JP7826806B2 - Filter Changer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a filter changer.

A filter unit that filters resin is provided downstream of the extruder (see Patent Document 1). The filter unit is equipped with a filter changer that replaces a post-filtration filter unit with a pre-filtration filter unit. The filter changer includes a filter holder that can accommodate multiple filter units, a holding member that slidably holds the filter holder, and a resin supply unit that is provided on the holding member and has a resin supply hole that supplies resin to the resin inlet hole of the filter holder, and a resin discharge unit that discharges resin from the resin discharge hole of the filter holder. The holding member has a bolt hole with an internal thread, and a pressure bolt is fastened to the bolt hole. The pressure bolt presses the holding member. In other words, when an operator manually tightens the pressure bolt, the resin supply unit is pressed against the resin inlet hole of the filter holder, preventing resin leakage from the connection between the resin supply hole of the resin supply unit and the resin inlet hole.

When replacing the filter unit, the worker manually loosens the pressure bolt, then slides the filter holder to switch the post-filtration filter unit with the pre-filtration filter unit, and then manually tightens the pressure bolt again.

JP 2018-08498 A

To prevent resin leakage from the connection between the resin supply hole of the resin supply unit and the resin inlet hole of the filter unit, the tightening force of the pressurized bolt must be equal to or greater than a predetermined value. However, as described above, in Patent Document 1, the pressurized bolt is tightened manually by an operator, which can easily lead to variations in the tightening force of the pressurized bolt, potentially resulting in resin leakage from the connection.

The object of the present invention is to provide a filter changer that is less likely to cause resin leakage from the connection between the resin supply section and the resin inlet hole.

A filter changer according to one aspect of the present invention includes a filter holder that houses a filter unit and is slidable in a first direction, a holding member that holds the filter holder in a slidable state, a sliding device that slides the filter holder in the first direction, and a pressure device that is provided on the holding member and applies pressure to the filter unit housed in the filter holder in a second direction that intersects the first direction.

As mentioned above, in Patent Document 1, when an operator manually tightens the pressure bolt, the resin supply unit is pressed against the resin inlet hole of the filter holder, which can easily cause variations in the pressure applied to the filter unit. In contrast, in the present invention, a pressure device applies pressure to the filter unit at a predetermined pressure. Therefore, using a pressure device rather than manual labor reduces variations in the pressure applied to the filter unit, and ultimately reduces the likelihood of resin leaks from the connection between the resin supply hole of the resin supply unit and the resin inlet hole of the filter unit.

In one aspect of the filter changer of the present invention, the pressurizing device has a resin supply unit extending in a second direction and having a resin supply hole capable of supplying resin to the resin inlet hole of the filter unit housed in the filter holder, and also has an abutting member that can abut against the filter unit and an actuator that moves the abutting member in the second direction, and the abutting member abuts against the filter unit in both a connected state in which the resin supply hole of the resin supply unit and the resin inlet hole of the filter unit are connected, and a disconnected state in which the abutting member and the filter unit overlap when viewed from the second direction and the resin supply hole of the resin supply unit and the resin inlet hole of the filter unit are not connected.

In this invention, even in a disconnected state where the contact member and filter unit overlap when viewed from the second direction and the resin supply hole of the resin supply section and the resin inlet hole of the filter unit are not connected, the contact member contacts the filter unit. In other words, even when replacing the filter unit, the contact member contacts the area where the resin inlet hole of the filter unit is formed, making it less likely that resin will leak from the connection between the resin supply hole of the protrusion and the resin inlet hole of the filter unit.

A filter changer according to one aspect of the present invention further includes a control device that sends signals to the sliding device and the pressure applying device to operate them. The control device sends a signal to the sliding device, causing the sliding device to slide the filter holder to a predetermined position, and the control device sends a signal to the pressure applying device, causing the pressure applying device to apply a predetermined pressure to the filter unit.

In this way, with the present invention, a signal is sent from the control device to the pressure device, which then automatically applies a predetermined pressure to the filter unit. This reduces variations in the pressure applied to the filter unit, and ultimately reduces resin leakage from the connection between the resin supply hole of the resin supply section and the resin inlet hole of the filter unit.

In a filter changer according to one aspect of the present invention, the abutment member comprises a plate disposed on one side of the filter unit in the second direction and having a plurality of through holes penetrating in the second direction, and a plurality of fitting members that fit one into each of the through holes of the plate; a plurality of actuators are provided, and each of the actuators is connected to a respective one of the plurality of fitting members.

