JP6645009B2 - UV curing system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a system for irradiating a workpiece with ultraviolet rays to perform an ultraviolet curing process.

  For example, in a printing system, a film coating system, or the like, an ultraviolet curing system that irradiates a workpiece with ultraviolet light to perform an ultraviolet curing process is used. Taking a printing system as an example, after applying UV curable UV ink to a work sheet, the work is transported and irradiated with UV light by a UV irradiator, and the UV ink is cured by UV and fixed on the sheet. Is performed.

  In an ultraviolet curing system, a technique of irradiating a workpiece with ultraviolet rays in an atmosphere having a reduced oxygen concentration in order to increase the efficiency of ultraviolet curing is also known. For example, in a printing system, a technique is known in which a nitrogen purge box is provided in which oxygen concentration is reduced by introducing nitrogen gas into the inside, a sheet is passed through the inside of the nitrogen purge box, and ultraviolet light is irradiated inside the inside. (For example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2014-65204 A

Generally, a nitrogen gas flow control device that adjusts the flow rate of nitrogen gas flowing into the nitrogen purge box is provided in a piping path that connects the nitrogen purge box and the nitrogen supply source, and an operation unit provided in the nitrogen gas flow control device is provided. Is operated by the operator to adjust the flow rate.
However, in a large-scale ultraviolet curing system, a main body including an ultraviolet irradiator and a nitrogen gas flow control device are often installed very far from each other. In such a case, the worker needs to leave the main body and move to the nitrogen gas flow control device to adjust the flow rate of the nitrogen gas, which is very complicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and has as its object to provide an ultraviolet curing system that facilitates an operation of adjusting an atmospheric gas supplied to a purge box.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a purge box in which an atmosphere gas for lowering the oxygen concentration is introduced, through which a work passes, and an ultraviolet irradiator for irradiating the work inside the purge box with ultraviolet light. And an electropneumatic regulator for controlling the discharge pressure of the atmospheric gas to the purge box according to an input signal, wherein the atmosphere introduced into the purge box by adjusting the discharge pressure is provided. A flow control device that adjusts the flow rate of gas, a remote control device that remotely controls an electropneumatic regulator provided in the flow control device, the ultraviolet curing device, and a power supply device that supplies power to the flow control device, The flow regulating device includes an electromagnetic valve that shuts off supply of the atmospheric gas to the purge box when an abnormality occurs; , The provided on the upstream side of the solenoid valve, and has been added is more than the gas pressure constant gas intake side, the remote operation device includes an operation unit for receiving a user operation to instruct the discharge pressure, the user A memory storing in advance a correspondence between a discharge pressure instructed by an operation and an instruction signal to be input to the electropneumatic regulator, generating the input signal based on the correspondence stored in the memory, and adjusting the flow rate; A signal generation unit for outputting to the device, and the power supply device includes the operation unit and the signal generation unit .

  Further, according to the present invention, in the ultraviolet curing system, the operation unit is provided in a device that remotely controls the power supply device.

  According to the present invention, since the flow control device includes the electropneumatic regulator and the remote control device that remotely controls the electropneumatic regulator, the user does not need to move to the flow control device for the flow control operation, The flow rate adjustment operation can be performed quickly and easily using the remote control device.

It is a figure showing the schematic structure of the film coating system concerning the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a cross section of a purge box together with an irradiator and rollers. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a purge box together with rollers. It is a figure showing the relation between the discharge pressure of an electropneumatic regulator, and the total value of the flow detection value for every branch pipe. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a discharge pressure and a detected oxygen concentration value of a purge box. 5 is a flowchart showing a nitrogen flow rate adjustment procedure performed by an operator. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a display example on a touch panel of the operation device.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the present embodiment, a film coating system will be described as an example of the ultraviolet curing system.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a film coating system 1 according to the present embodiment.
The film coating system 1 is a system for irradiating ultraviolet rays to a work 2 on which an ultraviolet curing type coating agent is applied to cure the coating agent with ultraviolet rays. The work 2 is made of various film materials such as an optical film. is there.
As shown in FIG. 1, the film coating system 1 includes an ultraviolet curing device 4 as a device main body, a power supply device 6, a nitrogen gas flow control panel 8, and an operation device 10.

