JP7765704B2 - Manufacturing method of the structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a structure.

Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for producing a duct structure by blow molding a cylindrical parison in a mold.

JP 2011-116120 A

From the perspective of efficient production of structures, the single molded body removed from the mold may contain multiple structures (multiple ducts in the case of Patent Document 1). In such cases, the molded product must be cut and separated into multiple structures, but this separation process lengthens the cycle of the structure manufacturing process, which is an issue.

The present invention was made in light of these circumstances, and aims to shorten the cycle of the structural manufacturing process.

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a structure that involves repeatedly carrying a cycle of using a manipulator to load a molded body into a cutting device, cutting the molded body with the cutting device to form a structure, and then using the manipulator to remove the cut structure from the cutting device. In the current cycle, the molded body is loaded into the cutting device, and then the structure that was formed with the cutting device in the cycle prior to the current cycle is removed from the cutting device.

In the present invention, after the molded body is loaded into the cutting device in the current cycle, the structure formed by the cutting device in the cycle prior to the current cycle is unloaded from the cutting device. In other words, after the manipulator loads the molded body into the cutting device, it receives the structure that has been cut in advance, rather than waiting for the molded body to be cut. This shortens the manufacturing process cycle by the amount that it does not have to wait for the molded body to be cut into structures.

Various embodiments of the present invention will be described below as examples, and the embodiments shown below can be combined with each other.
Preferably, the method provides that the cutting device is equipped with a holding device, and in the current cycle, the structure formed by the cutting device in the previous cycle is held by the holding device and waits above the molded body transported into the cutting device.
Preferably, there is provided a method in which, when cutting the molded body, the holding device is lowered and the movement of the molded body is restricted by the holding device.
Preferably, the cutting device comprises a positioning member and a cutting blade, the positioning member is configured to be able to position the molded body, the cutting blade is housed within the positioning member, and when the cutting device cuts the molded body, the cutting blade protrudes from the positioning member.

According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a structure manufacturing apparatus comprising a mold, a cooling device, a cutting device, a conveyor, and a manipulator, wherein the mold is configured to mold a molded body, the cooling device is configured to cool the molded body molded by the mold, the cutting device is configured to cut the molded body cooled by the cooling device to form a structure, the conveyor is configured to transport the structure, and the manipulator is configured to transport the molded body from the mold, load and unload the molded body into and from the cooling device, load the molded body into the cutting device, load the structure from the cutting device, and load the structure into the conveyor, and the mold, the cooling device, the cutting device, and the conveyor are arranged in a circumferential direction around the manipulator.

1 is a perspective view that schematically shows a structure manufacturing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1, a manipulator 50 is shown removing a molded body 1 from a mold 10. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of area A shown in FIG. FIG. 3 shows how the manipulator 50 of the manufacturing apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 places the molded body 1 in the measuring section 23 and then removes the cooled molded body 1 from the cooling device 20 . Fig. 4A is an enlarged view of the arrangement member 33A shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 4B shows a state in which the cutting blade 33C built into the arrangement member 33A shown in Fig. 4A is protruding. Fig. 5A shows a state in which the holding mechanism 52 of the manipulator 50 is positioned in front of the cutting device 30 and has not yet entered the cutting device 30. Fig. 5B shows a state in which the holding mechanism 52 of the manipulator 50 shown in Fig. 5A has moved forward and downward, and the molded body 1 has been placed on the placement member 33A. Fig. 6A shows a state in which the holding mechanism 52 of the manipulator 50 shown in Fig. 5B has moved upward and received the cut molding 1t (duct 2 and connected waste material 3) held by the holding device 32. Fig. 6B shows a state in which the holding mechanism 52 of the manipulator 50 shown in Fig. 6A has moved downward and retreated and retreated from the cutting device 30. Fig. 7A shows a state in which the holding device 32 has descended after the holding mechanism 52 of the manipulator 50 shown in Fig. 6B has retreated from the cutting device 30. Fig. 7B shows a state in which the cutting blade 33C has protruded and cut the molded body 1 (see Fig. 7A) after the holding device 32 has descended. FIG. 8 shows the state in which the holding device 32 is rising while holding the cut compact 1t by vacuum suction. FIG. 9 is a top view showing the structure of the molded body 1 cut by the cutting device 30. As shown in FIG. Figure 10 shows a state in which the holding mechanism 52 of the manipulator 50 shown in Figure 6B rotates about its axis, the compact 1t (duct 2 and connected waste material 3) is positioned below the base 52A, and then the duct 2 is placed on the first conveyor 41. Figure 10 shows a schematic diagram in which, after the duct 2 is placed on the first conveyor 41, the connected waste material 3 is dropped into a waste box (not shown) attached to the conveyor 40 and discarded.

