JP4301818B2 - Glass forming system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a glass forming system that includes a plurality of forming chambers as a glass forming machine and forms a glass material.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The applicant has conceived and applied for a glass forming system including a plurality of forming chambers (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0003]
The conventional glass forming system includes, for example, four forming chambers, an A chamber, a B chamber, a C chamber, and a D chamber. Each molding chamber is provided with a pair of upper and lower molds, and receives a glass material stored in a material supply tray of a tray station by a material transport robot.
[0004]
Each molding chamber sets a glass material in a mold using a material setting robot provided in each molding chamber. Thereafter, the molding chamber heats the mold to a predetermined temperature by a temperature control means such as a heating lamp, and after heating, presses the glass material with a pair of upper and lower molds to complete a glass molded product.
[0005]
Further, the conventional glass forming system uses an industrial robot for transporting the glass material. This industrial robot takes out the glass material from the material supply tray of the tray station and supplies it to the glass material installation section of each molding chamber.
[0006]
Then, the industrial robot takes out the glass molded product from the molded product setting unit of the molding chamber and stores it in the molded product storage tray of the tray station.
[0007]
Such an industrial robot performs conveyance control of a glass material and a glass molded product between a tray station and a molding chamber (glass molding machine).
[0008]
However, in the above-described transport control using the industrial robot, only one glass material or glass molded product can be transported one by one, and glass material supply and glass molded product storage are efficiently performed between a plurality of molding chambers. It wasn't. In other words, there is a relationship between mold cooling in the molding chamber and setting and taking out of glass moldings in other molding chambers, and there is a waiting time point. Therefore, it is possible to improve the efficiency of supplying glass materials and taking out glass moldings. It was an issue.
[0009]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2002-293551 A (first page)
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, there is a relationship between mold cooling in the molding chamber and glass molding product setting and removal in other molding chambers, etc., and there is a waiting time, and the efficiency of supplying the glass material and taking out the glass molded product is poor. There was a problem.
[0011]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a glass forming system capable of efficiently supplying a glass material to a plurality of forming chambers and taking out a glass molded product.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The glass molding system according to the present invention is a glass molding system having a plurality of molding chambers for molding a glass material using a mold, wherein the glass material is transported to the individual molding chambers and further molded in each molding chamber. A conveying means for conveying the product, a supply storage means for supplying a glass material to the conveying means, and for storing a glass molded article conveyed by the conveying means, and provided in each of the molding chambers. The glass material to be transported is taken out and placed in the mold, the glass molded product molded by the mold is taken out and placed on the transport means, the operation of the supply and storage means, and the transport means The first control means for controlling the conveyance in synchronism and the second control means for controlling the take-out means in synchronism with the control of the first control means.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a glass forming system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. This glass forming system uses a glass forming machine in which two forming chambers are combined into one unit, and two of these units are used. That is, the present glass forming system includes four forming chambers: a forming chamber (A) 11, a forming chamber (B) 12, a forming chamber (C) 13, and a forming chamber (D) 14.
[0015]
The molding chamber 11 includes a pair of molds 11a, the molding chamber 12 includes a pair of molds 12a, the molding chamber 13 includes a pair of molds 13a, and the molding chamber 14 includes a pair of molds 14a.
[0016]
Further, in the molding chambers 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the two units, small robots 11b, 12b, 13b, and 14b for supplying a glass material and taking out a glass molded product are provided, respectively.
[0017]
The glass forming system supplies a glass material to the small robots 11b, 12b, 13b, and 14b, and also serves as a conveying unit on which the glass molded products formed in the forming chambers 11, 12, 13, and 14 are placed again. The transfer device 15 is provided.
[0018]
In addition, this conveyance apparatus 15 is a conveyance means of the plane movement type plane conveyance system of the structure which conveys a plate with a rotating sushi, for example. Further, it may be a conveying means such as a belt conveyor, and in short, any conveying means that can convey a glass material to each forming chamber and can convey a glass molded product from each forming chamber.
