gas supplied from a pressurized gas supply source to a desired pressure; a discharge valve that switches a position that connects or blocks communication between the pressure regulating device and the storage container; a discharge valve supply path that connects the pressure regulating device and the discharge valve; a storage container supply path that connects the storage container and the discharge valve; a storage container pressure gauge that measures the pressure of the storage container supply path; a first housing that houses the pressure regulating device; a second housing that is physically separate from the first housing and houses the discharge valve and the storage container pressure gauge; and a control device that switches the position of the discharge valve at a predetermined timing so that a fixed amount of liquid material is discharged, wherein the control device controls the amount of pressurized gas supplied from the discharge valve to the storage container based on the measurement value of the storage container pressure gauge. A liquid material discharging device, wherein the volume of the reservoir supply path is smaller than the volume of the discharge valve supply path.

2. The liquid material discharging device according to claim 1, wherein the length of said reservoir supply path is shorter than the length of said discharge valve supply path.

3. The liquid material ejection device according to claim 1, wherein the volume of the reservoir supply path is half or less of the volume of the ejection valve supply path, and the length of the reservoir supply path is 11 to 105 cm.

4. The liquid material discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge valve supply path is at least partially flexible so that the relative positions of the first housing and the second housing can be changed.

5. A liquid material ejection device as described in claim 4, characterized in that the second housing is provided with a fitting that is connected to the output port of the ejection valve, and the reservoir supply path includes a flexible tube that is detachably attached to the fitting.

6. The liquid material discharging device according to claim 1, wherein said pressure adjusting device is an electropneumatic regulator that automatically controls pressure based on a command from said control device.

7. The liquid material discharging device according to claim 1, wherein the control device controls the amount of pressurized gas supplied from the discharge valve to the storage container by controlling the timing of the discharge valve.

8. The liquid material discharging device according to claim 1, wherein the discharging valve is a flow proportional valve.

9. The liquid material discharge device according to claim 1, further comprising a discharge valve pressure gauge for measuring the pressure in the discharge valve supply path, wherein the control device acquires the measurement value of the discharge valve pressure gauge and controls the operation of the pressure adjusting device so that the pressure in the discharge valve supply path becomes the desired pressure.

10. The liquid material discharging device according to claim 9, wherein the pressure gauge for the discharge valve is housed in the first housing.

11. The liquid material discharging device according to claim 9, wherein the pressure gauge for the discharge valve is housed in the second housing.

12. The liquid material discharge device described in claim 10, characterized in that the control device is configured to include a first control device housed in the first housing and controlling the pressure regulating device based on the measurement value of the pressure gauge for the discharge valve, and a second control device housed in the second housing and controlling the discharge valve based on the measurement value of the pressure gauge for the storage section.

13. The liquid material ejection device described in claim 1, characterized in that the control device has a function of estimating the water head position in the storage container based on the time required for the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge to reach a set pressure value.

14. The liquid material ejection device described in claim 1, characterized in that the control device has a function of estimating the water head position in the storage container based on the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge when the pressurized gas is supplied to the storage container for a set time.

15. The liquid material ejection device according to claim 1, further comprising a negative pressure generating device that generates negative pressure in the reservoir supply path, the negative pressure generating device being housed in the first housing.

16. A liquid material ejection device as described in claim 15, characterized in that the control device has a function of estimating the water head position within the storage container, and the negative pressure generating device adjusts the negative pressure generated in the storage section supply path based on the estimated water head position within the storage container.

17. The liquid material discharge device according to claim 16, wherein the function of estimating the water head position is any one of the following (A) to (D): (A) a function of estimating the water head position in the storage container based on the time required for the measurement value of the storage section pressure gauge to reach a set pressure value; (B) a function of estimating the water head position in the storage container based on the measurement value of the storage section pressure gauge when the pressurized gas is supplied to the storage container for a set time; (C) a function of estimating the water head position in the storage container based on the time required for the accumulated value of the measurement value of the storage section pressure gauge over a predetermined cycle to reach a set value; (D) a function of estimating the water head position in the storage container based on the accumulated value of the measurement value of the storage section pressure gauge when the pressurized gas is supplied to the storage container for a set time.

18. A liquid material application device comprising: a liquid material ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 17; a movable head having a holder for holding the storage container; and a robot for moving the movable head relative to an object to be applied, wherein the second housing is detachably attached to the movable head.

19. A method for discharging a liquid material by supplying pressurized gas to a storage container that is connected to a discharge part having a discharge port and stores a liquid material, thereby repeatedly discharging a fixed amount of liquid material, the method comprising: adjusting the pressure of pressurized gas supplied from a pressurized gas supply source to a desired pressure using a pressure regulating device, supplying the pressurized gas to a discharge valve via a discharge valve supply path, and supplying and stopping the supply of the pressurized gas from the discharge valve to the storage container via a storage part supply path at predetermined timings, thereby discharging the fixed amount of liquid material from the discharge port; and controlling the amount of pressurized gas supplied from the discharge valve to the storage container to discharge the fixed amount of liquid material based on the pressure value in the storage part supply path measured by a pressure gauge, wherein the volume of the storage part supply path is smaller than the volume of the discharge valve supply path.

20. A liquid material discharging method according to claim 19, wherein the length of the reservoir supply path is shorter than the length of the discharge valve supply path.

21. A liquid material ejection method as described in claim 19 or 20, characterized in that the pressure regulating device is housed in a first housing, the ejection valve is physically separate from the first housing and housed in a second housing mounted on a movable head of a robot, and the ejection valve supply path is at least partially flexible so that the relative positions of the first housing and the second housing can be changed.

22. A liquid material ejection method according to claim 21, further comprising a negative pressure generating device that generates negative pressure in the reservoir supply path, the negative pressure generating device being housed in the first housing.

23. A liquid material ejection method as described in claim 22, characterized in that it provides a pressure gauge for the storage section that measures the pressure in the storage section supply path, estimates the head position in the storage container by any of the following (A) to (D), and adjusts the negative pressure generated in the storage section supply path based on the estimated head position in the storage container. (A) Estimating the head position in the storage container based on the time required for the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge to reach a set pressure value. (B) Estimating the head position in the storage container based on the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge when the pressurized gas is supplied to the storage container for a set time. (C) A function to estimate the head position in the storage container based on the time required for the accumulated value of the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge over a specified cycle to reach a set value. (D) A function to estimate the head position in the storage container based on the accumulated value of the measurement value of the storage pressure gauge when the pressurized gas is supplied to the storage container for a set time.

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