JP5029286B2 - Cartridge type painting system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a coating system in which a coating material is contained in a cartridge, and belongs to the field of a coating system for coating a plurality of colors of coating materials on an object to be coated.

  In a coating system for coating a plurality of colors of paint on an object to be coated, the apparatus has a plurality of cartridges each containing a paint of a different color and one paint spraying means for spraying the paint in the cartridge onto the object to be coated There is. In such a coating system, the color of the paint is changed by exchanging the cartridge.

  This coating system is configured to cause the robot arm to grip the cartridge and spray the paint coming out of the gripped cartridge by the rotary atomizing head. The cartridge of this system has a hydraulic fluid chamber and a paint chamber defined by a piston. By supplying the hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic fluid chamber, the piston is applied to push the paint in the paint chamber out of the cartridge. The system is configured. The system is also configured to confirm the presence of paint in the cartridge so that the paint does not run out during the painting operation.

Japanese Patent No. 3263373

  However, there is no problem if only a plurality of colors of paints used in the cartridge type coating system are frequently used, but problems may occur due to the presence of paints that are used infrequently. Infrequently used paints will not be used and will not stay in the cartridge paint chamber for a long time, but infrequently used paints may remain in the cartridge paint chamber for a long time. is there. In this case, infrequently used paint deteriorates due to solidification in the cartridge or separation of the paint components, and as a result, the paint does not push out from the cartridge during use, or the color after painting on the object to be coated It may cause problems such as differences. In addition, because of the low-use paint, the cartridge remains on standby without being used for painting, and the operating rate of the cartridge is lowered.

  As a countermeasure, when the painting operation using the infrequently used paint is finished, the remaining paint is taken out, the paint chamber of the cartridge is washed, and after the washing, another infrequently used paint is filled and used. A painting operation may be performed. As a result, the operation rate of the cartridge is increased, and the number of cartridges held can be reduced. That is, paints that are used frequently are stored in a dedicated cartridge, and paints that are used infrequently are used in a common cartridge when used, and are removed from the cartridge after use.

  In this case, however, the paint remaining in the cartridge is discarded when the paint chamber of the cartridge is washed. Therefore, the paint is wasted. As a countermeasure, the paint taken out from the cartridge may be returned to the paint tank. However, impurities, etc. may be mixed by returning the paint remaining in the cartridge to the tank containing the new paint. Therefore, it is possible that the properties of the new paint will be impaired.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a cartridge type coating system that can be used for painting without waste by minimizing the amount of paint discarded when cleaning the paint chamber of the cartridge.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is
A cartridge that is detachably attached to the main body and includes a hydraulic fluid chamber and a paint chamber defined by a piston, and a hydraulic fluid that pushes the paint in the paint chamber from the cartridge through the piston by supplying the hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic fluid chamber A coating apparatus having supply control means and spraying means for spraying the paint extruded from the cartridge onto the object to be coated;
A filling device for filling the paint chamber of the cartridge removed from the coating device;
A discharge device for discharging the paint in the paint chamber from the cartridge via the piston by supplying the working fluid into the working fluid chamber of the cartridge removed from the coating device;
A cartridge-type coating system including a cleaning device for cleaning the paint chamber of the cartridge from which the paint has been discharged by the discharge device,
Hydraulic fluid measuring means for measuring the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic fluid chamber of the cartridge removed from the coating apparatus and the amount of hydraulic fluid discharged from the hydraulic fluid chamber;
First usage amount estimation means for estimating the usage amount of the paint based on the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic fluid chamber by the hydraulic fluid supply control means of the coating apparatus during the painting operation;
The hydraulic fluid amount measured by the hydraulic fluid amount measuring means when the hydraulic fluid is discharged from the hydraulic fluid chamber of the cartridge by the filling device filling the paint chamber of the cartridge with the coating material before performing the painting operation. And the hydraulic fluid measured by the hydraulic fluid amount measuring means when the discharge device supplies the hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic fluid chamber of the cartridge in order to discharge the paint from the paint chamber of the cartridge after the execution of the painting operation. A second usage amount estimating means for estimating the usage amount of the paint from the difference from the amount;
Storage means for comparing the usage amount estimated by the first usage amount estimation means with the usage amount estimated by the second usage amount estimation means and storing the larger one as the usage amount of the paint necessary for the painting operation. And
When the painting operation having the same content as the painting operation is executed, the filling device fills the paint chamber of the cartridge with the paint based on the usage amount of the paint necessary for the painting operation stored in the storage means. It is characterized by that.

