JP2525229B2 - Color change coating device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to a manifold connected to an upstream end of a paint supply passage connected to a coating head for coating a material to be coated,
The present invention relates to a color changing coating device that selectively introduces paints of a plurality of colors from a plurality of paint introducing pipes into the manifold through a selection valve to perform color changing coating.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as an apparatus of this type, for example, an apparatus described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 63-20973 is known. And a paint pump of a plurality of colors is selectively introduced into the manifold through a selection valve, and a paint pump is provided in the middle of the paint supply passage and the paint supply passage is provided at the downstream end. A first switching valve that is selectively connected to the outflow passage and the drain passage that are connected to the coating head is interposed, and at the time of a cleaning operation, the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid introduction pipe connected to the manifold via the first cleaning valve is supplied. Water is passed from the manifold to the first switching valve through the painting pump to wash this portion, and at the same time, the washing liquid in the washing liquid introducing pipe connected to the outflow passage via the second washing valve From the outflow passage to the coating And passed through the portion leading to de so that washing the parts. In this case, the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid introducing pipe connected to the shaft cleaning pipe communicating with the shaft portion of the cleaning pump via the third cleaning valve is regularly passed through the shaft portion regardless of the painting work and the cleaning work. The shaft of the painting pump is washed with water.

Further, in JP-A-56-65656, a pair of manifolds and paint supply passages are provided in parallel, and paints of a plurality of colors are selectively introduced into each manifold through a selection valve. A switching valve that selectively switches the paint supply passages to the outflow passage side is provided at the downstream end of the paint supply passages, and the paint is introduced from one manifold to one paint supply passage side connected to the manifold. While the painting work is being carried out, the washing liquid is passed from the other manifold to the other paint supply passage connected to this manifold to wash it, and when the painting work is completed, the washing liquid is put between the switching valve and the application head. It is designed to pass water for cleaning.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) By the way, this type of apparatus is mainly equipped in a coating robot. At that time, since the coating head is attached to the tip of the robot arm, the coating supply passage becomes long and the coating supply passage is The problem is how to wash efficiently.

However, in the former device, since the paint supply passage is composed of one system, it is not possible to move to the next painting work unless the washing work is completed. Since it takes time to clean the supply passage, there is a problem that the entire painting work takes time.

Further, in the latter device, since the two coating supply passages are provided, the coating work and the cleaning work can be performed in parallel and the time of the entire coating work can be shortened. Since one manifold is provided in each paint supply passage, two sets of parts around the manifold including the selection valve are required, and the number of parts as a whole must be increased.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a color changing coating device that can shorten the coating time and the number of parts without impairing the cleaning property.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention connects a manifold to an upstream end of a paint supply passage connected to a coating head that coats paint on an object to be coated, and a plurality of manifolds are connected to the manifold. A device for performing color change coating by selectively introducing paints of a plurality of colors from a paint introduction pipe through a selection valve, wherein a pump is provided in the middle of the paint supply passage and the paint supply passage is provided at a downstream end. A first switching valve that is selectively connected to the outflow passage and the drain passage connected to the coating head is provided, and a cleaning liquid is introduced into the manifold and the outflow passage through a first cleaning valve and a second cleaning valve, respectively. In the case of connecting pipes, a pair of the paint supply passages are provided in parallel so that the paint supply passages are selectively connected to the manifold through a branch valve, and the paint supply passages are connected to the paint supply passages. Located upstream of the installed pump And a second switching valve that is switchable between the pump side and the drain side is provided, and a passage portion between the second switching valve and the pump is provided between the second switching valve and the pump. Is connected to a cleaning liquid introducing pipe via a third cleaning valve.

In this case, it is preferable that a third switching valve is provided on the downstream side of each drain passage so that each drain passage can be connected to each passage portion.