Embodiments of the present invention are described below. The various features shown in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

1. Description of the Configuration of the Manufacturing Apparatus 100 As shown in FIG. 1, the manufacturing apparatus 100 for a structure according to the embodiment includes a mold 10, a cooling device 20, a cutting device 30, a conveyor 40, and a manipulator 50. The manufacturing apparatus 100 also includes a molding machine (not shown). In FIG. 1, only the head 11 of the molding machine is shown schematically. The head 11 is configured to drop a cylindrical parison (molten resin). The manufacturing apparatus 100 also includes a control device (not shown) that controls the mold 10, the cooling device 20, the cutting device 30, the conveyor 40, and the manipulator 50.

1-1 Mold 10
The mold 10 shown in Fig. 1 is configured to be able to mold a hollow molded article 1 by blow molding a cylindrical parison. The resin constituting the parison can be, for example, a resin composition containing a thermoplastic resin such as polyolefin. The molded article 1 produced in the mold 10 is cooled in a cooling device 20 and then cut in a cutting device 30 to obtain a duct 2 of a desired shape.
When blow molding is completed in the mold 10, the mold 10 opens and the molded body 1 is removed by the manipulator 50. In the embodiment, the molded body 1 is molded using a cylindrical parison, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the molded body 1 may be obtained by molding a resin sheet hanging down between the molds 10. Also, in the embodiment, two molded bodies 1 can be produced in one blow molding, but the present invention is not limited to this, and one, or three or more molded bodies may be produced.

1-2 Cooling device 20
The cooling device 20 shown in FIG. 1 has a function of cooling a molded body 1. The cooling device 20 has multiple levels (three levels in this embodiment) of chambers, each capable of accommodating a pair of molded bodies 1. Specifically, the cooling device 20 has doors 21 (see FIG. 1) for closing each chamber and mounting tables 22 (see FIG. 3) provided within each chamber. The doors 21 are hinged and configured to rotate to open and close the chambers. The mounting tables 22 are configured to protrude from the chambers when the doors 21 are open and to be accommodated within the chambers when the doors 21 are closed. A manipulator 50 places the molded body 1 on the mounting table 22, and the doors 21 are closed, thereby accommodating the molded body 1 within the chambers of the cooling device 20. Air is supplied to each chamber of the cooling device 20, facilitating cooling of the molded body 1. A weighing unit 23 is also provided at the top of the cooling device 20. The weighing unit 23 is configured to be able to acquire the weight of the molded body 1, which can be used, for example, to determine whether the molded body 1 is a good product or a defective product.

1-3 Cutting device 30
1 and 2 is configured to cut the molded body 1. The cutting device 30 also has a function of holding (keeping on standby) the cut molded body 1t. Both the molded body 1 and the molded body 1t include a duct 2, which is an example of a structure.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the cutting device 30 includes a placement table 31 , a holding device 32 , and a cutting mechanism 33 .
The placement table 31 is configured so that the molded body 1 can be placed thereon, and the placement table 31 is provided with a cutting mechanism 33 .
The holding device 32 is configured to hold an object to be placed on the placement table 31 (in this embodiment, a cut molded body 1t). The holding device 32 is configured to be able to move up and down and can be configured, for example, by a motor or a linear mechanism. The holding device 32 has a placement member 32A. The placement member 32A has a vacuum suction hole (not shown) formed therein, allowing it to hold the cut molded body 1t. When the placement member 32A descends, it can restrict the movement (upward movement) of the molded body 1 placed on the placement member 33A of the cutting mechanism 33, which will be described later. In other words, when the placement member 32A descends, it covers the molded body 1, preventing the molded body 1 from shifting position when the cutting mechanism 33 is driven. In the embodiment, the holding device 32 is described as holding the molded body 1t by vacuum suction, but this is not limited thereto. Instead of vacuum suction, a mechanism for gripping the molded body 1t may be provided.

The cutting mechanism 33 shown in Figures 4A and 4B has a positioning member 33A and a cutting blade 33C. The cutting blade 33C is housed within the positioning member 33A. Specifically, a housing hole 33B is formed in the positioning member 33A, and the cutting blade 33C is housed within the housing hole 33B. The cutting blade 33C is configured to be able to protrude upward from the positioning member 33A so as to cut the molded body 1. The drive mechanism for the cutting blade 33C is not particularly limited, but for example, the cutting blade 33C can be driven up and down by an air cylinder or the like.