In this way, because the hydraulic cylinder is connected to the plate via the fitting member, the actuator can move the abutment member to both one side and the other side in the second direction. Therefore, the actuator can appropriately adjust the magnitude of the pressure force when pressing the plate against the portion of the filter unit where the resin inlet hole is formed.

In a filter changer according to one aspect of the present invention, when viewed from the second direction, the actuator and the fitting member are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction centered on the resin supply section.

Therefore, by applying the same pressure to the plate using multiple actuators, resin leakage from the connection between the resin supply hole of the resin supply unit and the resin inlet hole of the filter unit becomes even less likely. In particular, by simply applying the same pressure to multiple actuators, resin leakage can be further reduced with simple operations. Furthermore, pressure can be applied evenly from around the area where the resin inlet hole of the filter unit is located.

In a filter changer according to one aspect of the present invention, the pressure applied by the pressure device to the filter unit when filtering a first resin through the filter unit is greater than the pressure applied when filtering a second resin, which has a higher viscosity than the first resin, through the filter unit.

In this way, the pressure applied to the second resin can be made smaller than the pressure applied to the first resin, thereby further reducing the load on the hydraulic cylinder. Furthermore, the pressure applied to the contacting member is also reduced, which has the benefit of extending the life of the contacting member.

In a filter changer according to one aspect of the present invention, the connection states include a first connection state in which resin flows from the resin supply unit toward the resin inlet hole of the filter unit, and a second connection state in which resin does not flow from the resin supply unit toward the resin inlet hole of the filter unit, and the pressure applied to the filter unit in the second connection state is smaller than the pressure applied to the filter unit in the first connection state.

In the first connected state, resin flows from the resin supply hole toward the resin inlet hole, making it easy for resin to leak from the connection between the resin supply hole and the resin inlet hole. In contrast, in the second connected state, resin does not flow from the resin supply hole toward the resin inlet hole, making resin less likely to leak than in the first connected state. This allows for a smaller pressure force than in the first connected state, further reducing the load on the actuator.

In a filter changer according to one aspect of the present invention, the pressure applied to the filter unit in the unconnected state is smaller than the pressure applied to the filter unit in the first connected state, thereby further reducing the load on the actuator.

This invention provides a filter changer that is less likely to leak resin from the connection between the resin supply section and the resin inlet hole.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a filter changer according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the filter unit. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of part A in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic graph comparing the pressure applied to the filter unit between the first resin and the second resin.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following detailed description of the invention (hereinafter referred to as the "embodiment"). The components in the following embodiments include those that would be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially identical, and those that fall within the scope of so-called equivalents. The components disclosed in the following embodiments can be combined as appropriate. In the XYZ Cartesian coordinate system, the Y direction is perpendicular to (intersects with) the X direction. The Z direction is perpendicular to (intersects with) the X and Y directions. The X1 side is the opposite side of the X2 side, the Y1 side is the opposite side of the Y2 side, and the Z1 side is the opposite side of the Z2 side. The Y direction is the first direction, and the X direction is the second direction. The X1 side is one side of the second direction, and the X2 side is the other side of the second direction.

[Embodiment]
The configuration of a filter changer according to an embodiment will be described below. Fig. 1 is a perspective view that schematically shows a filter changer according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a filter unit. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view enlarging part A in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Fig. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the filter changer 100 includes a holding member 10, a filter holder 20, a sliding device 30, a pressure device 40, and a control device 200.

As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the filter holder 20 extends in the Y direction. When viewed from the Z direction, the filter holder 20 has a generally rectangular shape. The filter holder 20 slides in a sliding direction along the Y direction (indicated by arrow D2 in Figure 1) using a sliding device 30. The filter holder 20 includes, for example, a side wall 21, a side wall 22, and a partition member 23. The side wall 21 and the side wall 22 both extend in the Y direction. The side wall 21 and the side wall 22 are arranged opposite each other in the X direction. The side wall 21 and the side wall 22 are bridged by multiple partition members 23 (see Figure 5). A stopper 29 is attached to the partition member 23 located closest to the Y1 side among the multiple partition members 23. The stopper 29 abuts against the holding member 10 to stop movement of the filter holder 20 in the Y direction. The filter holder 20 has multiple holder sections 20A to which filter units 50 are attached. The multiple holder sections 20A are arranged side by side in the Y direction. The multiple holder sections 20A are separated by partition members 23. That is, the space between adjacent partition members 23 in the Y direction is a holder section 20A. The filter holder 20 of this embodiment is provided with two holder sections 20A.

