JP3155065B2 - Transfer mechanism in automatic surface treatment equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is to automatically transfer and transfer articles to be processed along a series of processing steps when performing surface treatments such as electroplating, electroless plating, and chemical polishing. And a transfer mechanism in the automatic surface treatment apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an apparatus for performing a series of surface treatments such as electroplating, articles are usually transferred along respective treatment tanks. After the articles are pre-processed in a plurality of pre-treatment tanks, they are transferred to a plating tank and plated.
Furthermore, the articles are post-processed in a plurality of post-treatment tanks and are taken out. However, since the articles are immersed in the tanks, the articles need to be moved up and down.

[0003] By the way, there are an intermittent transfer system and a continuous transfer system for transferring articles, and both have advantages and disadvantages. That is, in the intermittent transfer method, the article is
The transfer is performed in the order of → c → d → e → a → (stop between e → a), so that the immersion time of the article can be extended,
The length of each processing tank can be short. However, the plating tank has a long length due to the immersion residence time, and the anode, air stirring pipe, plating solution filtration circulation pipe, etc. are attached, so that the positional relationship between these and the article intermittently fluctuates. However, there is a disadvantage that a uniform plating film thickness cannot be obtained. On the other hand, in the continuous transfer method, since the article is transferred at a constant speed, the positional relationship between the article and the accessory is continuously changed at a constant speed in the plating tank, and a uniform film thickness can be obtained. However, there was a drawback that the length of the tank, which was originally short, would be long.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks, and adopts an intermittent transfer system in a portion having a plurality of tanks in a pre-treatment zone and a post-treatment zone to form a surface treatment zone such as plating. Adopts a continuous transfer system, and also automates the transfer and transfer of articles between these processing zones, enabling uniform surface treatment at all times, increasing the reliability of the surface treatment equipment and improving productivity. It is an object of the present invention to provide a transfer mechanism in a surface treatment apparatus.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a pre-processing zone and a post-processing zone provided with an intermittent transfer mechanism which can be moved up and down are arranged in parallel, and a transfer path from the pre-processing zone to the post-processing zone is arranged between them. A continuous circulation conveyor provided with a surface treatment zone provided with a transfer path communicating with the lower limit position of the apparatus, and a pusher for transferring articles along the transfer path in the surface treatment zone pivotally movable in the vertical direction. The pusher is raised near the reversing travel position from the post-processing zone side of the continuous circulation conveyor to the pre-processing zone side, near the connecting portion between the pre-processing and post-processing zone and the surface processing zone. A transfer bar in the automatic surface treatment apparatus, wherein a guide bar for lowering the guide bar is provided in the transfer path on the side.

[0006]

In the pretreatment zone, the articles which have undergone pretreatment while being intermittently moved up and down in the pretreatment zone, and which have been transported to the surface treatment zone, are pushed up by the guide bar, traveled, and then moved down in the surface treatment zone. Transported at speed. When the article having been subjected to the surface treatment is transferred to the post-processing zone, the pusher is pushed up along the guide bar, and the article is transferred to the post-processing zone by the transfer mechanism of the post-processing zone to receive the post-processing. The pusher pushed up by the guide bar descends toward the pre-processing zone, and transfers the articles transferred from the pre-processing zone again.