The invention according to claim 2 is the cartridge type coating system according to claim 1,
The filling device has the same paint used for a plurality of painting operations that are continuously executed, and the storage means stores the amount of paint used for each of the plurality of painting operations. The paint chamber of the cartridge is filled with the paint based on the total amount of paint used for the painting operation.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the amount of paint used in the painting operation (first usage) based on the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic fluid chamber during the painting operation by the first usage amount estimating means. Amount) is estimated. Further, the second usage amount estimating means is for discharging the paint in the paint liquid chamber after the paint work and the amount of hydraulic fluid discharged through the piston by filling the paint room with the paint before the paint work. From the difference from the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic fluid chamber, the amount of paint used in the painting operation (second usage amount) is estimated. The two estimated amounts of paint used are compared, and the larger amount used is stored. Next, when a painting operation having the same content as the painting operation is executed, the paint is filled in the paint chamber of the cartridge based on the stored usage amount.

  Thereby, the paint filled in the paint chamber of the cartridge is almost completely used for the painting operation (in other words, only the amount used for the painting operation is filled in the paint chamber). Therefore, a very small amount of paint is discarded when the cartridge is washed in the paint chamber after completion of the painting operation, and the paint can be used for painting without waste.

  In addition, the reason for memorizing the larger one of the two estimated usages is estimated by executing the painting operation having the same contents as the above-described painting operation. This is to reliably prevent the paint from running out. That is, when the paint chamber of the cartridge is filled with the smaller amount of use, the possibility that the paint will disappear during the subsequent painting operation is higher than the larger amount of use.

  Further, according to claim 2, when the paints used for a plurality of painting operations executed in succession are the same and the amount of paint used for each of the plurality of painting operations is stored, The paint is filled in the paint chamber of the cartridge based on the total amount of paint used for the painting operation. As a result, the total work time of the plurality of painting operations is shortened compared to the case where the amount of paint necessary for the subsequent painting operations is filled each time each painting operation is completed.

  A cartridge type coating system according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown in FIG. 3 which controls a coating apparatus schematically shown in FIG. 1, a paint filling apparatus schematically shown in FIG. 2, and these two apparatuses. It is comprised from the control apparatus shown.

  A coating apparatus denoted by reference numeral 100 in FIG. 1 is a so-called painting robot including a head unit 102 and an arm unit 104 that holds the head unit 102 and freely controls the position and posture of the head unit 102.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the head unit 102 is configured to detachably hold a cartridge K filled with a paint P therein. Further, the head unit 102 is rotated so that the paint P discharged from the discharge port 108 formed at the tip of the feed 106 of the cartridge K is atomized by a centrifugal force and sprayed onto an object to be coated (for example, a bumper of an automobile). An atomizing head 110 (corresponding to the spraying means described in the claims) is provided.

  The cartridge K includes a paint chamber 114 for containing the paint P and a working fluid chamber 116 for containing the working fluid F, which are defined by the piston 112. As the piston 112 moves, the sizes of the paint chamber 114 and the hydraulic fluid chamber 116 change.

  The paint chamber 114 communicates with the outside air through the discharge port 108 during the painting operation. A valve mechanism 118 is provided in the flow path in the feed 106 between the paint chamber 114 and the discharge port 108, and the valve mechanism 118 is configured to open during painting or the like. More specifically, the valve mechanism 118 includes a valve body 120 that closes a flow path in the feed 106 between the paint chamber 114 and the discharge port 108 and a spring 122 that presses the valve body 120 in the valve closing direction. The valve is opened by supplying pilot air from a path (not shown) against the pressing force of the spring 122.

  In order to discharge the paint P in the paint chamber 114 from the discharge port 108, that is, to press the paint P by the piston 112, as shown in FIG. The coating apparatus 100 has a supply control device 150.

  The hydraulic fluid supply control device 150 includes a cylinder 152 that stores the hydraulic fluid F supplied into the hydraulic fluid chamber 116 of the cartridge K. A piston 154 is provided in the cylinder 152, and the hydraulic fluid F in the cylinder 152 is supplied to the hydraulic fluid chamber 116 of the cartridge K by being pressed by the piston 154.