As shown in Figures 1 and 5, in each holder section 20A, a notch 21S is provided in the side wall 21, and a notch 22S is provided in the side wall 22. Notches 21S and 22S extend in the Z direction and are open at their ends on the Z1 side. Notches 21S and 22S are positioned opposite each other in the X direction. The protrusion 56c of the filter unit 50 is inserted into notch 21S, and the protrusion 57b of the filter unit 50 is inserted into notch 22S.

In this way, in holder portion 20A, convex portions 56c and 57b of filter unit 50 are inserted into notches 21S and 22S and held therein. That is, notches 21S and 22S are insertion ports for filter unit 50. A threaded hole is provided at the Z1-side end of filter unit 50, and a ring screw 61 is attached to this threaded hole. A hook (not shown) is attached to ring screw 61, and filter unit 50 is lifted and transported to a predetermined position. The multiple filter units 50 include filter unit 50N introduced into the resin R flow path and spare filter unit 50S before filtration. After filtration, filter unit 50N is pulled out of holder portion 20A in the direction toward Z1 (indicated by arrow D1 in FIG. 1).

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the holding member 10 has a first plate 11, a second plate 12, a third plate 13, and a fourth plate 14. A filter unit 50 is disposed inside the holding member 10.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the first plate 11 has a planar shape and is provided on the Z1 side of the holding member 10. The second plate 12 has a planar shape and is provided on the Z2 side of the holding member 10. The first plate 11 is located on the opposite side of the second plate 12 with the filter unit 50 in between. A slide guide 15 is provided on the inside of the first plate 11. The slide guide 15 is, for example, a sintered body impregnated with oil, and reduces sliding resistance when the side wall 21 moves in the Y direction.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the third plate 13 has an annular shape and is provided on the X1 side of the holding member 10. The fourth plate 14 has an annular shape and is provided on the X2 side of the holding member 10. The third plate 13 is located on the opposite side of the fourth plate 14 across the filter unit 50. The third plate 13 and the fourth plate 14 are fixed to the first plate 11 and the second plate 12, respectively. A slide guide 16 is provided on the inside of the third plate 13. The slide guide 16 is, for example, a sintered body impregnated with oil, and reduces sliding resistance when the side wall 21 moves in the Y direction. A discharge member (resin discharge portion) 17 is attached to the fourth plate 14. The discharge member 17 has a resin discharge hole 12a that penetrates in the X direction. Heaters 18 are provided on the outside of the first plate 11, the third plate 13, and the fourth plate 14. The heaters 18 heat the resin R to reduce its viscosity.

1 and 5, the sliding device 30 includes, for example, a cylinder 31, a piston rod 32, a piston 33, and multiple guide bars 34. The cylinder 31 slides the piston rod 32 in the Y direction, for example, by hydraulic pressure. As shown in FIG. 5, the piston rod 32 is fixed to the partition member 23 located closest to the Y2 side via the piston 33. The piston 33 slides in the Y direction together with the piston rod 32 while being guided by the multiple guide bars 34. Because the filter holder 20 is attached to the piston 33, the sliding device 30 slides the filter holder 20 and the filter unit 50 attached to the filter holder 20 in the Y direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, by operating the sliding device 30, the filter unit 50N located inside the holding member 10 can be moved toward the Y2 side and positioned outside the holding member 10, and the filter unit 50S can be moved toward the Y2 side and positioned inside the holding member 10.

As shown in Figure 2, the filter unit 50 includes a filter 51 and a filter case 55. The filter 51 is, for example, a leaf filter having a leaf-shaped filter element 52. The filter element 52 and a retaining disc 53 are attached to the center pole 51a.

The filter case 55 has a case body 56, a lid 57, and a heater 59. The case body 56 has a resin inlet hole 56a and a recess 56b. A convex portion 56c that protrudes toward the X1 side is provided on the X1 side of the case body 56. A resin inlet hole 56a extending in the X direction is provided in the protruding portion 56c. A convex portion 57b that protrudes toward the X2 side is provided on the X2 side of the lid 57. A resin outlet hole 57a extending in the X direction is provided in the lid 57. The resin inlet hole 56a and the resin outlet hole 57a are connected to the recess 56b.