In the vicinity of the pretreatment zone side of the guide bar,
Provide a lifting device that receives the pusher that rises and travels,
It is possible to hold the pusher up once, lower the pusher in conjunction with the transfer of the article from the pretreatment zone, and to ensure that the pusher is engaged with the article. In addition, if the pusher elevating device is operated by the detection signal of the article detection sensor provided on the pretreatment zone side of the surface treatment zone to lower the pushed up pusher, the article from the pretreatment zone to the surface treatment zone can be moved. The transfer is instantaneous. Furthermore, by providing a retractable pulling device on the surface treatment zone side of the intermittent transfer mechanism of the post-treatment zone,
Articles transferred in the surface treatment zone can be reliably drawn into the intermittent transfer mechanism of the post-treatment zone, and a detection sensor for the transferred articles is provided on the post-treatment zone side of the surface treatment zone. The pulling device can be operated by the detection signal of the detection sensor.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 is a pretreatment zone having a plurality of pre-treatment tank, an article (not shown) suspended, the work rail 3 ₁ is provided for holding the workpiece carrier 2 slides, above the work rail 3 ₁ advancing the predetermined range along the workpiece rail 3 _1, tea bar 4 ₁ is provided to retract, they are simultaneously freely elevating in an elevating mechanism (not shown), the workpiece carrier required during forward the tee bar 4 ₁ engage the 2 to advance it, pawl 5 ₁ capable of retracting the upper work carrier 2 rotates is mounted at a predetermined pitch at the time of retraction. Further, in parallel with this pretreatment zone 1 is disposed aftertreatment zone 11 having a plurality of post-treatment tank, the post-treatment zone 11 as same as the pretreatment zone 1 to work rail 3 _2, the claw 5 ₂ Attached tea bar 4
_Two are provided.

[0009] 12 is a plating tank continuous U-shape is plated zone, is the work rail 13 is arranged along the plating tank 12, one end of the descent of the workpiece rail 3 ₁ pretreatment zone 1 of the work rail 13 is contacted with limited position, the other end is fixed so as to be contacted by descent limit position of the work rail 3 ₂ postprocessing zone 11. An endless chain 14 is provided on the plating tank 12 so as to be able to run continuously. A base of a pusher 15 that engages with the work carrier 2 on the work rail 13 is pivotally mounted on the endless chain 14 at a constant pitch. It is swingable in any direction. In the vicinity of the connection between the pre-treatment zone 1 and the post-treatment zone 11 and the plating tank 12, and near the position where the endless chain 14 reverses from the post-treatment zone 11 to the pre-treatment zone 1, the running pusher 15 is pushed up. A guide bar 16 which is lowered on the side of the pretreatment zone 1 is provided, and a pusher 15 which is pushed up by the guide bar 16 and travels is received near the pretreatment zone 1 side of the endless chain 14, and the tea bar 4 of the pretreatment zone is received. An elevating device 17 is provided for lowering the pusher 15 to the work rail 13 in conjunction with the operation of ₁ for transferring the work carrier 2.

The pretreatment zone 1 of the plating tank 12
Near the side of the work rail 13, the detecting sensor 18 ₁ of the article to be transported is provided to actuate the elevating device 17 in the detection signal of the detection sensor 18 ₁ can also be adapted to lower the pusher 15. Furthermore, engaging in transferring the workpiece carrier 2, the pawl 5 ₂ in the movement of the tee bar 4 ₂ postprocessing zone 11 within workpiece carrier 2 from the work rail 13 of the plating tank 12 to the work rail 3 ₂ aftertreatment zone 11 for when not engaged, the pull pushing apparatus 20 having a pawl 5 ₃ to the tip telescopic can be attached to the tee bar 4 ₂ by the air cylinder 19, also of the post-processing zone 11 side of the plating tank 12 work near the rail 13, the detecting sensor 18 _{and second} article being transported is provided, it is also possible to operate the pull pushing apparatus 20 in the detection signal of the detection sensor 18 _2.

