JP4643368B2 - Lock mechanism - Google Patents

Description

In the present invention, when the joint guide formed at the front end of the paint tank is pushed downward into the mounting table, the engagement hook biased upward by the spring is engaged with the rear end portion in the push-in direction of the paint tank. It is not about the lock mechanism to hold.

  In automobile body painting, paints using organic solvents are the mainstream, but from the viewpoint of environmental protection and pollution prevention, it is required to reduce volatile organic solvents generated in large quantities in the painting process. As a result, painting with water-based paint has attracted attention.

In order to use water-based paint without waste, it is preferable to apply with an electrostatic coating machine with high coating efficiency. However, water-based paint has low electrical resistance, and the electrostatic coating machine has a low electrical resistance. Since the rotary atomizing head and the ground side are easy to conduct, it is necessary to take insulation measures for the entire paint supply system to prevent leakage of a high voltage of −60 to 90 kV applied to the rotary atomizing head.
For this reason, the paint supply system is conventionally shut off by filling the paint tank, which is detachably attached to the coating machine, and applying the paint out of the paint tank. Even if a high voltage is applied to the machine, it does not leak.
JP 2000-317354 A

By the way, since the paint tank is filled with only the paint necessary for painting one automobile body, the tank must be replaced each time, and therefore the replacement work is automated.
In this case, the used paint tank removed from the coating machine is returned to the stocker, and the paint tank transfer path for installing the paint tank removed from the stocker to the painting machine is designed. There is a mounting table on which the paint tank is placed to hold the paint tank on the stocker, to place it temporarily in the middle of the transfer route, or to wait for the paint tank filled with paint to be installed in the coating machine. It is provided as necessary.

In addition, the paint tank has a paint outflow port connected to the paint inflow port of the coating machine at the tip, and a substantially cylindrical joint guide protruding to protect the paint outflow port. It is conveyed by holding the lower end with a chuck with the face down.
Then, when placing on the mounting table, the chuck holding the lower end of the paint tank is advanced above the mounting table, and the chuck is retracted after the paint tank is placed on the mounting table by opening the chuck. When the tank is transferred to another place, the chuck is advanced again above the mounting table, and the lower end portion of the paint tank is grasped and pulled out from the mounting table to be transported.

In this case, even if the mounting table is provided with a rail that engages the paint tank and guides the paint tank in the front-rear direction, it is displaced in the front-rear direction only by engaging the paint tank with the rail and placing it on the mounting table. In particular, when the mounting table moves, an inertial force is applied at the start or stop of movement, and depending on the direction of movement, the paint tank may be displaced forward, and there is a risk that it will fall out of the mounting table. .
Therefore, when such a paint tank changer is applied to a painting line that coats workpieces that are conveyed one after another by a conveyor, if the paint tank falls and cannot be installed in the painting machine, There was a problem that the production efficiency decreased because it had to be stopped.

  For this reason, as a lock mechanism that holds the paint tank so as not to be displaced, it is certain that the paint tank placed on the placing table is gripped by a clamp using a cylinder or other actuator, but the device is enlarged. In addition, since the opening / closing control must be automated, a separate control device and sensing device are required, which complicates equipment and increases equipment costs.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the inventor holds the engagement hook 55 biased upward by the spring 54 when the lower end portion of the paint tank 51 is gripped by the chuck 52 and pushed into the mounting table 53. A lock mechanism 50 that is engaged with and held by the rear end portion 51B in the pushing direction 51 is made as a prototype (FIG. 3A).
Since the engagement hook 55 is formed on the tapered surface 55a at a portion that abuts the front end side 51F in the pushing direction when the paint tank 51 is pushed in, the paint tank 51 moves forward on the mounting table 53. Along with this, the paint tank 51 pushes the tapered surface 55a, so that the engagement hook 55 is retracted downward against the elastic force of the spring 54 (FIG. 3B).
Then, the chuck 52 is released and retracted while being pushed to the back of the mounting table 53, and at the same time, the engagement hook 55 is urged upward by the spring 54 to engage with the rear end portion 51B in the pushing direction, and the paint tank. 51 can be prevented from falling (FIG. 3C).