[0019]
The transport device 15 is driven by a motor drive mechanism 16 by an electric servo motor provided with a detector (not shown) that detects a position based on an absolute value. Moreover, the conveying apparatus 15 has an address specific to the location (separated mounting position) where the glass material and the glass molded product are placed. This address is used for determination and identification of the next operation such as whether a glass material is placed, whether the glass material is being molded, whether a glass molded product is placed, or whether a new glass material may be placed. This address is a decode type by hardware (may be a memory storage type by software).
[0020]
Further, the present glass forming system is provided with a tray station 17 in which a material tray for storing a glass material and a product tray for storing a glass molded product after forming are placed. In this example, the same tray 18 is used for the glass material and the glass molded product. Note that separate trays may be used.
[0021]
Between the tray station 17 and the transfer device 15, a robot 19 different from the small robots 11b, 12b, 13b, 14b provided in each molding chamber is provided. The robot 19 supplies the glass material from the tray 18 in which the glass material placed in the tray station 17 is stored to the transport device 15, and the glass molded product transported by the transport device 15 is placed in the tray station 17. The tray 18 is stored.
[0022]
The robot 19 has three control axes including two rotation axes of R, theta (Θ), and Z, and one linear axis, and uses the end effector portion 19a as a suction mechanism convenient for suction of the glass material. As a result, the glass material and the molded glass molded product are held.
[0023]
Moreover, the control apparatuses 21 and 22 for the glass molding machines provided with the molding chambers 11 and 12 are provided, and the control apparatuses 23 and 24 for the glass molding machines provided with the molding chambers 13 and 14 are provided. That is, the control devices 21, 22, 23, and 24 are used for controlling the four molding chambers 11, 12, 13, and 14, respectively.
[0024]
The transport device 15 and the robot 19 are controlled by a robot controller 25. The robot controller 25 operates in synchronization with the control devices 21, 22, 23, and 24 for input / output signals and information transmission / reception.
[0025]
FIG. 2 shows a configuration of each control device that controls the present glass forming system.
[0026]
First, the control device 21 controls the molding chamber 11 as described above. The CPU 30 controls the whole, the ROM 31 that stores a control program, the RAM 32 that temporarily stores various data, and data communication with other devices. The communication means 33 and the input / output I / O unit 34 are configured. Since the control devices 22, 23, and 24 have the same configuration, the same reference numerals are given and description thereof is omitted.
[0027]
The robot 19 is provided with servo motors M _R , M _Θ , and M _Z that move the R axis, Θ axis, and Z axis. The servo motor M _T is provided in the motor drive mechanism 16 for driving the conveying device 15.
[0028]
The robot controller 25 includes a CPU 40 that controls the whole, a ROM 41 that stores a control program, a RAM 42 that temporarily stores various data, a communication controller 43 that performs data communication with other devices, and an empty suction mechanism in the end effector unit 19a. O I / O unit 44 for performing sequence control for controlling the pressure, monitor display 45 as a display unit, and a servo motor _{M R, M Θ, M Z} , is a motor driver 46 which controls _{M T} ing.
[0029]
The CPU 40 controls the entire system using the RAM 42 that is temporarily stored by the control program stored in the ROM 41, and displays the status on the monitor display 45.
[0030]
Further, the robot controller 25 is connected to the input / output I / O unit 34 of the control devices 21, 22, 23, 24 via the input / output I / O unit 44.
[0031]
Each CPU is similar to a general control device that performs control using a RAM that is temporarily stored by a ROM control program.
[0032]
Next, the operation of the glass forming system in such a configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0033]
First, the robot controller 25 supplies a glass material to the transport device 15 using the robot 19 (ST1). That is, the robot 19 takes out the glass material from the tray 18 in which the glass material on the tray station 17 is stored, and places the glass material on the placement positions where the conveying device 15 is separated.