Next, the cycle of the transfer transfer is shown in FIGS.
To explain the plating tank 12 2 work rail 3 _1, 3 ₂ and tee bars 4 _1, 4 ₂ pretreatment zone 1 and aftertreatment zone 11 is lowered to the lower limit position
And the tea bars 4 ₁ and 4 ₂ are in the reverse limit. Now, as shown in FIG. 3, the tea bar 4 _1, 4 ₂ is advanced to the advance limit, one of which A workpiece carrier 2 by pawl 5 ₁ moving from the work rail 3 ₁ to the work rail 13, X of the workpiece carrier 2 Turning to the work rail 3 ₂ by the claw 5 ₃ Citations pushing apparatus 20. Next, as shown in FIG.
₁ , 3 ₂ and the tee bars 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ are raised to the upper limit, the tee bars 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ are retracted to the retreat limit, and the pusher 15 is lowered on the work rail 13 by the lifting device 17 (see FIG. 2). At the same time, the pusher 15 with the X of the work carrier 2 released slides on the guide bar 16 and rises. Next, as shown in FIG. 5, while the tea bar 4 _1, 4 ₂ is advanced to the advance limit, to transfer the next workpiece carrier 2 B pretreatment zone 1 above the plating tank 12 by the pawl 5 _1, X of the workpiece carrier 2 is transported above the post-treatment zone 11 by the claw 5 ₂ tee bars 4 _2. Then
As shown in FIG. 6, the work rail 3 _1, 3 ₂ and tee bars 4 _1, 4 ₂ is lowered to the lower limit, tea bar 4 _1, 4 ₂
Retreats to the retreat limit. By repeating such a cycle, the transfer between the pretreatment zone 1 and the post-treatment zone 11 where the intermittent transfer is performed and the plating tank 13 where the continuous transfer is performed is performed.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention, the length of each processing tank is minimized by adopting the intermittent transfer method in the pre-processing zone and the post-processing zone, and the continuous processing is performed in the surface processing zone. A uniform transfer method is used to enable uniform surface treatment, and the transfer of articles between these treatment zones is automated with a simple structure, improving the reliability of the surface treatment equipment and contributing to improved productivity. can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main part showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a transfer cycle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a transfer cycle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a transfer cycle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a transfer cycle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a transfer cycle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an intermittent transfer cycle.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 Pretreatment zone 2 Work carrier 3 ₁ Work rail 3 ₂ Work rail 4 ₁ Tee bar 4 ₂ Tee bar 5 ₁ claw 5 ₂ claw 5 ₃ claw 11 Post treatment zone 12 Plating tank 13 Work rail 14 Endless chain 15 Pusher 16 Guide bar 17 Lifting device 18 ₁ Detection sensor 18 ₂ Detection sensor 19 Air cylinder 20 Pulling device

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pre-processing zone and a post-processing zone provided with a vertically movable intermittent transfer mechanism are arranged in parallel, and a transfer for connecting a transfer path from the pre-processing zone to the post-processing zone at their lower limit position. A series of surface treatment zones with roads,
Provided in the surface treatment zone is a continuous circulation conveyor in which a pusher for transferring articles along a transfer path is swingably pivoted in a vertical direction, and near a connecting portion between the pre-treatment and post-treatment zone and the surface treatment zone, An automatic surface, wherein a guide bar that raises the pusher and lowers the pusher in a transfer path on the pretreatment zone side is provided near a reversing traveling position from the post-processing zone side to the pretreatment zone side of the continuous circulation conveyor. A transfer mechanism in a processing device. 2. A lifting device is provided in the vicinity of the pre-processing zone of the guide bar, the lifting device holding the push-up state of the pusher and lowering the pusher to a transfer path in conjunction with the transfer operation of the pre-processing zone. A transfer mechanism in the automatic surface treatment apparatus described in the above. 3. A detection sensor for an article to be transferred is provided in the vicinity of a transfer path on the pre-treatment zone side of the surface treatment zone, and the lifting device is operated by the detection signal of the detection sensor to lower the pusher. A transfer mechanism in the automatic surface treatment apparatus according to claim 2. 4. A transfer mechanism in an automatic surface treatment apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a retractable pulling device provided on the surface treatment zone side of the intermittent transfer mechanism of the post-treatment zone. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a detection sensor for detecting an article to be transferred near the transfer path on the post-processing zone side of the surface treatment zone, and operating the pulling device in response to a detection signal from the detection sensor. Transfer mechanism in automatic surface treatment equipment.