The filter 51 is fitted into the recess 56b. The recess 56b is closed by the lid 57. The case body 56 and the lid 57 are fixed with bolts (not shown). A gap FP is provided between the recess 56b and the filter 51. Resin R1 that flows in through the resin inlet hole 56a flows through the gap FP into the filter element 52. Resin R2 that is filtered by the filter element 52 passes through the center pole 51a and is discharged into the resin outlet hole 57a.

A heater 59 is provided on the outer peripheral surfaces of the case body 56 and the lid 57. The heater 59 heats the resin R flowing inside the case body 56 and the lid 57.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the pressure device 40 includes a contact member 41 and a hydraulic cylinder 42 (actuator).

The abutment member 41 includes a plate 43 and a fitting member 44. The plate 43 is provided inside the third plate 13. The X2-side surface of the plate 43 abuts against the side wall 21 of the filter holder 20 and the protrusion 56c of the filter case 55. The plate 43 is integrally provided with a protrusion (resin supply portion) 45 that protrudes toward the X1 side. A resin supply hole 11a extending in the X direction is provided through the plate 43 and the protrusion 45. The resin supply hole 11a is connected to the resin inlet hole 56a of the filter unit 50. The plate 43 is provided with a through-hole 43a that penetrates in the X direction. The fitting member 44 is inserted and fitted into the through-hole 43a. The fitting member 44 includes a first member 440 and a second member 442. The first member 440 has a large-diameter portion 443 and a small-diameter portion 441. The large diameter portion 443 has a larger diameter than the small diameter portion 441. The small diameter portion 441 has a female threaded portion that opens on the X2 side. The second member 442 has a disk shape with a larger diameter than the small diameter portion 441. The second member 442 has a male threaded portion 444 that protrudes on the X1 side. The male threaded portion 444 meshes with the female threaded portion of the small diameter portion 441, thereby fastening the first member 440 and the second member 442 together. Therefore, the fitting member 44 is fitted into the through hole 43a of the plate 43.

The hydraulic cylinder 42 has a cylinder tube 420 and a rod 421. The tip of the rod 421 is provided with a male thread that engages with a female thread formed on the fitting member 44. In the present invention, the hydraulic cylinder 42 is one example of an actuator, and various actuators other than the hydraulic cylinder 42 are also applicable. Since the entire filter changer 100 is heated, for example, to a temperature above the melting point or glass transition temperature of the resin to maintain the resin in a molten state, a heat-resistant hydraulic cylinder is preferably used as the hydraulic cylinder 42. This heat-resistant hydraulic cylinder has a fluorine-based O-ring and fluorine-based gasket.

Ports 422 and 423 are provided in the cylinder tube 420. A piston (not shown) is provided inside the cylinder tube 420, and a rod 421 is attached to the piston. The piston is positioned between ports 422 and 423 in the X direction. When oil flows into port 422, the piston is pushed toward the X2 side, causing the rod 421 to move toward the X2 side. The rod 421 is fixed to the fitting member 44, which is fixed to the plate 43, so the plate 43 moves toward the X2 side. As a result, the abutment member 41 applies pressure to the protrusion 56c of the filter unit 50.

Furthermore, when oil as a medium flows into port 423, the piston is pulled back toward X1, causing rod 421 to move toward X1, and plate 43 to move toward X1. This reduces the pressure with which the abutting member 41 presses against convex portion 56c of the filter unit 50. It is preferable that the oil be a flame-retardant hydraulic oil with a high flash point. Examples of applicable hydraulic oils include water-glycol-based hydraulic oil, W/O emulsion-based hydraulic oil, phosphate ester-based hydraulic oil, and fatty acid ester-based hydraulic oil.

The control device 200 is a so-called computer, and includes an input interface, an output interface, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a storage unit, and a communication unit that processes input signals from the position sensor and output signals to the sliding device 30 and the pressure device 40. The CPU of the control device 200 executes a program pre-stored in the storage unit, and as shown in Figures 1 and 5, sends signals to the sliding device 30 and the pressure device 40, activating them. Specifically, when the control device 200 sends a signal 210 to the sliding device 30, the sliding device 30 operates, and the filter holder 20 and the filter unit 50 attached to the filter holder 20 slide in the Y direction. The sliding device 30 is equipped with a position sensor (not shown), which sends a signal to the control device 200 indicating that the sliding device 30 has been placed in a predetermined position. When the control device 200 receives this signal, it sends a signal to the sliding device 30 to stop the operation of the sliding device 30.