  The piston 154 in the cylinder 152 is moved by the servo motor 160 via the ball screw 156 and the belt 158. Therefore, the supply amount of the hydraulic fluid F sent from the cylinder 152 to the hydraulic fluid chamber 116 can be estimated based on the rotation amount of the servo motor 160 detected by the encoder 162, for example.

  Further, a valve 164 that is opened when supplying the hydraulic fluid F into the cylinder 152 or supplying the hydraulic fluid F into the cylinder 152 and a valve 126 that closes the valve are provided. The valve 164 is, for example, an electromagnetic valve and is provided between a hydraulic fluid source (for example, a tank of hydraulic fluid F) and the cylinder 152, and is closed when the piston 154 is moved by the servo motor 160. It is configured as follows. On the other hand, the valve 126 is closed when the hydraulic fluid F is supplied into the cylinder 152, and is otherwise open at all times.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a chuck valve 127 is provided in a passage (passage in the head portion 102) 124 through which the working fluid F passes between the working fluid supply control device 150 and the working fluid chamber 116 of the cartridge K. The chuck valve 127 is configured to open when the cartridge K is mounted on the head unit 102 (the other is closed).

  According to such a coating apparatus 100, at the time of painting, the cartridge K in which the paint chamber 114 is filled with the paint P is attached to the head unit 102, and the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder 152 is supplied by the servo motor 160 via the piston 154. F is pressed. Then, the hydraulic fluid F in the cylinder 152 is supplied to the hydraulic fluid chamber 116 of the cartridge K.

  When the working fluid F is supplied to the working fluid chamber 116, the paint P in the paint chamber 114 is pressed through the piston 112 of the cartridge K. Then, the valve mechanism 118 is opened, and the paint P in the paint chamber 114 is discharged from the discharge port 108. The discharged paint P is sprayed onto the object to be coated by the rotary atomizing head 110.

  Next, the paint filling apparatus of the paint system will be described with reference to FIG.

  The coating material filling apparatus denoted by reference numeral 200 in the figure fills the paint chamber 114 of the cartridge K with paint, and discharges the remaining paint P in the paint chamber 114 of the cartridge K used for the painting operation by the coating apparatus 100. It is comprised so that it may wash | clean (a coating material filling apparatus functions also as the discharge | emission apparatus and washing | cleaning apparatus as described in a claim).

  The paint filling apparatus 200 is configured to be able to fill paints P and P ′ having different colors. More specifically, the coating system including the coating material filling apparatus 200 is configured so that a frequently used paint is filled in a dedicated cartridge, and a less frequently used paint is filled in a common cartridge. The paint filling apparatus 200 performs paint filling and cleaning on a common cartridge K.

  The cartridge K shown in FIG. 2 is a common cartridge filled with a plurality of paints P and P ′, and the paint filling device 200 holds the cartridge K when the paint is filled, washed or in standby. A stocker 202 is provided. The stocker 202 is configured to hold the cartridge K in a state where it is in fluid-tight contact with the feed 106 of the cartridge K and the peripheral surface of the periphery thereof, leaving the discharge port 108.

  In the stocker 202, when the cartridge K is held, a flow path 204 connected to the paint chamber 114, a flow path 206 connected to the hydraulic fluid chamber 116, and a flow path 208 connected to the discharge port 108. And are provided.

  The flow path 204 is connected to the paint chamber 114 via the chuck valve 132 and the flow path 128 in the cartridge K. The flow path 206 is connected to the hydraulic fluid chamber 116 via the chuck valve 133 and the flow path 130 in the cartridge K (the flow path through which the hydraulic fluid F supplied from the hydraulic fluid supply control device 150 also flows). These chuck valves 132 and 133 are opened when the cartridge K is mounted on the stocker 202, and are otherwise closed. As shown in FIG. 4, when the cartridge K is held by the head unit 102 of the coating apparatus 100, the opening of the flow path 128 is closed by the head unit 102.

  Further, valves are connected to the respective flow paths 204, 206, and 208. In the flow path 204, a paint P valve 210 for supplying the paint P supplied to the paint chamber 114, a paint P ′ valve 212 for supplying the paint P ′, and a cleaning liquid for cleaning the inside of the paint chamber 114. A cleaning liquid valve 214 for supplying air and an air valve 216 for sending air into the paint chamber 114 are connected in parallel.