[0034]
When the glass material is filled in the divided mounting positions of the transport device 15 (ST2), the robot controller 25 transmits a molding start signal including information for identifying the glass material to the control devices 21 to 24 ( ST3).
[0035]
The information for identifying the glass material includes the following information.
[0036]
a. The address of the transfer device, which may be a serial number b. Material type: for identifying each molding chamber of ABCD c. Address state: No material, preparing material, with material, molding, taking out molded product, storing product tray, etc. d. Additional / preliminary information: Used to control additional and preliminary information.
[0037]
Subsequently, the control devices 21 to 24 output to the robot controller 25 data signals for requesting glass materials having identification signals of the respective molding chambers 11 to 14.
[0038]
When receiving the glass material request signal (ST4), the robot controller 25 controls the transport device 15 to transport and stop the glass material before the requesting molding chamber (ST5). At this time, the robot controller 25 stores the address of the location stopped before the request source molding chamber to supply the glass material (separated placement position on the transport device 15). The stop position of the glass material is a fixed position in each molding chamber.
[0039]
For example, the following description will be made assuming that the molding chamber 11 is the request source.
[0040]
The control device 21 of the molding chamber 11 outputs a glass material take-out completion signal to the robot controller 25 when the glass material at the fixed position on the transfer device 15 is taken out using the small robot 11b (ST6).
[0041]
When the robot controller 25 receives the take-out completion signal, the robot controller 25 cancels the stop control of the transport device 15 (ST7).
[0042]
On the other hand, in the molding chamber 11, a glass material is placed on the mold 11a by the small robot 11b, and the temperature of the mold 11a is controlled to press-mold the glass material.
[0043]
Then, when the molding is completed and the glass molded product can be taken out, the control device 21 outputs a glass molded product discharge request signal to the robot controller 25 (ST8).
[0044]
When the robot controller 25 receives the discharge request signal (ST9), the robot controller 25 confirms and stores the address before the requesting molding chamber 11 (separated placement position on the transfer device 15). If the address when the glass material is supplied (hereinafter referred to as the address), the conveying device 15 is controlled to stop, and a glass molded product removal command is transmitted to the control device 21 (ST10).
[0045]
If the address in front of the molding chamber 11 is not the address, the robot controller 25 stops the controller 15 by controlling the conveying device 15 so that the address in front of the molding chamber 11 is the address. 21 (ST10).
[0046]
When the control device 21 receives the take-out command, the small robot 11b is used to place the glass molded product on the mold 11a at the separated placement position (the address) of the transport device 15, and a placement completion signal is sent to the robot. The data is output to the controller 25 (ST11).
[0047]
When receiving the placement completion signal, the robot controller 25 cancels the stop control of the transport device 15 (ST12).
[0048]
Then, the robot controller 25 stores the glass molded product in the tray 18 using the robot 19 (ST13). That is, the robot controller 25 transports the transport device 15 and stops it so that the address becomes a predetermined position in front of the robot 19. The robot 19 stores the glass molded product on the placement positions (addresses) separated by the transport device 15 in the tray 18 on the tray station 17.
[0049]
As described above, the robot controller 25 receives the glass material request signal or the glass molded product discharge request signal from each molding chamber, and repeats the operations of supplying the glass material and storing the glass molded product in accordance with each request signal (ST4). ~ 14).
[0050]
Since the robot controller 25 is synchronized with the control devices 21 to 24 for controlling the molding chambers (11 to 14), the supply of the glass material and the storage of the glass molded product are optimized so that the conveyance device 15 Transport control can be performed.
[0051]
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the glass starting material is filled on the conveying device 15 and then a molding start signal is transmitted to each control device. However, since the conveying device 15 is address-managed, the conveying material 15 is filled with the glass material. It is not necessary.
[0052]
Further, the glass molded product may be stored in the tray 18 when all of the glass materials on the conveying device 15 become a glass molded product.
