JP2010082690A - Billet transporting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a billet transporting device wherein the oxidation of a billet during transportation is suppressed, the time and lavor for the opening/closing of the cover in a vessel is eliminated, and the heat of the billet during transportation is hardly removed. <P>SOLUTION: The billet transporting device 1 is provided with: a transporting robot 2 being a transportation device body; and an air curtain forming means 3. The transporting robot 2 has a robot hand 4 as a grasping part grasping a billet. The transporting robot 2 transports the billet from a heating apparatus to a molding apparatus. The air curtain forming means 3 blows off an inert gas so as to surround the billet, and forms an air curtain cutting off the billet from the outside air. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a billet conveying apparatus.

  Conventionally, when performing molding such as semi-molten die casting, the billet that is the raw material is heated to a specified temperature in a heating furnace, and then the semi-molten billet after heating is removed from the heating furnace using a robot hand or the like. Then, it is transported to the die-cast hot water inlet that is the entrance of the molding device.

  Here, at the time of heating the billet, heating is performed in an inert gas atmosphere inside the heating furnace, but when the billet that has been heated is put into the die-casting hot water inlet of the molding apparatus, the billet comes into contact with the air during the conveyance. There is a problem that it oxidizes. The oxidized scale on the billet surface caused by the oxidation is caught inside the molded product at the time of molding and causes internal defects of the molded product.

In addition, as described in Patent Document 1, as a technique related to oxidation prevention for billet heating, when a material placed in a container is heated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere or heated in an air atmosphere, It is devised to do with a lid.
JP-A-6-198413

  As described above, when transporting a heated billet from a heating furnace to a molding apparatus, an effective means for solving the problem that the billet is oxidized by being in contact with the air during the transportation is still being developed. There is no current situation.

  It is also conceivable to suppress billet oxidation during transport by placing the billet in a container with a lid as described in Patent Document 1 and transporting the billet from a heating furnace to a molding apparatus. However, in this case, immediately after taking out the billet from the heating furnace, close the lid of the container so that the billet does not touch the atmosphere, transport the container with the lid closed, and then immediately before the die-cast water heater of the molding device Therefore, it is necessary to open the container lid, and it takes much time to open and close the container lid.

  Furthermore, a method of covering the section from the heating furnace to the molding apparatus with a transport duct and transporting the billet after heating inside the duct in a state isolated from the atmosphere can be considered, but by contacting the billet with the inner wall of the duct, There is a risk that the heat of the billet is taken away by the duct and the temperature is lowered. In the case of semi-molten die casting, since the billet heating temperature control range is narrow, if the billet temperature is slightly below the predetermined temperature, the possibility of molding failure increases.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a billet conveying device that can suppress oxidation of a billet during conveyance, can save the trouble of opening and closing a lid of a container, and is less likely to lose heat of the billet during conveyance.

  The billet carrying device of the first invention comprises a carrying device main body and an air curtain generating means. The transport apparatus body has a gripping part for gripping the billet. The transport device main body transports the billet from the heating device to the molding device. The air curtain generating means generates an air curtain that blows off an inert gas so as to surround the billet and blocks the billet from the outside air.

  Here, since the billet conveying device includes the air curtain generating unit, the air curtain generated by the air curtain generating unit surrounds the billet while the billet is conveyed from the heating device to the molding device by the conveying device body. It is possible to shut off the billet from the outside air by blowing an inert gas.

  The billet transport device of the second invention is the billet transport device of the first invention, and the gripping part grips the billet via the tray on which the billet is placed. The conveying device main body conveys the billet on the tray from the heating device to the molding device.

  Here, since the transport device main body transports the billet from the heating device to the molding device in a state where the billet is placed on the tray, the billet being transported is only in contact with the tray and heat is not easily taken away.

  The billet transport device of the third invention is the billet transport device of the first invention or the second invention, wherein the air curtain generating means is not outward from the direction toward the billet so that the inert gas does not hit the billet. Blow out active gas.

  Here, since the air curtain generating means blows out the inert gas to the outside of the direction toward the billet so that the inert gas does not hit the billet, it is possible to suppress the temperature drop of the billet.

  The billet conveying device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the billet conveying device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the air curtain generating means is disposed in the vicinity of the grip portion. An air curtain production | generation means has a nozzle which blows off inert gas. The nozzle can move as the gripping portion moves.

  Here, since the nozzle of the air curtain generating means moves as the gripping part moves, it is possible to always block the billet being conveyed from the outside air with the air curtain.

  The billet conveying device of the fifth invention is the billet conveying device of the fourth invention, wherein the nozzle is arranged so as to surround the periphery of the billet in a circular shape. The nozzles are a plurality of arc-shaped nozzles having an outlet having an arc-shaped cross section.

  Here, since the nozzle is a plurality of arc-shaped nozzles arranged so as to surround the billet in a circular shape and having an outlet having an arc-shaped cross section, an air curtain having a minimum width surrounding the billet is generated. It is possible to suppress consumption of the inert gas.

  The billet carrying device of the sixth invention is the billet carrying device of the fourth invention, wherein the nozzles are arranged so as to surround the billet in a polygonal shape. The nozzles are a plurality of flat nozzles having a rectangular cross-section outlet.