The ultraviolet curing device 4 is a main device that performs an ultraviolet curing process, and includes a transport mechanism 12, a plurality of (two in the illustrated example) irradiators 14, and a purge box 16.
The transport mechanism 12 is a device for transporting the work 2 and includes a roller 19 for rotating the work 2 around. The roller 19 is directly connected to a motor (not shown), or connected to a motor via a reduction gear via a coupling and is driven to rotate. Note that, instead of the roller 19, an arbitrary mechanism for transporting the work 2 may be used.

  The irradiator 14 is an ultraviolet irradiator that irradiates the work 2 with ultraviolet rays, and is arranged on the peripheral surface of the roller 19 to face each other. As the light source of the irradiator 14, a high-output type ultraviolet discharge lamp 20 (for example, a mercury lamp) is used in order to increase the curing speed of the coating agent and improve the throughput of the coating process.

  The purge box 16 is a device provided to irradiate the workpiece 2 with ultraviolet rays in an atmosphere having a reduced oxygen concentration, and an inert gas is injected as an atmosphere gas to reduce the oxygen concentration inside. The gas used as the inert gas by the film coating system 1 is a nitrogen gas, and a rare gas such as a helium gas, a neon gas, or an argon gas may be used as the inert gas instead of the nitrogen gas.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a cross section of the purge box 16 together with the irradiator 14 and the roller 19, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the purge box 16 together with the roller 19.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the purge box 16 includes a housing 25 having an opening 24 into which the peripheral surface 19A of the roller 19 is inserted. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 25 is provided with an ultraviolet ray introduction window 26 extending in the width direction of the roller 19 at a position facing the peripheral surface 19A of the roller 19 inserted from the opening 24. The irradiator 14 is disposed with the ultraviolet irradiation port 14A facing the ultraviolet introduction window 26, and the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation port 14A is introduced into the purge box 16 through the ultraviolet introduction window 26 and is irradiated on the peripheral surface 19A of the roller 19. You. In the purge box 16, an appropriate optical filter 27 such as a wavelength filter is provided in the ultraviolet light introduction window 26, and ultraviolet light having optical characteristics suitable for ultraviolet curing treatment is applied to the peripheral surface 19A.

  The work 2 is guided into the purge box 16 from the opening 24 with the rotation of the roller 19, and is irradiated with ultraviolet light in the purge box 16 to cure the coating material with ultraviolet light (ultraviolet curing treatment). Is discharged from

  2 and 3, the purge box 16 is provided with a plurality (six in the illustrated example) of atmospheric gas introduction pipes 30 extending in the width direction of the roller 19 and penetrating the housing 25. ing. The atmosphere gas introduction pipe 30 is a pipe that introduces an atmosphere gas into the inside of the purge box 16 and blows out the inside. That is, a number of nozzle openings 31 are provided on the peripheral surface of the atmosphere gas introduction pipe 30 over the width of the roller 19, and the atmosphere gas is injected from these nozzle openings 31. The oxygen concentration in the purge box 16 is reduced by the injection of the atmospheric gas.

  In particular, in the purge box 16, as shown in FIG. 2, an atmosphere gas introduction pipe 30 is provided so that the atmosphere gas is blown to the irradiation location P to which the ultraviolet rays introduced from the ultraviolet ray introduction window 26 are irradiated. Thereby, the range including the irradiation location P is maintained in the atmosphere gas-rich state, and the ultraviolet irradiation is efficiently performed in a state where the oxygen concentration is relatively low as compared with other locations.

  It should be noted that the ultraviolet curing device 4 of FIG. 1 illustrates a main configuration required for an ultraviolet curing process. That is, in addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the ultraviolet curing device 4 performs a film coating process such as a device for applying a coating agent to the work 2 or a device for drying the coated surface of the work 2 after the ultraviolet curing process. It is equipped with various devices and members required for.