However, it has been found that when such a lock mechanism 50 is used, even if the paint tank 51 can be carried in, it cannot be carried out.
That is, when the paint tank 51 is carried out, the chuck 52 that has advanced to the mounting table 53 pushes down the engagement hook 55 (FIG. 3B), but a substantially cylindrical joint guide 56 is provided at the lower end of the paint tank 51. Since it is formed, when the paint tank 51 is pulled out, the engagement hook 55 advances into the hollow space 57 and engages with the inside thereof, and this cannot be removed (FIG. 3D). .

Therefore, in the present invention, the joint guide is formed in a cylindrical shape when the paint tank pushed into the mounting table with the joint guide facing downward is engaged and held by the engagement hook biased upward by the spring. also without the engagement hook hooked on the inside, it has a technical object to be able to detachably smoothly.

To solve this problem, the present invention provides a joint guide connected to the coating machine is down the joint guide of the paint tank is formed at the tip, shoved lower end of it to the mounting table by grasping by the chuck A locking mechanism for holding the engagement hook urged upward by the spring in engagement with the rear end of the paint tank in the pushing direction, wherein the spring is provided at one end side where the engagement hook is provided. was a working points, and the other end with the point of force, are formed on the rotatable lever type about a fulcrum disposed in the middle, in a state where external force is not applied, the paint tank lower end position engages hook by its own weight Further, the paint tank is retracted further downward, and is disposed so as to be advanced from the lower end position of the paint tank so that the power point is brought into contact with the front end side in the pushing direction of the paint tank .

According to the locking mechanism of the present invention, in a state in which external force is not applied, the engaging hooks are retracted to below the paint tank lower end position by its own weight, pushed into the mounting table paint tank grabbing paint tank Chuck Sometimes, the front end side in the pushing direction is not brought into contact with the engagement hook.
When further pushed in, the force point of the spring that is advanced upward from the lower end position of the paint tank is pressed down against the front end side of the paint tank in the pushing direction, so that the spring rotates around the fulcrum. The engagement hook attached to the point of action is biased so as to advance upward from the lower end position of the paint tank, so that when the chuck is retracted, it is engaged with the rear end of the paint tank in the pushing direction, so that Can hold.

When the unloading of the coating tank, grip the joint guide depress the engaging hook chuck advanced to the table, if it is pulled out of the paint tank forward, since the front end side of the paint tank is separated from the power point, the engagement Due to the weight of the hook, the spring rotates around the fulcrum and the engagement hook attached to the operating point is retracted downward from the lower end position of the paint tank .
Therefore, even if the out come pull the paint tank cylindrical projections are formed as a joint guide the lower end, not be engaged engagement hook is advanced into the hollow portion of the cylindrical projection, smoothly out can do.

In this example, when holding the paint tank on the mounting table with the joint guide formed at the tip facing downward, to achieve the purpose of attaching and detaching smoothly without engaging the engagement hook inside the protrusion, Improvements were made to the spring that urges the engagement protrusion upward.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing a locking mechanism according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an operation.

Locking mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 1, paint the lower portion of the tank 2 when pushed into the mounting table 4 by grasping by the chuck 3, paint engagement hook 6 which is urged upward by the spring 5 The tank 2 is held by being engaged with the rear end portion 2B in the pushing direction.
The paint tank 2 is formed with a paint outflow port 7 connected to a paint inflow port (not shown) of the coating machine at the tip, and a substantially cylindrical joint guide for protecting the paint outflow port 7. 8 is formed in a protruding manner, and is conveyed by gripping the clamping rib 9 formed at the lower end portion with the chuck 3 with the joint guide 8 facing downward.

The chuck 3 is formed with U-shaped fingers 11R and 11L that are in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the joint guide 8 of the paint tank 2 and support the bottom surface 2a of the paint tank 2 on both sides of the clamper 10 that grips the clamping rib 9. Has been.
Thereby, when the chuck 3 is engaged with the paint tank 2 and the clamp rib 9 is gripped by the clamper 10, the fingers 11R and 11L are brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the joint guide 8 to support the load of the paint tank 2. Be able to.

Spring 5 provided in the mounting table 4, one end provided with engagement hooks 6 and the point P _F, and the other end with the power point P _E, rotatable about a fulcrum P _C disposed in the middle It is formed of a lever-type leaf spring.
Fulcrum P _C is formed of a horizontal axis of rotation perpendicular to the moving direction of the paint tank 2, the spring 5 is adapted to seesaw operation.