  A hydraulic fluid valve 218 for supplying the hydraulic fluid F to the hydraulic fluid chamber 116 or collecting the hydraulic fluid F from the hydraulic fluid chamber 116 is connected to the flow path 206. A discharge valve 220 for discharging fluid (paint, cleaning liquid, air, and a mixture thereof) 20 from the discharge port 108 of the cartridge K is connected to the flow path 208.

  Each of the paint P valve 210 and the paint P ′ valve 212 is, for example, an electromagnetic valve, and supplies paint from a paint source (not shown, for example, a tank in which paint is stored) to the paint chamber 114 of the cartridge K. When the valve is opened. Of course, the two valves 210 and 212 do not open simultaneously.

  The cleaning liquid valve 214 is, for example, an electromagnetic valve, and is opened when supplying cleaning liquid from a cleaning liquid source (not shown, for example, a tank in which the cleaning liquid is stored) to the paint chamber 114 of the cartridge K. That is, the valve is opened when the paint chamber 114 is washed.

  The air valve 216 is, for example, an electromagnetic valve, and is opened when air is supplied to the paint chamber 114 of the cartridge K.

  The hydraulic fluid valve 218 is, for example, an electromagnetic valve, and is opened when the hydraulic fluid F from the hydraulic fluid source is supplied to the hydraulic fluid chamber 116 or when the hydraulic fluid F is recovered from the hydraulic fluid chamber 116. In addition, a flow meter 222 is connected to the hydraulic fluid valve 116 side of the hydraulic fluid valve 218, and a switching valve 224 is connected to the counter hydraulic fluid chamber 116 side of the flow meter 222.

  The flow meter 222 is configured to measure the flow rate of the working fluid F flowing in the supply direction and the recovery direction. The reason why the flow meter 222 is provided will be described later.

  When supplying the hydraulic fluid F to the hydraulic fluid chamber 116, the switching valve 224 opens the hydraulic fluid supply path 226 side and closes the hydraulic fluid recovery path 228 side, while the hydraulic fluid F is supplied to the hydraulic fluid chamber 116. When collecting from the hydraulic fluid, the hydraulic fluid supply path 226 side is closed and the hydraulic fluid recovery path 228 side is opened.

  The discharge valve 220 is, for example, an electromagnetic valve, and is opened when the fluid (paint, cleaning liquid, air, and a mixture thereof) 20 is discharged from the discharge port 108 of the cartridge K. The discharged material passes through the discharge valve 220 and is stored in a waste liquid tank (not shown).

  The operation of the paint filling apparatus 200 will be described.

  The operation when the paint P used by the coating apparatus 100 is filled in the cartridge K in which the paint P remains in the paint chamber 114 will be described as an example.

  First, before the cartridge K is held by the stocker 202, the six valves 210 to 220 are closed.

  When the cartridge K is held by the stocker 202, the hydraulic fluid supply path 226 side of the switching valve 224 is opened, and the valve mechanism 118, the hydraulic fluid valve 218, and the discharge valve 220 are opened. As a result, the hydraulic fluid F is supplied to the hydraulic fluid chamber 116, and the piston 112 in the cartridge K discharges the paint P remaining in the paint chamber 114 from the discharge port 108.

  When the piston 112 moves to the paint chamber 114 side to the limit, the opened hydraulic fluid valve 218 is closed. Then, the cleaning liquid valve 214 in the closed state is opened. As a result, the cleaning liquid is supplied from the cleaning liquid valve 214 to the paint chamber 114 via the flow paths 204 and 128. The supplied cleaning liquid flows into the flow path 208 from the discharge port 108 together with the paint P remaining in the flow path in the paint chamber 114 and the feed 106 that could not be discharged by the piston 112, and the discharge valve 220 in the valve open state is opened. Passes out and flows out to the waste liquid tank.

  When a predetermined time elapses (when the paint P remaining in the cartridge K is completely washed away by the cleaning liquid), the cleaning valve 214 in the opened state is closed, and the air valve 216 in the closed state is opened. Thereby, air flows from the air valve 216 toward the discharge valve 220 through the flow path 204, the flow path 128, the paint chamber 114, the flow path in the feed 106, the discharge port 108, and the flow path 208 in this order.