1-4 Conveyor 40
The conveyor 40 shown in FIGS. 1 and 10 includes a first conveyor 41, a second conveyor 42, and a third conveyor 43.
The first conveyor 41 is a conveyor for placing the cut molded bodies 1t (ducts 2). When all of the ducts 2 held by the manipulators 50 are placed on the first conveyor 41, the first conveyor 41 is driven to sequentially transport the ducts 2 to the second conveyor 42.
The second conveyor 42 is configured to be able to measure the weight of the duct 2, which can be used, for example, to determine whether the duct 2 is a good product or a defective product.
A plurality of rotatable sorting plates 44 are attached to the third conveyor 43. The sorting plates 44 rotate based on the weighing results, etc., of the second conveyor 42. In this way, the ducts 2 flowing on the third conveyor 43 are appropriately sorted.

1-5 Manipulator 50
The manipulator 50 includes an arm unit 51 and a holding mechanism unit 52 .
The arm unit 51 is a so-called robot arm and includes links, joints, etc. A holding mechanism unit 52 is attached to the tip of the arm unit 51, and the arm unit 51 is configured to be able to move the holding mechanism unit 52.
The holding mechanism 52 has a base 52A, a first holding portion 52B1, and a second holding portion 52B2. The first holding portion 52B1 and the second holding portion 52B2 are formed with vacuum suction holes (not shown) that enable them to hold the molded body 1 (molded body 1t). The first holding portion 52B1 is attached to one side of the base 52A, and the second holding portion 52B2 is attached to the other side. In other words, the first holding portion 52B1 and the second holding portion 52B2 are located on opposite sides of the base 52A. Therefore, the manipulator 50 can perform the loading and receiving steps described below without rotating the holding mechanism 52.

The manipulator 50 is configured to carry out the molded body 1 from the mold 10, carry the molded body 1 into and out of the cooling device 20, carry the molded body 1 into the cutting device 30, carry out the molded body 1t (duct 2, etc.) from the cutting device 30, and carry the duct 2 into the conveyor 40. In other words, the manipulator 50 can also carry the molded body 1 into the weighing section 23. In this way, in the embodiment, a single manipulator 50 can cover the carrying out and carrying out of the molded body 1, etc. into and out of the mold 10, cooling device 20, cutting device 30, conveyor 40, etc.
In the embodiment, the mold 10, the cooling device 20, the cutting device 30, and the conveyor 40 are arranged in the following order in the circumferential direction around the manipulator 50. This allows each manufacturing process, which will be described later, to proceed smoothly using a single manipulator 50, thereby shortening the cycle of the manufacturing process.

2 Manufacturing Method In the manufacturing method according to the embodiment, a cycle is repeated in which the molded body 1 is carried into the cutting device 30 using the manipulator 50 (corresponding to the (1) carrying-in step described below), the cutting device 30 cuts the molded body 1 to form the duct 2 (corresponding to the (8) cutting step described below), and the manipulator 50 is used to carry out the duct 2 formed by cutting from the cutting device 30 (corresponding to the (5) receiving step and (6) retracting step described below). Then, in the current cycle, after the molded body 1 is carried into the cutting device 30, the duct 2 formed by the cutting device 30 in the cycle immediately preceding the current cycle is carried out from the cutting device 30.

A manufacturing method according to the embodiment will be specifically described.
The manufacturing method according to the embodiment includes (1) a molding process, (2) a weighing process, (3) a cooling process, (4) a removal process, (5) a carrying-in process, (6) a receiving process, (7) a retraction process, (8) a lowering process, (9) a cutting process, (10) a raising process, (11) a conveyor transport process, and (12) a cooling device carrying-in process.
The manipulator 50 is involved in (1) the molding process, (2) the weighing process, (4) the removal process, (5) the carry-in process, (6) the receiving process, (7) the retraction process, (11) the conveyor transport process, and (12) the cooling device carry-in process, and these processes are performed in the order shown here. Note that the (8) lowering process, (9) the cutting process, and (10) the raising process are completed independently by the cutting device 30, and therefore the manipulator 50 is not involved.
That is, while the (8) lowering step, (9) cutting step, and (10) raising step are being carried out, the (11) conveyor transport step and (12) cooling device carrying step can be carried out in parallel.

In the molding process, the parison is suspended between the molds 10 and blow-molded to form the molded body 1. The molded body 1 is held by the first holding portion 52B1 of the manipulator 50 and removed from the molds 10.

2-2 Weighing Process When the molding process is completed, the manipulator 50 places the molded body 1 on the weighing unit 23 arranged on the cooling device 20. Then, the weighing unit 23 acquires the weight of the molded body 1. If the control device determines that the molded body 1 is defective based on the weighing result of the weighing unit 23, the manipulator 50 may discard the molded body 1.