(Function) The predetermined paint introduced from the paint introduction pipe by opening the selection valve is guided from the manifold to the one paint supply passage through the branch valve, and is applied to the object to be painted from the painting head by the painting pump. I do. When this painting work is completed,
The selection valve is closed and then the first paint supply passage side first
The switching valve and the second switching valve are respectively switched to the drain side, the first cleaning valve to the third cleaning valve are opened, and cleaning between the manifold and the second switching valve by the first cleaning valve is performed. The cleaning between the outflow passage and the coating head by the two cleaning valves and the cleaning between the second switching valve and the first switching valve by the third cleaning valve are performed. When the cleaning by the first cleaning valve and the second cleaning valve is completed, the branch valve is switched to the other paint supply passage side and the first switching valve on the other paint supply passage side is switched to the coating head side for selection. By opening the valve, the paint to be used next is introduced from the manifold to the other paint supply passage and applied to the object to be coated from the outflow passage through the application head. During the coating operation, on the side of the one paint supply passage, the cleaning between the second switching valve and the first switching valve by the third cleaning valve is continued to sufficiently clean the inside of the coating pump. .

By doing so, it is possible to perform the time-consuming cleaning work of the coating pump and the paint supply passage in parallel with the coating work, and even if the manifold is configured as a single unit, it can be configured with two conventional sets. In comparison, there is no time loss in the entire painting work.

By the way, a large amount of cleaning liquid is required if the cleaning liquid is continuously passed between the second switching valve and the first switching valve, which require a long cleaning time. If it is connected to the passage portion through a three-way switching valve, a circulation circuit including a coating pump can be formed in this portion, and circulation cleaning by the coating pump using a small amount of cleaning liquid can be performed.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings showing a circuit configuration.

Reference numeral 1 denotes an application head for applying a paint to an object to be coated. On the upstream side of the application head 1, a pair of paint supply passages 3, 3 provided in parallel are connected via an outflow passage 2, and the paint supply passage 3 3, a selection valve manifold 5 is connected to the upstream side of the manifold 3 via a branch valve 4, and a plurality of paint introduction pipes 6 are connected to the manifold 5.
Selectively introduce paints of multiple colors from the
The introduced paint is selectively guided to either one of the paint supply passages 3 by the branch valve 4 so that the paint is applied from the coating head 1 to the object to be coated.

A paint pump 8 is provided in the middle of each paint supply passage 3.
And the respective paint supply passages 3 at the downstream end thereof and the outflow passages 2
And a first switching valve 10 selectively connected to the drain passage 9 and
A second switching valve 11 which is positioned upstream of the pump 8 and is switchable between a pump side and a drain side is provided, and the drain passage 9 is switched to the second switching valve downstream of the drain passage 9. Valve 11
A freely connectable third switching valve 12 is provided in a passage portion 3a between the pump 8 and the pump 8, and the drain passage 9 is provided around the pump 8 by switching between the third switching valve 12 and the first switching valve 10. The used circulation circuit 13 is configured.

To explain this in more detail, a plurality of the selection valves 7 are attached to the selection valve manifold 5, one for each paint introduction pipe 6, and each selection valve 7 is connected to each paint introduction pipe 6 to its return pipe. Return side communicating with 6a and passage in the manifold 5
The manifold side communicating with 5a is configured to be switchable, and a plurality of paint introduction pipes 6 connected to a plurality of paint introduction sources (not shown) are selectively connected to the manifold 5 by switching operation of these selection valves 7. I have to. In addition, an air pipe 1 is provided in the internal passage 5a of the manifold 5 via a first cleaning valve 14 including an air valve 14a attached to the manifold 5 and a thinner valve 14b.
5a and thinner pipe 15b are connected to the cleaning liquid introducing pipe 15, and the first cleaning valve 14 is provided with both valve closed positions for closing both the valves 14a and 14b and an air valve open position for opening the air valve 14a. The thinner valve 14b is opened so that it can be switched between the thinner valve opening position and the thinner valve 14b. During the painting operation, the first cleaning valve 14 is switched to both valve closing positions, and then one of the selection valves 7 is switched to the manifold side. After introducing a paint of a predetermined color into the manifold 5 and switching the selection valve 7 to the return side during the cleaning operation, the first cleaning valve
14 is alternately switched between the air valve open position and the thinner valve open position so that the air and the thinner are alternately introduced into the manifold 5.