  When a predetermined time elapses (when the cleaning liquid is completely discharged from the cartridge K by the air), the open air valve 216 is closed and the paint P ′ valve 212 in the closed state is opened. As a result, the paint P ′ is supplied to the paint chamber 114.

  When a predetermined time has elapsed (when the coating material P 'is reliably filled up to the discharge port 108), the opened discharge valve 220 is closed. Then, after the hydraulic fluid collection path 228 side of the switching valve 224 is opened, the hydraulic fluid valve 218 in the closed state is opened. Thereby, the coating material P ′ is supplied to the coating material chamber 114, whereby the piston 116 moves to the working fluid chamber 116 side.

  When the paint chamber 114 is filled with the paint P ′, the paint P ′ valve 212 and the hydraulic fluid valve 218 in the opened state are closed (all the six valves 210 to 220 are closed). Thus, the filling of the cartridge P with the paint P ′ is completed.

  From here, the control apparatus of a cartridge type coating system which controls the above-mentioned coating apparatus 100 and the coating material filling apparatus 200 is demonstrated.

  FIG. 3 schematically shows a control system of the coating system including the control device 300.

  The coating system control device 300 includes a coating device control unit 302 for controlling the coating device 100, a cartridge attachment / detachment device control unit 304 for controlling the cartridge attachment / detachment device 400, and a paint for controlling the paint filling device 200. It has a filling device control unit 306, a required paint amount estimation unit 308 that estimates the amount of paint necessary for painting an object to be coated, and a storage unit 310 that stores data.

  The coating device control unit 302 controls the coating device 100 shown in FIG. 1, and controls the position and posture of the head unit 102 by controlling the arm unit 104 and the servo of the hydraulic fluid supply control device 150. By controlling the motor 160 and the valve 164, the object is coated.

  The cartridge attaching / detaching device control unit 304 is configured to control the cartridge attaching / detaching device 400 that removes the cartridge K attached to the head unit 102 of the coating device 100 and attaches it to the stocker 202 of the paint filling device 200 or vice versa. Has been. For example, when the coating apparatus 100 moves the head unit 102 to a predetermined attachment / detachment position after the painting operation is completed, the cartridge attachment / detachment apparatus 400 removes the cartridge K from the head part 102 at that position and attaches it to the corresponding stocker 202. The unit 304 controls the cartridge attaching / detaching device 400.

  The paint filling device control unit 306 controls the paint filling device 200 shown in FIG. 2. By controlling the valve mechanism 118 and the seven valves 210 to 220 and 224 as described above, the paint filling device 200. In addition, the cartridge K is filled with paint before the painting operation is performed, or the remaining paint in the cartridge K is discharged and washed after the painting operation.

  The required paint amount estimation unit 308 detects the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid F measured by the flow meter 222 and the encoder 162 so that the amount discharged from the cartridge K and discarded after the painting operation by the paint filling device 200 is minimized. On the basis of the rotation amount of the servo motor 160, the minimum amount of paint necessary for the object to be coated is estimated. Details will be described later.

  The storage unit 310 is for storing various data. The stored data will be described later.

  From here, the control operation according to the present invention performed by the control device 300 of the coating system will be described. The control operation of the control device 300 will be described with reference to the control flow shown in FIG.

  The control flow shown in FIG. 5 is an example of a control flow of a coating system that can apply any one of a plurality of types of color paints to each of a plurality of types of bumpers.

  First, in step 100, the control device 300 determines whether or not the painting work instructed by the production plan information is performed for the first time, for example. Here, it is instructed to apply the paint of color Cn to the bumper Bm, for example, through a painting program created by the operator (a program for controlling the operation of the head unit 102 to the posture and position corresponding to the bumper Bm). Whether or not the bumper Bm has been painted with a color Cn paint is determined.

  This determination is made with reference to the data of the required paint amount database stored in the storage unit 310. FIG. 6 shows a table of the required paint amount database. This paint requirement database shows the relationship between a plurality of types of bumpers to be painted by the paint system and a plurality of color paints used for each bumper. For example, when the red 1 paint is applied to the bumper B2, the required amount of the paint is 72 cc. In addition, a bumper and color combination that describes the required amount of paint indicates that the paint system has been painted in the past ("E" is shown for combinations that have not been painted in the past). Yes.) Therefore, the control device 300 determines whether or not the required amount of paint data corresponding to the combination of the bumper Bm and the color Cn exists on the database. If the paint requirement amount data does not exist in the database and it is the first time that the color Cn paint is applied to the bumper Bm, the process proceeds to step 110. If the paint requirement data exists on the database, the process proceeds to step 120.