Returning to FIG. 1 described above, the power supply device 6 is a device that supplies the electric power of the commercial power supply 34 to each part of the film coating system 1. The commercial power supply 34 is commercial AC power supplied to a facility where the film coating system 1 is installed. The power supply device 6 includes a power conversion device 35 that converts the commercial power of the commercial power supply 34 into electric power, and the power conversion device 35 generates electric power for operating the ultraviolet curing device 4 and the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8. The power supply device 6 is usually installed near a power supply facility (for example, a distribution board or a switchboard) provided in the facility. A high-voltage line 36 for transmitting high-voltage power is provided between the power supply device 6 and the ultraviolet curing device 4. , And a control line 37 for transmitting a power control signal. The high-voltage power of the high-voltage line 36 is supplied to, for example, the irradiator 14 and used for lighting the ultraviolet discharge lamp 20. The power control signal includes signals required for various controls such as power value stabilization control.
The power supply device 6 and the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8 are connected by a power supply line 38 for transmitting the driving power of the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8.

  As described above, the place where the power supply device 6 is placed may depend on the position of the power supply equipment of the facility, and is not always located near the ultraviolet curing device 4. When the power supply device 6 is installed separately from the ultraviolet curing device 4, particularly when the power supply device 6 is disposed in a room different from the room B (for example, a clean room or the like) in which the ultraviolet curing device 4 is placed. The operator who is operating the ultraviolet curing device 4 needs to move to the power supply 6 every time the power is turned on / off or the like, and the workability is poor.

Therefore, in the film coating system 1, an operation device 10 for remotely operating the power supply device 6 is provided near the ultraviolet curing device 4 or in the ultraviolet curing device 4.
The operation device 10 is communicably connected to the power supply device 6 through a communication line 39, receives an operation of an operator, and transmits the operation to the power supply device 6 by communication. The communication between the power supply device 6 and the operation device 10 is not limited to a wired communication, but may be a wireless communication. In addition, any protocol can be used for this communication.

The operation device 10 includes a touch panel 40 as an example of an operation element, and various information is displayed on the touch panel 40. This information includes various parameters related to the ultraviolet curing process using the film coating system 1. These parameters include, for example, the discharge pressure of the nitrogen gas discharged from the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8, which will be described later.
Note that the operation device 10 may include a display device that displays these various types of information separately from the touch panel 40. In addition, the operation device 10 can include an arbitrary operation element instead of the touch panel 40.

The nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 is a device that is connected to the nitrogen gas supply source 42 and supplies nitrogen gas to the purge box 16 as atmospheric gas. The nitrogen gas supply source 42 is equipment provided in the facility, and includes, for example, a large number of nitrogen gas cylinders and the like.
The place where the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 is placed is not limited to the vicinity of the ultraviolet curing device 4 and is placed in a place corresponding to the nitrogen gas supply source 42, and is placed according to the position of the nitrogen gas supply source 42. .
The nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 is connected to a nitrogen gas supply source 42 by a gas pipe 46, and the gas pipe 46 is provided with an MR unit 44 and a pressure gauge 45.
The MR unit 44 is a device provided with a pressure reducing valve and a removing unit for removing moisture and dust from nitrogen gas, and the pressure gauge 45 is a meter for detecting a gas pressure in a gas pipe 46.

  When operating the film coating system 1, the operator manually operates the pressure reducing valve of the MR unit 44 while checking the value of the pressure gauge 45 to send the nitrogen gas from the nitrogen gas supply source 42 to the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8. The pressure of the supplied nitrogen gas is adjusted to a predetermined value.

The nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8 is connected to the purge box 16 by a gas pipe 48. In this film coating system 1, not one gas pipe 48 but a plurality of gas pipes provided in the purge box 16 are drawn from the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, an introduction pipe 60 to which the gas pipe 46 of the nitrogen gas supply source 42 is connected, and the introduction pipe 60 A branch pipe 61 is provided for branching by 30 tubes. A gas pipe 48 is connected to each of the branch pipes 61, and these gas pipes 48 are connected to each of the atmospheric gas introduction pipes 30. Each of the branch pipes 61 and each of the gas pipes 48 have the same diameter and one length so as not to cause a difference in gas resistance and flow rate.