Furthermore, when the control device 200 sends signals 221, 222, 223, and 224 to the hydraulic cylinders 42 of the pressure device 40, the four hydraulic cylinders 42 operate, and the abutment member 41 presses the convex portion 56c of the filter unit 50.

Next, the procedure for replacing a post-filtration filter unit with a pre-filtration filter unit will be briefly explained with reference to Figure 6. In this embodiment, the resins are a first resin PL1 and a second resin PL2, which has a higher viscosity than the first resin PL1. Figure 6 is a schematic graph comparing the pressure applied to the filter unit for the first resin and the second resin.

First, at time T1 in Figure 6, the resin supply hole 11a of the contact member 41 is connected to the resin inlet hole 56a of the filter unit 50. When the operator turns on the filtration switch provided on the filter changer 100, the control device 200 sends signals 221, 222, 223, and 224 to the four pressure devices 40 (see Figure 1). The pressure devices 40 then operate, causing the plates 43 of the contact members 41 to pressurize the protrusions 56c of the filter unit 50. At this time, the pressure increases from pressure P2 to pressure P1 or P1A. Note that in the case of the first resin PL1, the pressure increases to pressure P1, and in the case of the second resin PL2, the pressure increases to pressure P1A. In other words, the second resin PL2, which has a higher viscosity, can suppress resin leakage with a lower pressure than the first resin PL1.

Then, from time T1 to time T2 in Figure 6, the resin R is filtered at the applied pressure P1 or P1A. Specifically, the resin R1 flows from the resin supply hole 11a into the resin inlet hole 56a, passes through the gap FP, and into the filter element 52, where it is filtered. The filtered resin R2 passes through the center pole 51a and is discharged via the resin outlet hole 57a to the resin discharge hole 12a. In this way, from time T1 to time T2, the applied pressure is maintained approximately constant at the applied pressure P1 or P1A.

Next, at time T2 in Figure 6, the flow of resin R stops, and the control device 200 sends signals 221, 222, 223, and 224 to the four pressure devices 40 (see Figure 1). The pressure applied by the pressure devices 40 then decreases to pressure P2 or 0. That is, when the second resin PL2, which has a higher viscosity, is applied, the pressure decreases to 0, but when the first resin PL1 is applied, the pressure P2 is higher than 0.

Then, at time T2 in Figure 6, the control device 200 sends a signal 210 to the sliding device 30, which then operates. Specifically, from time T2 to T3 in Figure 6, the sliding device 30 slides the filter holder 20 in the Y direction. As a result, for example, as shown in Figure 1, the filter unit 50N, which is located inside the holding member 10, is moved toward the Y2 side and positioned outside the holding member 10, and the filter unit 50S is moved toward the Y2 side and positioned inside the holding member 10. In this way, the filter unit 50N can be replaced with the filter unit 50S. Here, from time T2 to T3, when the second resin PL2 with a high viscosity is used, the pressure force is maintained at 0, but when the first resin PL1 is used, the pressure force P2 is maintained at a constant value higher than 0.

As mentioned above, the slide device 30 is provided with a position sensor. When the position sensor detects that the resin inlet hole 56a and the resin supply hole 11a of the filter unit 50 are aligned and in a position where they can be coupled (connected) as viewed from the X direction, the position sensor sends a signal to the control device 200. Upon receiving this signal, the control device 200 stops the operation of the slide device 30 and stops the movement of the filter holder 20 at time T3 in Figure 6.

Then, at time T3 in Figure 6, the control device 200 sends signals 221, 222, 223, and 224 to the four pressure devices 40 (see Figure 1). This activates the pressure devices 40, causing the plates 43 of the abutment members 41 to pressurize the protrusions 56c of the filter units 50. Thereafter, the above-described steps are repeated.

Next, specific examples and physical properties of the first resin PL1 and the second resin PL2 will be explained. Note that the "sealing surface pressure" shown below is not the pressure of the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic cylinder, but the pressure applied to the actual sealing surface. Also, the "melt viscosity" is a value measured using a flow tester.