Further, the first switching valves 10, 10 of both paint supply passages 3, 3 are attached to the first switching valve manifold 16 at the upstream end of the outflow passage 2, and the manifold 16 is connected to the internal passage 16a of the manifold 16. Mounted air valve 17a and thinner valve 17b
Is connected to a cleaning liquid introducing pipe 15 similar to the above through a second cleaning valve 17 composed of and and the first switching valves 10 and 10 are alternately switched to the outflow passage 2 side so that the coating liquid supply passages 3 and 3 are connected. Painting work for selectively introducing paint into the manifold 16, and switching the both first switching valves 10 and 10 to the drain side at the time of color change
17 is opened to perform cleaning work in which air and thinner are alternately introduced.

Further, the second switching valve 11 and the third switching valve of each paint supply passage 3
12 is attached to the second switching valve manifold 18 provided in the passage portion 3a on the upstream side of each painting pump 8, and the air passage 19a and the thinner valve 19b are provided in the inner passage 18a of the manifold 18. Opening / closing valve for cleaning 2 connected to the third switching valve 19
A cleaning liquid introducing pipe 15 similar to the above is connected via 0, and at the time of painting work, the second switching valve 11 is switched to the pump side to introduce the paint into the manifold 18, and at the time of washing work The second switching valve 11 is switched to the drain side so that air and thinner are alternately introduced from the cleaning liquid introducing pipe 15 into the manifold 18 via the third cleaning valve 19. The third cleaning valve 19 is connected to the distribution pipe 15c of the cleaning liquid introducing pipe 15 connected to the cleaning on-off valves 20 and 20 of the second switching valve manifolds 18 and 18 provided in the paint supply passages 3 and 3, respectively. It is attached to a cleaning valve manifold 21, and alternately introduces air and thinner through the third cleaning valve 19 and selectively opens both the opening and closing valves 20, 20 for the air and the thinner. The paint supply passage 3 side and the other paint supply passage 3 side can be selectively supplied.

Reference numerals 22 and 23 denote drain opening / closing valves provided on the drain side of the second switching valve 11 and the third switching valve 12, respectively.

Next, the procedure of the painting and cleaning work of this embodiment will be described.

Now, using one paint supply passage 3, the selection valve 7, the selection valve manifold 5, the branch valve 4, the second switching valve 11 and the second switching valve of the one paint supply passage 3 from one paint introduction pipe 6 The painting work of applying the paint of a predetermined color to the object to be painted is completed in the order of the manifold 18, the paint pump 8, the first switching valve 10, the first switching valve manifold 16, the outflow passage 2 and the coating head 1. Assume the state. At this time, the cleaning work is completed on the other paint supply passage 3 side, and the preparation for introducing the paint to be used next is ready. From this state, the selection valve 7 is switched from the manifold side to the return side, and at the same time, the first cleaning valve 14 is connected to the air pipe 15
Air is introduced into the selector valve manifold 5 at the open position of a, and the residual coating is pushed toward the coating head 1 side by the air.
When the end of the residual paint reaches the second switching valve 11, the second
The switching valve 11 is switched to the drain side, and at the same time the drain opening / closing valve 22
Switch to the open position to guide air to the outside. Subsequently, air is introduced into the second switching valve manifold 16 from the third cleaning valve 19 through the cleaning opening / closing valve 20, and the residual paint extruded to the second switching valve 11 is further extruded to the first switching valve 10. . When the end of the residual paint reaches the first switching valve 10, the first switching valve 10 is switched to the drain side and the drain opening / closing valve 23 is switched to the open position, and this time, the air is guided to the drain passage 9 and the drain is opened. Passage 9
The residual paint inside is extruded to the outside. Subsequently, air is introduced into the first switching valve manifold 16 from the second cleaning valve 17, and the first switching valve 10
The residual paint extruded up to is continuously extruded from the coating head 1 to the outside.