  In step 110, since it is the first time for the controller 300 to apply the color Cn paint to the bumper Bm (because the required amount of paint is unknown), a sufficient amount (or the maximum amount) of color Cn paint is applied to the cartridge K paint. The paint filling apparatus 200 is filled in the chamber 114. Then, the process proceeds to step 130.

  On the other hand, in step 120, the paint filling device 200 fills the paint chamber 114 of the cartridge K with the necessary amount (or the amount obtained by adding the margin amount) on the color Cn paint database for the bumper Bm. Then, the process proceeds to step 130.

In step 110 in step 110 or step 120, the control device 300 obtains a measured value Q1 _A of the flow meter 222 indicating the amount of the color Cn paint that has been filled in the paint chamber 114 of the cartridge K by the paint filling device 200. . As described above (as shown in FIG. 2), when the coating chamber 114 is filled with the paint, the piston 112 pushes the hydraulic fluid F in the hydraulic fluid chamber 116 toward the flow meter 222. The flow rate of the hydraulic fluid F measured by 222 coincides with the paint filling amount.

  When the filling of the color Cn paint is completed, the control device 300 controls the cartridge attaching / detaching device 400 in step 140 to remove the cartridge K filled with the color Cn paint from the paint filling device 200 and remove it from the paint filling device 200. It is attached to the head unit 102.

  When the cartridge K filled with the color Cn paint is attached to the head unit 102, in step 150, the control device 300 controls the coating device 100 to perform coating on the bumper Bm.

  In step 160 in step 150, the control device 300 determines the amount of the color Cn paint used for painting the bumper Bm based on the detection value of the encoder 162, that is, the paint actually discharged from the cartridge K in the painting operation. Is obtained (estimated). This is because the rotation amount of the servo motor 160 detected by the encoder 162 corresponds to the amount of hydraulic fluid F supplied to the hydraulic fluid chamber 116 of the cartridge K, and is discharged from the supplied hydraulic fluid amount and the cartridge K. This is made possible by matching the amount of paint. This usage amount Q2 corresponds to the amount estimated by the first usage amount estimation means described in the claims.

  When the painting operation for the bumper Bm is completed, in step 170, the control device 300 controls the cartridge attaching / detaching device 400 to remove the used cartridge K from the painting device 100 and attach it to the stocker 202 of the paint filling device 200.

  When the used cartridge K is attached to the stocker 202, in step 180, the control device 300 controls the paint filling device 200 to discharge the color Cn paint remaining in the paint chamber 114 of the cartridge K.

In step 190 in step 180, the controller 300 indicates the amount of paint color Cn paint filling apparatus 200 is discharged from the paint chamber 114 of the cartridge K, to obtain the flow meter 222 measure Q1 _B of. As described above (as shown in FIG. 2), since the hydraulic fluid F is supplied to the hydraulic fluid chamber 116 to discharge the paint remaining in the paint chamber 114 via the piston 112, the supply measured by the flowmeter 222 The amount of the hydraulic fluid F thus made coincides with the amount of paint discharged from the cartridge K by the piston 112.

In step 200, the paint required amount estimation unit 308 of the controller 300, a charge value Q1 _A acquired in step 130, from the acquired and emissions values Q1 _B at step 190, was used for the bumper Bm Color The usage amount Q1 of Cn paint is calculated (estimated). Specifically, the amount Q1 is calculated by subtracting the emission value Q1 _B from the filling weight values Q1 _A. This Q1 corresponds to the amount estimated by the second usage amount estimation means described in the claims.

  In the next step 210, the paint requirement amount estimation unit 308 of the control device 300 compares the two usage amounts Q1 and Q2 estimated by different methods. If Q2 is larger than Q1, the process proceeds to step 220. Otherwise, go to step 230.

  When Q2 is larger than Q1, in step 220, the required paint amount estimation unit 308 of the control device 300 determines that the amount of paint of the color Cn required for the bumper Bm, that is, the required amount is Q2. Subsequently, the process proceeds to step 240, and the amount of the color Cn paint required for the bumper Bm on the paint required amount database is updated to Q2. (If the color Cn paint is applied to the bumper Bm for the first time, Q2. ). Then, the process proceeds to S250.