2-3 Cooling process When the molding process, weighing process, etc. are being carried out, the molded body 1 that has been molded in the cycle prior to the current cycle is carried into the cooling device 20 (carried in during the cooling device carrying-in process described below) and cooled in the cooling device 20.

The door 21 of the cooling device 20 opens, and the molded body 1 that has been cooled in the cooling device 20 can be removed. As shown in FIG. 3 , the manipulator 50 holds the molded body 1 that has been cooled in the cooling device 20 and removes it from the cooling device 20.

2-5 Carry-in Process As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the manipulator 50 places (carries) the molded body 1 removed from the cooling device 20 onto the placement table 31 (placement member 33A) of the cutting device 30. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5A, when the molded body 1 reaches a position in front of the cutting device 30, the holding mechanism unit 52 of the manipulator 50 moves forward parallel to the horizontal direction and then moves downward. This brings the holding mechanism unit 52 of the manipulator 50 into the state shown in Figure 5B. Then, in the state shown in Figure 5B, the decompression suction of the first holding unit 52B1 stops, and the first holding unit 52B1 releases its hold on the molded body 1.

2-6 Receiving Step The holding mechanism 52 of the manipulator 50 shown in FIG. 5B moves upward as shown in FIG. 6A, and the second holding part 52B2 comes into contact with or approaches the cut molded body 1t. This molded body 1t was previously cut and formed by the cutting device 30 in the cycle preceding the current cycle. In this embodiment, the molded body 1t is held by vacuum suction to the holding device 32 (placement member 32A) at a predetermined height position above the placement table 31. The vacuum suction in the placement member 32A stops, and the second holding part 52B2 performs vacuum suction. This allows the holding mechanism 52 of the manipulator 50 to receive the molded body 1t from the placement member 32A.
9, the objects to be received by the holding mechanism 52 of the manipulator 50 are two pairs of ducts 2 and two pairs of connected waste materials 3, totaling six molded bodies. In other words, the end waste materials 4 shown in FIG. 9 are not received by the holding mechanism 52 because they fall onto the placement table 31 after being cut in the cutting process described below.
The timing of the stop of the vacuum suction by the positioning member 32A and the start of the vacuum suction by the second holding unit 52B2 may be the same, or may be slightly different. In this case, it is preferable that the start of the vacuum suction by the second holding unit 52B2 occurs before the stop of the vacuum suction by the positioning member 32A.

As shown in Figure 6A, the height H (cm) between the position h1 of the upper end of the molded body 1 and the position h2 of the lower end of the cut molded body 1t waiting above is, for example, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, or 150 cm, and may be within a range between any two of the values exemplified here.

6B, the holding mechanism 52 of the manipulator 50 shown in Fig. 6A moves downward while holding the cut molded body it, and then moves back parallel to the horizontal direction to retreat from the cutting device 30. By retreating from the cutting device 30, the holding mechanism 52 of the manipulator 50 no longer interferes with the holding device 32, and the lowering step, cutting step, and ascending step, which will be described later, can be carried out.

7A, the holding device 32 (positioning member 32A) is lowered to the position of the positioning member 33A. This restricts the movement of the molded body 1 (especially the movement in the up and down direction). The holding device 32 (positioning member 32A) does not need to be in contact with and press down on the molded body 1. In other words, it is sufficient for the holding device 32 (positioning member 32A) to be able to prevent the molded body 1 from escaping when the cutting blade 33C is brought into contact with the molded body 1 and the molded body 1 attempts to move upward in the cutting step described below.

2-9 Cutting Step As shown in Figure 7B, the cutting blade 33C moves upward and cuts the molded body 1. In the cutting step, the cut molded body 1 is as shown in Figure 9. One molded body 1 is separated into two ducts 2, the connection waste material 3 that connected the ducts 2, and the end waste material 4 located at the end of the molded body 1. The end waste material 4 falls onto the placement table 31 and is then discarded in a waste box not shown.

2-10 Rising Step The holding device 32 (positioning member 32A) starts decompression suction again. Then, as shown in Fig. 8, the holding device 32 (positioning member 32A) rises to receive the compact it in the next receiving step, and waits in place.