On the other hand, in order to follow this extrusion operation, between the selection valve manifold 5 and the second switching valve 11, when the operation of extruding the residual paint is completed, a thinner is introduced from the first washing valve 14 during this time. After washing with water, air is introduced to extrude the thinner to the outside. Similarly, the second switching valve
Between the 11th and the first switching valve 10, a thinner is introduced from the third cleaning valve 19 and water is washed to the third switching valve 12 through the first switching valve 10, but the thinner is used for the third switching valve. When 12 is filled, the third switching valve 12 is switched to the pump side to form a circulation circuit 13 around the coating pump 8, and circulation cleaning using the pump 8 is started. Further, between the first switching valve 10 and the coating head 1, the thinner and the air are introduced from the second cleaning valve 17 in the same manner as described above to perform the flushing with water.

Between the selection valve manifold 5 and the second switching valve 11 in the middle of this series of cleaning operations, the branch valve 4 is switched to the other paint supply passage 3 side when the cleaning in this interval is completed, and the next paint is used. The paint is led from the selection valve 7 to the first switching valve 10 on the other paint supply passage 3 side. At this time, the third switching valve 12 on the other paint supply passage 3 side is switched to the pump side to prepare for the subsequent painting work while circulating the paint.
Then, after waiting for the cleaning operation between the first switching valve 10 and the coating head 1 to be completed, the first switching valve 10 on the other paint supply passage 3 side is switched to the outflow passage 2 side to remove the paint. It leads to the coating head 1 and starts the coating work using the other coating material supply passage 3.

Even if this painting work is started, the one paint supply passage 3
On the side, the circulation cleaning around the coating pump 8 is continuously performed until the inside of the coating pump 8 is completely cleaned, and after the cleaning is performed for a predetermined time, the third switching valve 12 is moved to the drain side. After that, air is introduced from the third cleaning valve 19 and the thinner is pushed out to complete the cleaning of this portion.

As described above, the color change coating is performed by repeating the series of procedures by alternately using the both paint supply passages 3.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, a pair of paint supply passages are provided in parallel, and when painting work is performed in one paint supply passage, cleaning is performed in the other paint supply passage. By performing the cleaning work of the paint supply passage including the pump, which takes a long time, it is possible to reduce the time as a whole work and to improve the productivity, although the manifold is constituted by one set as compared with the conventional one. It is possible to improve the cost, and it is possible to reduce the number of parts, thereby achieving cost reduction.

In addition, by constructing the circulation circuit as in claim 2 and circulating the cleaning liquid using the pump, there is an effect that the pump can be sufficiently cleaned to the inside thereof with a small amount of cleaning liquid.

[Brief description of drawings]

 The drawing is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. 1 ... Coating head 2 ... Outflow passage 3 ... Paint supply passage 3a ... Passage part 4 ... Branch valve 5 ... Manifold 6 ... Paint introduction pipe 7 ... Selection valve 8 ... Painting pump, 9 ... Drain passage 10 ... First switching valve 11 ... 2nd switching valve 12 ... 3rd switching valve 14 ... 1st washing valve 15 ... Washing liquid introduction pipe 17 ... 2nd washing valve 19 ... 3rd washing valve

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A manifold is connected to an upstream end of a paint supply passage which is connected to a coating head for coating a material to be coated,
A device for performing color change painting by selectively introducing paints of a plurality of colors from a plurality of paint introduction pipes into the manifold through a selection valve, wherein a pump is provided in the middle of the paint supply passage and the paint is provided at a downstream end. A first switching valve that selectively connects a supply passage to an outflow passage connected to the coating head and a drain passage is provided, and a first cleaning valve and a second cleaning valve are provided in the manifold and the outflow passage, respectively. In the case of connecting the cleaning liquid introducing pipe via the pair of the paint supply passages in parallel, the paint supply passages are selectively connected to the manifold via a branch valve, and the paint supply passages are connected to the respective paint supply passages. , A second switching valve which is positioned upstream of the pump and which is switchable between the pump side and the drain side, and is provided in a passage portion between the second switching valve and the pump. The cleaning liquid introduction pipe was connected through the third cleaning valve. Color changing coating apparatus characterized and. 2. The color change coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a third switching valve is provided downstream of each of the drain passages so that the drain passage can be connected to each of the passage portions. .