  The introduction pipe 60 is provided with a normally-open electromagnetic valve 62, which is controlled to close when various abnormalities occur, and shuts off the supply of nitrogen gas to the purge box 16.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the nitrogen gas flow rate adjusting panel 8 includes an oxygen concentration detecting mechanism 66 and a flow rate adjusting mechanism 67.
The oxygen concentration detection mechanism 66 is a mechanism for detecting the oxygen concentration in the purge box 16 and includes a sample introduction pipe 68, an oxygen concentration meter 69, and a sample switching solenoid valve 70. The sample introduction pipe 68 is a pipe provided for collecting gas in the purge box 16 and introducing the gas into the oxygen concentration detection mechanism 66. The purge box 16 is provided with a plurality of pipe connection openings 50 (FIG. 1) penetrating therein, and a sample introduction pipe 68 is connected to each of the pipe connection openings 50.

These sample introduction pipes 68 are connected to a sample switching solenoid valve 70 inside the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8, and an oxygen concentration meter 69 is connected to the sample switching solenoid valve 70.
The sample switching solenoid valve 70 alternatively selects the sample introduction pipe 68 and supplies the gas introduced from the sample introduction pipe 68 to the oxygen concentration meter 69. The oxygen concentration meter 69 detects the oxygen concentration of the gas supplied from the sample switching solenoid valve 70.
In the oxygen concentration detecting mechanism 66, the sample switching electromagnetic valve 70 sequentially switches and selects the sample introduction pipe 68 at regular time intervals, whereby the oxygen concentration collected at each of the pipe connection openings 50 of the purge box 16 is determined. The values are sequentially detected, and various values such as the variation and the average value of the oxygen concentration of each of the pipe connection openings 50 are obtained.

The flow adjusting mechanism 67 includes an electropneumatic regulator 71 provided in the introduction pipe 60, a speed controller 74 provided in each of the branch pipes 61, and a flow sensor 72.
The electropneumatic regulator 71 is a regulator that controls the discharge pressure to the introduction pipe 60, and is used in a normal atmosphere (non-vacuum state). By adjusting the discharge pressure by control, the flow rate of the nitrogen gas flowing through each of the branch pipes 61 is collectively adjusted.
The speed controller 74 adjusts the flow rate of the nitrogen gas flowing through the branch pipe 61, and the flow rate sensor 72 detects the flow rate of the nitrogen gas flowing through the branch pipe 61.
When it is necessary to individually adjust the flow rates of the branch pipes 61 due to variations in the respective flow rates, the adjustment is performed using the speed controller 74.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the discharge pressure of the electropneumatic regulator 71 and the total value of the flow rate detection values for each branch pipe 61. FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the discharge pressure and the oxygen concentration detection value of the purge box 16. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, the flow rate of the branch pipe 61 is substantially directly proportional to the discharge pressure of the electropneumatic regulator 71, and by instructing the discharge pressure corresponding to the desired flow rate, the respective flow rates of the branch pipe 61 are collectively controlled. It can be seen that the adjustment can be made.
Also, as shown in FIG. 5, in FIG. 4, in the discharge pressure range W where the discharge pressure and the flow rate are substantially directly proportional, it can be seen that as the discharge pressure is increased, the oxygen concentration is lowered and maintained at a very low value.

Returning to FIG. 1 described above, the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8 is provided with an operation panel 73. The operation panel 73 includes a display panel (not shown) for displaying each value of the discharge pressure of the electropneumatic regulator 71, the oxygen concentration of the oximeter 69, and the flow rate of the flow sensor 72. A discharge pressure, a speed controller 74, and an operator (not shown) used for operating the electromagnetic valve 62 are provided.
The operator adjusts the electropneumatic regulator 71 and the speed controller 74 while watching the display on the operation panel 73, and can shut off the supply of nitrogen gas by closing the electromagnetic valve 62 as necessary.

  However, as described above, the nitrogen gas flow rate adjusting plate 8 is not always arranged near the ultraviolet curing device 4. Therefore, the operator operating the ultraviolet curing device 4 needs to confirm the values of the electropneumatic regulator 71, the oxygen concentration meter 69, and the flow rate sensor 72 and adjust the discharge pressure of the electropneumatic regulator 71 by using nitrogen. It is necessary to move to the operation panel 73 of the gas flow control panel 8, and the workability is poor. In addition, the time required for adjusting the flow rate of the nitrogen gas is equivalent to the time required for the worker to move to the position of the nitrogen gas flow rate adjusting plate 8.