[0053]
Or it is also possible to perform conveyance control of supply of a glass raw material, and accommodation of a glass molded product, respectively with respect to four molding chambers.
[0054]
As a data communication means between the robot controller 25 and the control devices 21 to 24, the RS232C is simple in configuration. However, when a more advanced function is desired, a LAN means or the like may be used, or a personal computer (PC ) May be used in combination with wireless means.
[0055]
Alternatively, the data signal can be composed of an on / off signal of a sequencer function for the sake of simplicity. In this case, the sequence program such as the decoder signal number decoding circuit has a large capacity.
[0056]
Further, a common memory may be used between the robot controller 25 and the control devices 21 to 24, and state information and control information of each molding chamber may be shared therein. In this case, the control circuit and the control program are complicated.
[0057]
Next, another configuration example of the control system shown in FIG. 2 will be described.
[0058]
FIG. 4 shows another configuration example of such a control system. In this control system, control devices 21, 22, 23, 24, a robot controller 25, and a transfer controller 26 are connected to a personal computer (PC) 60 via a local area network (LAN).
[0059]
Since the control devices 21, 22, 23, and 24 are the same as those shown in FIG. 2, the same reference numerals are given (partially omitted), and description thereof is omitted.
[0060]
The robot controller 25 includes a CPU 40, a ROM 41, a RAM 42, a communication controller 43, and an input / output I / O unit 44. Since the configuration is the same as that shown in FIG.
[0061]
The transport controller 26 includes a CPU 50 for controlling the whole, a ROM 51 for storing control programs, a RAM 52 for temporarily storing various data, a communication controller 53 for data communication with other devices, and an input / output I for performing sequence control. / O unit 54, and a motor driver 55 which controls the servomotor M _T of the transfer device 15.
[0062]
In this example, a personal computer 60 for communication control is provided with process management and communication control management functions.
[0063]
In addition, a dedicated transport controller 26 is provided for the transport device 15 so that the drive mechanism can exchange I / O signals that are on / off binary signals, thereby enabling hardware interlock.
[0064]
In this example, the personal computer 60 controls a local area network (LAN), utilizes a communication function using the Internet protocol TCPIP, and controls the molding chamber controllers 21 to 24, the robot controller 25, and the transfer controller 26. Control information is transmitted and received between the two.
[0065]
Furthermore, the personal computer 60 can also monitor the process, and can transmit this information to an intranet or the Internet.
[0066]
Next, a second embodiment will be described.
[0067]
FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the glass forming system according to the second embodiment. That is, in the first embodiment, the conveying device as the conveying means is configured like a rotating table and the molding chambers are provided on both sides of the conveying device. In the second embodiment, the molding chamber is provided on one side of the conveying device. The configuration is installed only in
[0068]
In addition, about each apparatus, the same code | symbol as 1st Example is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted.
[0069]
With such a configuration, the arrangement of the glass forming system can be changed according to the installation conditions and the like.
[0070]
Next, a third embodiment will be described.
[0071]
FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the glass forming system according to the third embodiment. That is, in the first embodiment, the tray station is the same place, but in the third embodiment, the tray station is separated into a material supply station 61 and a molded product storage station 62. In this case, a material setting robot 63 is used for the material supply station 61, and a molded product storage robot 64 is used for the molded product storage station 62.
[0072]
Alternatively, the material supply station 61 may be provided with a material setting robot 63, and the molded product storage station 62 may be provided with a molded product storage robot 64.
[0073]
With such a configuration, the glass material and the glass molded product can be supplied and stored efficiently.
[0074]
In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same location as 1st Example, and description is abbreviate | omitted.
[0075]
FIG. 7 shows another example of the tray station in the glass forming system according to the third embodiment. That is, on the tray station 70, the material trays 71 to 74 on the material supply side and the molded product trays 75 to 78 on the molded product storage side are separated.