[1] In the case of a high-viscosity second resin PL2 For example, polycarbonate, polyamide, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, polybutylene terephthalate, etc. can be used as the second resin PL2. The melt viscosity of the second resin PL2 is, for example, 100 Pa·s or more and 10,000 Pa·s or less. The filter internal pressure is preferably, for example, 5 MPa or more and 30 MPa or less. The sealing surface pressure when the resin R flows from the resin supply hole 11a to the resin inlet hole 56a is preferably 10 MPa or more and 30 MPa or less. The sealing surface pressure when replacing the filter unit 50 is preferably 0 MPa or more and 1 MPa or less.

[2] When the second resin PL2 is polycarbonate, the melt viscosity is 1500 Pa·s at a temperature of 260°C. The filter internal pressure is 25 MPa. The sealing surface pressure when the resin R flows from the resin supply hole 11a to the resin inlet hole 56a is 21 MPa. The sealing surface pressure when the filter unit 50 is replaced is 0 MPa.

[3] In the case of a first resin PL1 with low viscosity For example, epoxy, polyethylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, etc. can be used as the first resin PL1. The melt viscosity of the first resin PL1 is, for example, 1 Pa·s or more and 100 Pa·s or less. The filter internal pressure is preferably, for example, 0.5 MPa or more and 10 MPa or less. The sealing surface pressure when the resin R flows from the resin supply hole 11a to the resin inlet hole 56a is preferably 10 MPa or more and 30 MPa or less. The sealing surface pressure when replacing the filter unit 50 is preferably 0.1 MPa or more and 1 MPa or less.

[4] When the first resin PL1 is an epoxy resin, the melt viscosity is 1000 mPa·s at a temperature of 180°C. The filter internal pressure is 2 MPa. The sealing surface pressure when the resin R flows from the resin supply hole 11a to the resin inlet hole 56a is 21 MPa. The sealing surface pressure when the filter unit 50 is replaced is 5 MPa.

As described above, the filter changer 100 according to this embodiment replaces the post-filtration filter unit 50N with the pre-filtration filter unit 50S in the filter unit 50 that filters the resin R sent from the extruder. The filter changer 100 includes a filter holder 20 that houses the post-filtration filter unit 50N and the pre-filtration filter unit 50S and is slidable in the Y direction (first direction), a holding member 10 that holds the filter holder 20 in a slidable state, a sliding device 30 that slides the filter holder 20 in the Y direction, and a pressure device 40 that is provided on the holding member 10 and applies pressure to the filter unit 50 housed in the filter holder 20 in the X direction.

As mentioned above, in Patent Document 1, when an operator manually tightens the pressurizing bolt, the resin supply section is pressed against the resin inlet hole of the filter holder, which can easily cause variations in the pressure applied to the filter unit 50. In contrast, in this embodiment, the pressure device 40 pressurizes the filter unit 50 with a predetermined pressure. This reduces variations in the pressure applied to the filter unit 50, and ultimately reduces the risk of resin leaks from the connection between the resin supply hole 11a of the abutment member 41 and the resin inlet hole 56a of the filter unit 50.

The filter changer 100 also includes a control device 200 that sends signals to the sliding device 30 and the pressure applying device 40 to operate them. The control device 200 sends a signal to the sliding device 30, causing the sliding device 30 to slide the filter holder 20 to a predetermined position, and the control device 200 sends a signal to the pressure applying device 40, causing the pressure applying device 40 to apply a predetermined pressure to the filter unit 50.

In this manner, in this embodiment, the control device 200 sends a signal to the pressure device 40, which automatically applies a predetermined pressure to the filter unit 50. This reduces the likelihood of variations in the pressure applied to the filter unit 50, and ultimately reduces the likelihood of resin leakage from the connection between the resin supply hole 11a of the abutment member 41 and the resin inlet hole 56a of the filter unit 50.

The pressure applying device 40 has a contact member 41 that can contact the filter unit 50 and a hydraulic cylinder (actuator) 42 that moves the contact member 41 in the X direction. The contact member 41 has a protrusion (resin supply portion) 45 that has a resin supply hole 11a extending in the X direction and that can supply resin R to the resin inlet hole 56a of the filter unit 50 housed in the filter holder 20, and a discharge member 17 that has a resin discharge hole 12a that discharges the resin R filtered by the filter unit 50. The contact member 41 contacts the filter unit 50 in both a connected state in which the resin supply hole 11a of the contact member 41 is connected to the resin inlet hole 56a of the filter unit 50, and a disconnected state in which the contact member 41 and the filter unit 50 overlap when viewed from the X direction and the resin supply hole 11a of the contact member 41 is not connected to the resin inlet hole 56a of the filter unit 50.