  Therefore, in the film coating system 1, the operation device 10 of the power supply device 6 is configured as a remote operation device of the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8. With this configuration, the operator can remotely control the electropneumatic regulator 71 of the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8 by operating the operation device 10 while working beside the ultraviolet curing device 4 so that the discharge pressure can be adjusted. I have.

The configuration of the remote control of the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 will be described in detail. The nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 and the power supply device 6 are connected to each other via a communication line 80 so that they can communicate with each other. The power is input to the power supply 6 and is input from the power supply 6 to the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 through the communication line 80.
The nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8 transmits the discharge pressure of the electropneumatic regulator 71, the oxygen concentration of the oxygen concentration meter 69, and the flow rate of the flow rate sensor 72 to the power supply device 6 through the communication line 80. 6 outputs to the operating device 10, and the operating device 10 displays the respective values of the electropneumatic regulator 71, the oximeter 69, and the flow sensor 72 on the touch panel 40. Thus, the operator can check these values while working near the ultraviolet curing apparatus 4 without going to the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8.

  The electropneumatic regulator 71 included in the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8 includes an input circuit to which an instruction signal for instructing the discharge pressure is input, and an adjustment circuit for adjusting the discharge pressure steplessly in accordance with the instruction signal D A regulator device in which the circuit unit 71B is provided in the regulator 71A, which can electrically control the discharge pressure by inputting an instruction signal D from an external device.

  Here, when controlling the discharge pressure, the electropneumatic regulator 71 controls the discharge pressure at a good response speed by applying a gas pressure of a certain level or more to the gas suction side. The introduction pipe 60 provided with the electropneumatic regulator 71 is also provided with a solenoid valve 62 which is a valve body. However, since the electropneumatic regulator 71 is disposed upstream of the solenoid valve 62, the response speed is reduced. Is not impaired by the opening of the solenoid valve 62.

In the film coating system 1, the power supply device 6 controls the electropneumatic regulator 71 from outside.
Specifically, the power supply device 6 includes a PLC circuit 83 and a communication circuit 84. The PLC circuit 83 is a programmable logic controller (Programmable Logic Controller) that generates an instruction signal D of the electropneumatic regulator 71 based on the operation of the operator on the operation device 10 and outputs the instruction signal D to the communication circuit 84.
The PLC circuit 83 is provided with a memory in which the correspondence between the user instruction value of the discharge pressure and the instruction signal D to be input to the electropneumatic regulator 71 is stored in advance, and the PLC circuit 83 performs the instruction signal based on the correspondence. Generate D. The communication circuit 84 is a circuit that communicates with the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 through the communication line 80.

On the other hand, the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 includes a communication circuit 85 that communicates with the power supply device 6 via a communication line 80. Through the communication between the communication circuits 84 and 85, the instruction signal D is transmitted from the power supply device 6 to the nitrogen gas flow control device. It is transmitted to the board 8.
Upon receiving the instruction signal D from the power supply 6, the nitrogen gas flow adjusting panel 8 inputs the instruction signal D to the electropneumatic regulator 71, and the electropneumatic regulator 71 adjusts the discharge pressure based on the instruction signal D.
Thus, the operator performs an operation of inputting the instruction value of the discharge pressure to the operation device 10 while staying beside the ultraviolet curing device 4, whereby the electropneumatic regulator 71 of the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8 is remotely operated. Thus, the flow rate of the nitrogen gas flowing through the purge box 16 is adjusted.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a nitrogen flow rate adjustment procedure performed when the operator operates the film coating system 1.
As shown in the figure, first, the operator starts the supply of nitrogen gas to the gas pipe 46 by operating a valve (not shown) of the nitrogen gas supply source 42 (step S1). Dust and mist in the nitrogen gas are removed (Step S2).
Next, the operator adjusts the pressure reducing valve built in the MR unit 44 to a predetermined pressure value while checking the value of the pressure gauge 45 (step S3). Thereby, the nitrogen gas maintained at a predetermined pressure value is supplied to the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8.