  On the other hand, if Q2 is not larger than Q1, in step 230, the required paint amount estimation unit 308 of the control device 300 determines that the amount of paint of the color Cn required for the bumper Bm, that is, the required amount is Q1. . Subsequently, the process proceeds to step 260, and the amount of paint of the color Cn necessary for the bumper Bm on the paint requirement database is updated to Q1 (if the paint of the color Cn is applied to the bumper Bm for the first time, Q1 is set. ). Then, the process proceeds to S250.

  In step 250, the control device 300 controls the paint filling device 200 to clean the paint chamber 114 of the cartridge K in order to prepare for the filling of the paint necessary for the next painting operation. And it ends.

  According to the present embodiment, the paint remaining in the cartridge K is discarded by the paint filling device 200 after the first painting operation. However, the same painting operation as that performed for the first time is performed. In this case, the amount that the paint filling device 200 fills the cartridge K is a required amount based on the paint requirement database.

  As a result, the paint filled in the paint chamber 114 of the cartridge K is almost completely used for the painting operation. Therefore, a very small amount of paint is discarded when cleaning the paint chamber 114 of the cartridge K after the completion of the paint work, and the paint can be used for painting without waste.

  Note that the reason for memorizing the larger of the two estimated usages by estimating two usages of paint in the painting operation by two different methods (estimating Q1 and Q2) This is for reliably preventing the paint from being lost during the execution of the painting work having the same contents as the painting work when the amounts Q1 and Q2 are estimated.

  This is because the detection error of the encoder 162 and the flow meter 222 for estimating the usage amounts Q1 and Q2 is taken into consideration, and when the paint chamber 114 of the cartridge K is filled with the smaller usage amount, This is because the possibility of the paint being lost during the painting operation is higher than the larger amount used.

  Although the present invention has been described with reference to the above-described embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, there is a case where the same color paint is applied to a plurality of bumpers (a case where a plurality of painting operations using the same color paint are continuously performed). In this case, it is a waste of time to install the cartridge from the painting device to the paint filling device each time a painting operation is performed on one bumper, and to return to the painting device after filling the paint (total work of multiple painting operations). Time will be longer.)

  As a countermeasure, the same paint is used for a plurality of painting operations (bumpers) that are continuously executed, and the amount of paint used for each of the plurality of painting operations (bumpers) is stored in the storage unit. When the data is present in the paint requirement database, the paint chamber of the cartridge may be filled with a total amount of paint used for each painting operation.

  An example of the control flow of the coating system control device for this purpose is shown in FIG.

  In step 500, the control device of the coating system determines whether the colors of the paints used for the plurality of bumpers are the same. For example, it is confirmed whether the same color paint is continuously applied to a plurality of bumpers (a plurality of bumpers of the same type or a plurality of bumpers of at least one different type) based on the production plan information.

  Next, in step 510, the control device of the coating system determines whether or not the required amount of paint for a plurality of bumpers for which the used paint is confirmed to be the same color is stored in the required paint amount database.

  If it is confirmed in step 500 that the colors of the paints applied to the plurality of bumpers are the same, and if it is confirmed in step 510 that the required amount of paint for each bumper is stored in the required paint database, Proceeding to 520, it is determined to continuously paint the plurality of bumpers without removing the cartridge from the painting apparatus. Otherwise, a single painting operation (control shown by the flow in FIG. 5) is performed for each bumper.

  In step 530 following step 520, the control device of the coating system calculates the total required amount of paint for each bumper based on the required paint amount database.

  In step 540, the control device of the coating system calculates a paint filling amount by adding a predetermined margin amount to the sum calculated in step 530. This is to prevent the paint from running out during continuous coating on a plurality of bumpers.

  In step 550, the control device of the coating system causes the paint filling device to fill the paint chamber of the cartridge with the amount of paint calculated in step 540.

  In step 560, the control device of the coating system causes the cartridge attaching / detaching device to remove the cartridge filled with the paint in step 550 from the paint filling device and attach it to the coating device.

  In step 570, the control device of the coating system causes the coating device to perform a continuous coating operation on the plurality of bumpers. The continuous coating operation is performed, for example, by sequentially transporting the bumper to a predetermined coating position or by moving the head unit of the coating apparatus to a plurality of locations where the plurality of bumpers are respectively arranged.