As mentioned above, in Patent Document 1, when replacing the filter unit, the pressure bolt is loosened, which can lead to resin leakage from the connection between the resin supply hole of the resin supply unit and the resin inlet hole of the filter unit. Furthermore, if an operator forgets to tighten the pressure bolt and allows resin to flow from the resin supply hole of the resin supply unit into the resin inlet hole of the filter unit, resin leakage can also occur from this connection.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the abutting member 41 abuts against the filter unit 50 even in an unconnected state where the abutting member 41 and the filter unit 50 overlap when viewed from the X direction and the resin supply hole 11a of the protrusion (resin supply portion) 45 and the resin inlet hole 56a of the filter unit 50 are not connected. That is, even when replacing the filter unit 50, the abutting member 41 abuts against the portion of the filter unit 50 where the resin inlet hole 56a is formed, making it less likely for resin to leak from the connection between the resin supply hole 11a of the protrusion 45 and the resin inlet hole 56a of the filter unit 50. Furthermore, because the pressurizing device 40 is operated automatically, there is less chance of a worker forgetting to tighten the pressurizing bolt, resulting in resin leakage from the connection, as in Patent Document 1.

The abutment member 41 includes a plate 43 that is positioned on the X1 side of the filter unit 50 and has multiple through holes 43a that penetrate in the X direction, and multiple fitting members 44 that fit one-by-one into each of the multiple through holes 43a in the plate 43. Multiple hydraulic cylinders 42 are provided, and each hydraulic cylinder 42 is connected to a respective one of the multiple fitting members 44.

The hydraulic cylinders 42 are capable of moving the abutment members 41 to both one side and the other in the X direction. Therefore, because the hydraulic cylinders 42 are connected to the plate 43 via the fitting members 44, the hydraulic cylinders 42 can appropriately adjust the magnitude of the pressure applied when pressing the plate 43 against the portion of the filter unit 50 where the resin inlet holes 56a are formed. Furthermore, because the hydraulic cylinders 42 use fluid hydraulic oil as a medium, the pressure applied by the abutment members 41 to the resin inlet holes 56a of the filter unit 50 is uniform across the four hydraulic cylinders 42.

When viewed from the X direction, the hydraulic cylinders 42 and fitting members 44 are arranged at equal intervals around the resin supply hole 11a.

Therefore, by applying the same pressure to the plate 43 using multiple hydraulic cylinders 42, resin leakage from the connection between the resin supply hole 11a of the protrusion 45 and the resin inlet hole 56a of the filter unit 50 becomes even less likely. In particular, by simply applying the same pressure to multiple hydraulic cylinders 42, resin leakage can be further reduced with simple operations. Furthermore, pressure can be applied evenly from around the area where the resin inlet hole 56a of the filter unit 50 is provided.

When comparing the filtering of the first resin PL1 with the filtering of the second resin PL2, which has a higher viscosity than the first resin PL1, the pressure P1A applied by the pressure device 40 of the filter unit 50 when filtering the second resin PL2 through the filter unit 50 is smaller than the pressure P1 applied when filtering the first resin PL1 through the filter unit 50.

In this way, the pressure P1A of the second resin PL2 can be made smaller than the pressure P1 of the first resin PL1, thereby further reducing the load on the hydraulic cylinder 42. Furthermore, the pressure applied to the contact member 41 is also reduced, which has the benefit of extending the life of the contact member 41.

The connected states include a first connected state in which resin R flows from the resin supply hole 11a of the protrusion 45 toward the resin inlet hole 56a of the filter unit 50, and a second connected state in which resin R does not flow from the resin supply hole 11a of the protrusion 45 toward the resin inlet hole 56a of the filter unit 50. The pressure P2 of the filter unit 50 in the second connected state is smaller than the pressures P1 and P1A of the filter unit 50 in the first connected state.

In the first connected state, resin R flows from the resin supply hole 11a toward the resin inlet hole 56a, which makes it easy for resin to leak from the connection between the resin supply hole 11a and the resin inlet hole 56a.

In contrast, in the second connected state, resin R does not flow from the resin supply hole 11a toward the resin inlet hole 56a, making it less likely for resin to leak than in the first connected state. This allows the applied pressure to be reduced compared to the first connected state, further reducing the load on the hydraulic cylinder 42.

The pressure force P2 of the filter unit 50 in the unconnected state is smaller than the pressure forces P1 and P1A of the filter unit 50 in the first connected state, which further reduces the load on the hydraulic cylinder 42.