Further, the spring 5 is set weighs engagement hook 6 as the weight of the point P _F side about a fulcrum P _C is heavier than the weight of the force point P _E side, in a state where external force does not act , is rotated by the weight of the engagement hook 6, the engaging hooks 6 are retracted below the lower end position of the coating tank 2, the force point P _E is brought into contact with the pushing direction front end 2F side of the paint tank 2 Thus, the paint tank 2 is arranged so as to extend upward from the lower end position.
When the chuck 3 that has advanced to grip the paint tank 2 is brought into contact with the engagement hook 6 that holds the paint tank 2 on the mounting table 4, a downward component force is applied to the engagement hook 6. The tip side is formed in the taper surface 6a so that it may act.

The above is one configuration example of the present invention, and the operation thereof will be described with reference to FIG.
When the paint tank 2 is placed on the mounting table 4, the chuck 3 holding the lower end of the paint tank 2 is advanced onto the mounting table 4.
At this time, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), the spring 5 is rotated by its own weight, and the engagement hook 6 is retracted below the lower end position of the paint tank 2, and the force point P _{Since E} has advanced below the lower end position of the paint tank 2 so as to be in contact with the front end 2F of the paint tank 2 in the pushing direction, the paint tank 2 is pushed in without being caught by the engagement hook 6.

Then, after the pushing direction front end 2F of the joint guide 8 is in contact with the force point P _E, further the paint tank 2 is pushed, the spring 5 is pressed emphasis P _E rotates about the fulcrum P _C as a result, at the same time the power point P _E is depressed, the engaging hook 6 mounted on the working point P _F is urged upward (Figure 2 (b)).

When the paint tank 2 is pushed to the back of the mounting table 4, the engagement hook 6 is urged so as to advance upward from the lower end position of the paint tank 2, but is blocked by the chuck 3 holding the paint tank 2. In rare cases, the paint tank 2 cannot be moved upward from the lower end position (FIG. 2C).
Here, when the chuck 3 is removed and retracted, the engagement hook 6 that has been prevented from advancing when hitting the chuck 3 is advanced and engaged with the rear end side 2B of the joint guide 8 in the pushing direction. It is held securely (FIG. 2 (d)).

When carrying out the paint tank 2 waiting on the mounting table 4, when the chuck 3 is advanced to the mounting table 4, the chuck 3 hits the tapered surface 6 a of the engaging hook 6 and pushes the engaging hook 6 downward. Therefore, the engagement between the engagement hook 6 and the paint tank 2 is released (FIG. 2 (c)).
Then, in the clamper 10 of the chuck 3 grasps the clamping ribs 9 of the paint tank 2 bottom section, if pulled out at the chuck 3 a paint tank 2 to the front, since the front end 2F of the paint tank 2 moves away from the point of force P _E, due to the weight of the engagement hook 6, the engaging hooks 6 attached to the working point P _F spring 5 is rotated around the fulcrum are retracted downward from the lower end position of the paint tank 2 (Fig. 2 (b) ~ (A)).
Accordingly, even when the paint tank 2 having the joint guide 8 formed of the cylindrical protrusion on the lower end side is pulled out, the engagement hook 6 does not advance into the hollow portion of the joint guide 8 and is engaged, so that it is smooth. Can be carried out to

The present invention is applicable to the use of the locking mechanism of the table arranged in the transport path of the coating material tank at the paint tank changer for automatically attaching and detaching the paint tank sprayer.

The schematic explanatory drawing which shows the locking mechanism which concerns on this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows operation | movement. Explanatory drawing shown as operation | movement of a conventional apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1 lock mechanism 2 paint tank
3 chuck 4 mounting table 5 spring 6 engagement hook

Claims (3)

Joint guide connected to the coating machine is down the joint guide of the paint tank is formed at the distal end, the lower end of that when pushed into the mounting table grabbed by a chuck, which is urged upward by a spring A lock mechanism that engages and holds the engagement hook with the rear end of the paint tank in the pushing direction,
A state in which the spring is formed in a lever shape that can rotate about a fulcrum arranged in the middle with one end side provided with the engagement hook as an action point and the other end side as a force point. in, the engaging hooks are retracted to below the paint tank lower end position by its own weight, emphasis was arranged been advanced above the paint tank lower end position as to abut against the pushing direction front end side of the paint tank A locking mechanism characterized by that. The lock mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the engagement hook includes a tapered surface that generates a downward component force when a chuck that has advanced to grab the paint tank held on the mounting table is abutted. The lock mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the joint guide is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape .

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