  When the continuous painting operation for the plurality of bumpers is completed, in step 580, the control device of the painting system causes the cartridge attaching / detaching device to remove the used cartridge from the painting device and attach it to the stocker of the paint filling device.

  In step 590, the control device 300 causes the paint filling device to clean the paint chamber of the cartridge in order to prepare for the filling of paint necessary for the next painting operation of the completed continuous painting operation. And it ends.

  By this control, the total time of the painting work for a plurality of bumpers whose paint colors are the same and whose required paint quantity is stored in the required paint quantity database is short.

  Lastly, the paint filling device specifically described in the above embodiment is for a common cartridge filled with a plurality of paints that are used infrequently, but only the paint that is used frequently is filled. It can also be used for dedicated cartridges. In this case, there is one paint valve.

  In addition, since the dedicated cartridge is not filled with other paint, the paint filling apparatus has a component (for example, the above-described component) for cleaning the paint chamber by supplying cleaning liquid or air to the paint chamber of the cartridge. The cleaning liquid valve and air valve) can be omitted.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of paints can be applied to an object to be coated without wasting the paint. Therefore, there is a possibility of being suitably used in the field of a cartridge type coating system for painting with a plurality of colors.

It is a figure showing roughly the painting device of the painting system of one embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows roughly the coating material filling apparatus of the coating system of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the control system of this system containing the control apparatus of the coating system of one Embodiment of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view of the head part of the coating device of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the control flow of the control apparatus of a coating system. It is a figure which shows the table of a required paint amount database. It is a figure which shows an example of another control flow of the control apparatus of a coating system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Coating apparatus 112 Piston 114 Paint chamber 116 Hydraulic fluid chamber 150 Hydraulic fluid supply control means (hydraulic fluid supply device)
200 Filling device, discharging device, cleaning device (paint filling device)
222 Hydraulic fluid flow rate measuring means (flow meter)
300 1st usage-amount estimation means, 2nd usage-amount estimation means (control apparatus)
310 Storage means (storage unit)
K cartridge

Claims (2)

A cartridge that is detachably attached to the main body and includes a hydraulic fluid chamber and a paint chamber defined by a piston, and a hydraulic fluid that pushes the paint in the paint chamber from the cartridge through the piston by supplying the hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic fluid chamber A coating apparatus having supply control means and spraying means for spraying the paint extruded from the cartridge onto the object to be coated;
A filling device for filling the paint chamber of the cartridge removed from the coating device;
A discharge device for discharging the paint in the paint chamber from the cartridge via the piston by supplying the working fluid into the working fluid chamber of the cartridge removed from the coating device;
A cartridge-type coating system including a cleaning device for cleaning the paint chamber of the cartridge from which the paint has been discharged by the discharge device,
Hydraulic fluid measuring means for measuring the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic fluid chamber of the cartridge removed from the coating apparatus and the amount of hydraulic fluid discharged from the hydraulic fluid chamber;
First usage amount estimation means for estimating the usage amount of the paint based on the amount of hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic fluid chamber by the hydraulic fluid supply control means of the coating apparatus during the painting operation;
The hydraulic fluid amount measured by the hydraulic fluid amount measuring means when the hydraulic fluid is discharged from the hydraulic fluid chamber of the cartridge by the filling device filling the paint chamber of the cartridge with the coating material before performing the painting operation. And the hydraulic fluid measured by the hydraulic fluid amount measuring means when the discharge device supplies the hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic fluid chamber of the cartridge in order to discharge the paint from the paint chamber of the cartridge after the execution of the painting operation. A second usage amount estimating means for estimating the usage amount of the paint from the difference from the amount;
Storage means for comparing the usage amount estimated by the first usage amount estimation means with the usage amount estimated by the second usage amount estimation means and storing the larger one as the usage amount of the paint necessary for the painting operation. And
When the painting operation having the same content as the painting operation is executed, the filling device fills the paint chamber of the cartridge with the paint based on the usage amount of the paint necessary for the painting operation stored in the storage means. A cartridge-type painting system characterized by this. In the cartridge type coating system according to claim 1,
The filling device has the same paint used for a plurality of painting operations that are continuously executed, and the storage means stores the amount of paint used for each of the plurality of painting operations. A cartridge-type coating system that fills a paint chamber of a cartridge with paint based on the total amount of paint used for painting work.

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