Next, the operator makes the power supply device 6 and the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8 communicate with each other, and makes the electropneumatic regulator 71 remotely operable from the operation device 10 of the power supply device 6 (step S4). Thereby, the operation device 10 functions as a remote operation device of the electropneumatic regulator 71, and the operator can remotely control the discharge pressure of the electropneumatic regulator 71 using the operation device 10.
Then, when the operator operates the operating device 10 to remotely control the electropneumatic regulator 71 to adjust the discharge pressure to a predetermined value (step S5), nitrogen gas is introduced from the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8 into the purge box 16. You. As a result, the oxygen concentration (FIG. 5) according to the discharge pressure of the electropneumatic regulator 71 is maintained in the purge box 16.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a display example on the touch panel 40 of the operation device 10.
The touch panel 40 is provided with a set value display column 76 for displaying various set values, in addition to an operation state display column 75 indicating the operation state of the irradiator 14 of the ultraviolet curing device 4 and the supply state of nitrogen gas. I have. The set value display column 76 is provided with a display column 76A for displaying the discharge pressure of the electropneumatic regulator 71 (“electropneumatic regulator output” in the illustrated example). The display in the display field 76A allows the operator to know the current value (set value) of the electropneumatic regulator 71 even if the operator is away from the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8.
The operation device 10 receives an input operation of various set values (user-specified values) by a touch operation on the set value display field 76 of the touch panel 40 and transmits the input operation to the power supply device 6.
When the operator remotely operates the electropneumatic regulator 71, the operator touches the display field 76A and inputs an instruction value of the discharge pressure by touch operation.

The touch panel 40 is provided with a “monitor” button 77 for switching the screen display to a “monitor screen” for displaying the oxygen concentration of the oximeter 69 and the flow rate of the flow sensor 72.
The operator can monitor the oxygen concentration and the flow rate by operating the "monitor button" 77 to display the monitor screen.

If the oxygen concentration meter 69 does not decrease to a predetermined value due to some factor, the operator operates the operating device 10 to increase the discharge pressure of the electropneumatic regulator 71 and remotely controls the electropneumatic regulator 71. (FIG. 6: Step S6).
If the operator determines from the display on the monitor screen that there is a variation in the flow rate in each of the branch pipes 61, there is a possibility that the oxygen concentration unevenness may occur in the purge box 16, so the operator uses the speed controller 74. To adjust the flow rate (FIG. 6: step S7). The operation of the speed controller 74 is performed using the operation panel 73 of the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8, but may be configured to be remotely operable from the touch panel 40 of the operation device 10, similarly to the electropneumatic regulator 71.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the touch panel 40 is provided with an “abnormal” button 78 that is operated to stop the nitrogen gas supply when an abnormality occurs. The operation of the "abnormal" button 78 is input to the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 through the power supply device 6 in the same manner as the instruction signal D, and a control circuit (not shown) of the nitrogen gas flow control panel performs electromagnetic control based on this input. The closing control of the valve 62 is performed.

  Thus, when the operator starts supplying nitrogen gas to the ultraviolet curing device 4 in step S5 of FIG. 6 or detects any abnormality during operation of the ultraviolet curing device 4, the “abnormality” of the operation device 10 By operating the "" button 78, the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 can be remotely operated to promptly shut off the nitrogen gas supply (FIG. 6: step S8).