The pressure force P2 of the filter unit 50 in the unconnected state is approximately the same as the pressure force P2 of the filter unit 50 in the second connected state. Therefore, when replacing the filter unit 50 by sliding the filter holder 20 from the second connected state, the same pressure force is sufficient, making it easier to manage the pressure force.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. The content disclosed in the embodiments is merely an example, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Appropriate modifications made without departing from the spirit of the present invention naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. All inventions that can be implemented by a person skilled in the art through appropriate design modifications based on the above-described invention also fall within the technical scope of the present invention, as long as they encompass the gist of the present invention.

10 Holding member 11 First plate 11a Resin supply hole 12 Second plate 12a Resin discharge hole 13 Third plate 14 Fourth plate 15, 16 Slide guide 17 Discharge member (resin discharge portion)
18 Heater 20 Filter holder 20A Holder portion 21 Side wall 21S Notch 22 Side wall 22S Notch 23 Partition member 29 Stopper 30 Slide device 31 Cylinder 32 Piston rod 33 Piston 34 Guide bar 40 Pressurizing device 41 Abutment member 42 Hydraulic cylinder (actuator)
43 Plate 43a Through-hole 44 Fitting member 45 Protrusion (resin supply portion)
50 Filter unit 50N Filter unit 50S Filter unit 51 Filter 51a Center pole 52 Filter element 53 Presser disc 55 Filter case 56 Case body 56a Resin inlet hole 56b Recessed portion 56c Convex portion 57 Lid 57a Resin outlet hole 57b Convex portion 59 Heater 61 Ring screw 100 Filter changer 200 Control device 210, 221, 222, 223, 224 Signal 420 Cylinder tube 421 Rod 422, 423 Port 440 First member 442 Second member 443 Large diameter portion 441 Small diameter portion 444 Male thread portion FP Gap PL1 First resin PL2 Second resin R Resin

Claims (7)

a filter holder that accommodates the filter unit and is slidable in a first direction;
a holding member that holds the filter holder in a slidable state;
a slide device that slides the filter holder in a first direction;
a pressure device provided on the holding member and configured to apply pressure to the filter unit housed in the filter holder in a second direction intersecting the first direction;
a control device that sends signals to the sliding device and the pressure device to operate the sliding device and the pressure device,
The control device sends a signal to the slide device, causing the slide device to slide the filter holder to a predetermined position;
The pressure applying device applies a predetermined pressure to the filter unit in response to a signal sent from the control device to the pressure applying device .
Filter changer. The pressure device is
a contact member having a resin supply hole capable of supplying resin to a resin inlet hole of the filter unit accommodated in the filter holder and having a resin supply portion extending in a second direction, and capable of contacting the filter unit;
an actuator that moves the abutment member in a second direction,
the abutting member abuts against the filter unit in both a connected state in which the resin supply hole of the resin supply portion and the resin inlet hole of the filter unit are connected, and a non-connected state in which the abutting member and the filter unit overlap when viewed from a second direction and the resin supply hole of the resin supply portion and the resin inlet hole of the filter unit are not connected,
2. The filter changer of claim 1 . The abutment member is
a plate disposed on one side of the filter unit in the second direction and having a plurality of through holes penetrating in the second direction;
a plurality of fitting members each fitted into a corresponding one of the plurality of through holes of the plate;
a plurality of the actuators are provided, and each of the actuators is connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of fitting members;
3. The filter changer according to claim 2 . When viewed from a second direction, the actuators and the fitting members are disposed at equal intervals along a circumferential direction around the resin supply portion.
4. The filter changer according to claim 3 . The connection state is
a first connection state in which resin flows from the resin supply portion toward the resin inlet hole of the filter unit;
a second connection state in which resin does not flow from the resin supply portion toward the resin inlet hole of the filter unit,
a pressure applied to the filter unit in the second connected state is smaller than a pressure applied to the filter unit in the first connected state;
5. A filter changer according to any one of claims 2 to 4 . a pressure applied to the filter unit in the unconnected state is smaller than a pressure applied to the filter unit in the first connected state;
6. The filter changer according to claim 5 . a pressure applied by the pressurizing device to the filter unit when filtering a first resin through the filter unit is greater than a pressure applied when filtering a second resin having a viscosity higher than that of the first resin through the filter unit;
7. A filter changer according to any one of claims 1 to 6 .