[0076]
For example, the material tray 71 and the molded product tray 75 are for the molding chamber (A) 11, the material tray 72 and the molded product tray 76 are for the molding chamber (B) 12, and the material tray 73 and the molded product tray. 77 is for the molding chamber (C) 13, and the material tray 74 and the molded product tray 78 are for the molding chamber (D) 14.
[0077]
With such a configuration, it is possible to efficiently sort glass materials and glass molded products for each molding chamber.
[0078]
In each of the above-described embodiments, the robot is of three-axis control, but it may be a multi-axis control type of four or more moving traveling types, an articulated type, an orthogonal coordinate type, or a general-purpose robot. May be of a dedicated type, or may be a dedicated mechanism, as long as the glass material can be supplied and the glass molded product can be stored.
[0079]
As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently produce glass molded products by optimizing the supply of glass materials and the storage of glass molded products for a plurality of molding chambers. It becomes.
[0080]
The present invention is not limited to the above (respective) embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention at the stage of implementation. In addition, the embodiments may be appropriately combined as much as possible, and in that case, the combined effect can be obtained. Furthermore, the above embodiments include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriately combining a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if some constituent elements are deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiment, the problem (at least one of them) described in the column of problems to be solved by the invention can be solved, and the column of the effect of the invention When at least one of the effects described in (1) is obtained, a configuration in which this configuration requirement is deleted can be extracted as an invention.
[0081]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a glass forming system capable of efficiently supplying a glass material to a plurality of forming chambers and taking out a glass molded product.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a glass forming system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of each control device that controls the glass forming system.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the glass forming system.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another configuration example of a control system for controlling the glass forming system.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a glass forming system according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a glass forming system according to a third embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a view showing another example of the tray station.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11, 12, 13, 14 ... Molding chamber, 15 ... Conveyance device, 16 ... Motor drive mechanism, 17 ... Tray station, 18 ... Tray, 21, 22, 23, 24 ... Control device, 25 ... Robot controller, 26 ... Conveyance Controller, 60 ... personal computer

Claims (7)

In a glass molding system having a plurality of molding chambers for molding a glass material using a mold,
Conveying means for conveying a glass material to the individual molding chambers, and further conveying a glass molded product molded in each molding chamber;
Supply and storage means for supplying a glass material to the transport means, and further storing a glass molded product transported by the transport means,
A take-out means that is provided in each molding chamber and takes out the glass material carried by the carrying means and places it in the mold, takes out the glass molded product formed by the mold and places it on the carrying means. When,
First control means for controlling the operation of the supply and storage means and the conveyance of the conveyance means;
And a second control means for controlling the take-out means in accordance with the control of the first control means.   The glass forming system according to claim 1, wherein the second control unit exchanges control information and a control signal with the first control unit.   2. The glass forming system according to claim 1, wherein the glass forming system includes a mounting means for storing a glass material to be supplied and a storing means for storing a glass molded product.   The glass forming system according to claim 1, wherein the transfer means is a plane moving type plane transfer system.   The glass forming system according to claim 3, wherein the placing means is arranged separately for each of a glass material supply side, a glass molded product storage side, and the plurality of molding chambers. In a glass molding system having a plurality of molding chambers for molding a glass material using a mold,
Conveying means for conveying a glass material to the individual molding chambers, and further conveying a glass molded product molded in each molding chamber;
Supply and storage means for supplying a glass material to the transport means, and further storing a glass molded product transported by the transport means,
A take-out means that is provided in each molding chamber and takes out the glass material carried by the carrying means and places it in the mold, takes out the glass molded product formed by the mold and places it on the carrying means. When,
First control means for controlling conveyance of the conveyance means;
Second control means for controlling the operation of the supply and storage means in accordance with the control of the first control means;
And a third control means for controlling the take-out means in accordance with the control of the first control means.   The glass forming system according to claim 6, wherein the first, second, and third control means transmit and receive control information to and from a personal computer connected via a communication line.

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