  The touch panel 40 is also provided with various buttons such as a “main” button for switching the display to the main menu screen and a “PLC” button for switching the display to the setting screen of the PLC circuit 83.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8 includes the electropneumatic regulator 71 as a regulator for adjusting the flow rate, and includes the operating device 10 that remotely controls the electropneumatic regulator 71. did.
Thus, the operator (user) does not need to move to the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8 for the nitrogen gas flow rate control operation, and can perform the flow rate control operation quickly and easily using the operation device 10. it can.
In addition, since the regulator for flow rate adjustment is the electropneumatic regulator 71, the discharge pressure is adjusted not by manual adjustment but by electronic control, so that the discharge pressure is accurately and promptly maintained at a predetermined value, and the purge box 16 Can be quickly reduced to a predetermined value and maintained.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 includes the electromagnetic valve 62 that shuts off the supply of the nitrogen gas to the purge box 16 when an abnormality occurs. Is provided.
With this configuration, the response speed of the electropneumatic regulator 71 is not affected by the opening of the solenoid valve 62.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the ultraviolet curing device 4 and the power supply device 6 for supplying power to the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 are provided, and the power supply device 6 receives an operation of an operator of the electropneumatic regulator 71. An operation device 10 as a part and a PLC circuit 83 for generating an instruction signal D for the electropneumatic regulator 71 based on the operation of the operator and outputting the instruction signal D to the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 are provided as a signal generation unit.
Thereby, the communication line 80 for remote control of the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 can be laid together with the power supply line 38 of the power supply device 6.
Further, since there is no need to separately provide a remote control device for remotely controlling the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8, the system configuration is simplified.

According to the present embodiment, the operation device 10 for remotely operating the power supply device 6 has a function of an operation unit for operating the electropneumatic regulator 71.
Thereby, while working near the ultraviolet curing device 4, the operator can remotely control the power supply device 6 and the nitrogen gas flow rate control panel 8 which are installed far away, and work efficiency is improved. .

  Note that the above-described embodiment is merely an example of the present invention, and can be arbitrarily modified and applied without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, the communication between the power supply device 6 and the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 is not limited to wired communication using the communication line 80, but may be wireless communication, and the communication protocol is arbitrary.
Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the discharge pressure of the electropneumatic regulator 71 is set by remote control in order to lower the oxygen concentration. Not limited to this configuration, the PLC circuit 83 specifies the oxygen concentration in accordance with a predetermined program, the nitrogen gas flow control panel 8 receives the specification of the oxygen concentration, and the discharge of the electropneumatic regulator 71 is performed so as to realize the oxygen concentration. The pressure may be adjusted.
Further, for example, the present invention is not limited to the film coating system 1, and can be applied to any system as long as the system includes an ultraviolet curing process of curing an ultraviolet-curable material by ultraviolet irradiation.

1 Film coating system (UV curing system)
2 Workpiece 4 UV curing device 6 Power supply device 8 Nitrogen gas flow control panel (flow control device)
10 Operation device (remote operation device)
14 Irradiator (UV irradiator)
16 Purge box 30 Atmospheric gas introduction pipe 40 Touch panel (operation unit)
62 solenoid valve 71 electropneumatic regulator 71A regulator 71B electric circuit unit 76 set value display field 76A display field 80 communication line 83 PLC circuit (signal generation unit)
84, 85 Communication circuit D Instruction signal (input signal)

Claims (2)

An atmosphere gas for lowering the oxygen concentration is introduced into the inside, a purge box through which the work passes, and an ultraviolet irradiator that irradiates the work inside the purge box with ultraviolet light, and an ultraviolet curing device,
An electropneumatic regulator that controls the discharge pressure of the atmosphere gas to the purge box according to an input signal, and a flow rate adjustment device that adjusts the flow rate of the atmosphere gas introduced into the purge box by adjusting the discharge pressure;
A remote control device for remotely controlling the electropneumatic regulator provided in the flow rate control device,
The ultraviolet curing device, and a power supply device for supplying power to the flow rate adjusting device ,
The flow control device,
An electromagnetic valve that shuts off supply of atmospheric gas to the purge box when an abnormality occurs,
The electropneumatic regulator,
It is provided on the upstream side of the solenoid valve, and a certain or more gas pressure is applied to the gas suction side ,
The remote control device includes:
An operation unit that receives a user operation for instructing the discharge pressure,
A memory that stores in advance a correspondence between the discharge pressure instructed by the user operation and an instruction signal to be input to the electropneumatic regulator, and generates the input signal based on the correspondence stored in the memory; A signal generation unit that outputs to the flow rate adjustment device,
The ultraviolet curing system , wherein the power supply device includes the operation unit and the signal generation unit . The ultraviolet curing system according to claim 1 , wherein the operation unit is provided in a device that remotely controls the power supply device.

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