10 , the holding mechanism 52 of the manipulator 50 that has completed the retraction process places all of the ducts 2 on the first conveyor 41, and then drops the connected waste material 3 into a waste box (not shown) attached to the conveyor 40 for disposal. Specifically, when placing four ducts 2 on the first conveyor 41, the ducts 2 are sequentially placed on the first conveyor 41. That is, in accordance with the operation of the manipulator 50, the reduced pressure suction of the second holding part 52B2 that had been holding the ducts 2 is sequentially released, and the four ducts 2 are placed side by side on the first conveyor 41. When these four ducts 2 are being placed on the first conveyor 41, the manipulator 50 continues to hold the connected waste material 3. Once the manipulator 50 has finished positioning the duct 2, it moves to the desired disposal position (the position of the disposal box not shown), the reduced pressure suction of the second holding portion 52B2 that was holding the connected waste material 3 is released, and the connected waste material 3 falls into the disposal box and is discarded.

2-12 Cooling Device Carry-in Process The holding mechanism part 52 of the manipulator 50 carries the molded body 1 placed on the measuring part 23 into the room of the cooling device 20.

In addition, when the steps described above in 2-1 to 2-12 are focused on the molded body 1 (duct 2) in an arbitrary cycle, the molded body 1 (duct 2) flows in the following order.
In other words, the molded body 1 (duct 2) flows in the following order: (1) molding process, (2) weighing process, (12) cooling device loading process, (3) cooling process, (4) removal process, (5) loading process, (7) evacuation process, (8) lowering process, (9) cutting process, (10) raising process, (6) receiving process, and (10) conveyor transport process.

3. Actions and Effects of the Embodiment After the holding mechanism 52 of the manipulator 50 places the molded body 1 on the placement table 31 (placement member 33A), rather than waiting for the molded body 1 to be cut into the ducts 2, etc., the manipulator 50 receives the pre-cut ducts 2, etc. from the holding device 32. In this way, in the manufacturing method according to the embodiment, it is not necessary to wait for the molded body 1 to be cut into the ducts 2, etc., and therefore the cycle of the manufacturing process can be shortened.

In the current cycle, the duct 2 and other components (molded body 1t) formed by the cutting device 30 in the previous cycle are held by the holding device 32 and remain in standby above the molded body 1 transported into the cutting device 30 (see Figure 5B). Here, the manipulator 50 (holding mechanism 52) can hold the molded body on both sides. That is, the surface of the manipulator 50 (holding mechanism 52) that held the molded body 1 in the transport process and the surface that receives the molded body 1t in the receiving process are opposite sides of each other, and the surface that receives the molded body 1t is already facing upward without the need to invert the manipulator 50 (holding mechanism 52). As a result, the manipulator 50 can receive the molded body 1t with a simple upward movement, which prevents the manipulator 50's movements from becoming complicated and enables the cutting device 30 to be more space-efficient.

During the cutting process, the movement of the molded body 1 is restricted by the holding device 32 (positioning member 32A), which has been lowered in advance, and the molded body 1 is then cut using the cutting blade 33C of the cutting mechanism 33. In other words, even if the cutting blade 33C of the cutting mechanism 33 protrudes from below, the upward movement of the molded body 1 is restricted by the holding device 32 (positioning member 32A), making it possible to cut the molded body 1 more reliably and cleanly.

1: Molded body 1t: Molded body 2: Duct 3: Connected waste material 4: End waste material 10: Mold 11: Head 20: Cooling device 21: Door 22: Placement table 23: Measuring section 30: Cutting device 31: Placement table 32: Holding device 32A: Placement member 33: Cutting mechanism 33A: Placement member 33B: Storage hole 33C: Cutting blade 40: Conveyor 41: First conveyor 42: Second conveyor 43: Third conveyor 44: Sorting plate 50: Manipulator 51: Arm section 52: Holding mechanism section 52A: Base section 52B1: First holding section 52B2: Second holding section 100: Manufacturing equipment

Claims (3)

The compact is carried into the cutting device using a manipulator,
The molded body is cut with the cutting device to form a structure;
A method for manufacturing a structure in which a cycle of using the manipulator to cut and form the structure is carried out from the cutting device is repeated,
In the current cycle, the molded body is carried into the cutting device, and then the structure formed by the cutting device in the previous cycle of the current cycle is carried out from the cutting device ;
the cutting device comprises a holding device;
A method in which, in the current cycle, the structure formed by the cutting device in the previous cycle is held by the holding device and waits above the molded body that has been transported into the cutting device . 10. The method of claim 1 ,
When cutting the molded body, the holding device is lowered to restrict movement of the molded body with the holding device. 3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2 ,
the cutting device includes a positioning member and a cutting blade;
the arrangement member is configured to be able to arrange the molded body,
The cutting blade is housed within the positioning member;
When the molded body is cut by the cutting device, the cutting blade protrudes from the positioning member.