  Here, the nozzles are arranged so as to surround the billet in a polygonal shape and are a plurality of flat nozzles having a rectangular cross-section outlet, so that a minimally wide air curtain surrounding the billet can be generated. It is possible and consumption of the inert gas can be suppressed.

  The billet transport device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the billet transport device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the inert gas is nitrogen gas.

  Here, since the inert gas is nitrogen gas, it is particularly inexpensive and safe among the inert gases.

  The billet transport apparatus according to the eighth invention is the billet transport apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth inventions, wherein the inert gas is burned gas generated from a heating device or other heating means.

  Here, since the inert gas is burned gas generated from a heating device or other heating means, it can be obtained in large quantities without incurring purchase costs.

  According to the first invention, oxidation of the billet during conveyance can be suppressed. Moreover, the trouble of opening and closing the lid of the container can be omitted, and the billet can be transported in a short time. Moreover, it is possible to suppress billet heat loss during conveyance.

  According to the second aspect of the invention, there is an advantage that heat from the billet being transported is hardly taken away.

  According to the third invention, it is possible to suppress the temperature drop of the billet.

  According to the fourth invention, it is possible to always block the billet being conveyed from the outside air by the air curtain.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to generate an air curtain having a minimum width that surrounds the billet, and the consumption of inert gas can be suppressed.

  According to the sixth aspect of the invention, it is possible to generate an air curtain having a minimum width that surrounds the billet, and the consumption of inert gas can be suppressed.

  According to the seventh invention, it is particularly inexpensive and safe among the inert gases.

  According to the eighth invention, a large amount can be obtained without incurring a purchase cost.

  Next, an embodiment of the billet conveying device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Configuration of Billet Conveying Device 1>
The billet transport device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 includes a transport robot 2 that is a transport device body and an air curtain generation unit 3.

  The transfer robot 2 has a robot hand 4 that holds a billet B that is a material of semi-molten die casting. The robot hand 4 grips the protrusion 5a of the tray 5 on which the billet B is placed from above and below (see FIG. 3). Here, the robot hand 4 is a gripping portion of the present invention.

  In the induction heating furnace F, the billet B is heated to a semi-molten state while being placed on the tray 5. The transport robot 2 transports the tray 5 on which the heated billet B is placed from the induction heating furnace F to the die-cast hot water inlet S of the molding apparatus M.

  In the molding apparatus M, the billet B heated to a semi-molten state is put into the die-cast hot water inlet S and then pressed into the cavity V in the space inside the mold D by the plunger P, so that a predetermined shape is obtained. Molded products are manufactured.

  The air curtain generating unit 3 generates an air curtain C (see FIG. 1) that blows out an inert gas so as to surround the billet B and blocks the billet B from the outside air. In addition, the air curtain production | generation part 3 of this invention blows off the inert gas which suppresses the oxidation of billet B, produces | generates the curtain of an inert gas, and interrupts billet B from external air, It does not blow out air or oxygen.

  The air curtain production | generation part 3 has the some nozzle 6 which blows off inert gas, as FIGS. The plurality of nozzles 6 are arranged in the vicinity of the robot hand 4 at the tip of the robot arm 7. The nozzle 6 can move as the robot hand 4 moves.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the outlets 6 a of the plurality of nozzles 6 are directed in the extending direction of the robot hand 4, and are always aired while the billet B and the tray 5 held by the robot hand 4 are being conveyed. The curtain C can be shielded from outside air.

  Specifically, by generating the air curtain C before the shutter f2 at the outlet f1 of the induction heating furnace F is opened, the billet B and the tray 5 immediately after exiting from the outlet f1 are also removed from the outside air by the air curtain C. Blocked. Further, the billet B and the tray 5 held by the robot hand 4 are moved along with the movement of the robot hand 4 while the robot arm 7 is swung from the induction heating furnace F to the die-cast hot water inlet S of the molding apparatus M. The air curtain C blocks the outside air. And while billet B thrown into die-casting hot-water supply port S of molding apparatus M, billet B and tray 5 are air curtains while robot hand 4 is driven to rotate from tray 5 to die-casting hot-water supply port S. C is cut off from outside air. After billet B is thrown into die-cast hot water supply port S, if die-cast hot water supply port S is quickly closed, oxidation of billet B is suppressed.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the plurality of nozzles 6 of the present embodiment are a plurality of arc-shaped nozzles that are arranged so as to surround the billet B in a circular shape and have outlets having an arc-shaped cross section. . For this reason, it is possible to generate the air curtain C having a minimum width that surrounds the billet B and the tray 5, and it is possible to suppress the consumption of the inert gas.

  The nozzle 6 of the air curtain generation unit 3 blows out the inert gas to the outside of the direction toward the billet B so that the heated billet B does not hit the inert gas and lower the temperature of the billet B.

  The inert gas ejected from the nozzle 6 is nitrogen gas. Nitrogen gas is particularly preferable because it is inexpensive and safe among inert gases. Nitrogen gas is supplied from the gas cylinder 8 to the nozzle 6 through the gas hose 9 as shown in FIG.

  With the configuration as described above, in the middle of transferring the billet B from the induction heating furnace F to the molding apparatus M by the transfer robot 2, the air curtain C generated by the air curtain generating unit 3 is not surrounded by the billet B. It is possible to block the billet B from the outside air by blowing out the active gas.

<Features>
(1)
Since the billet conveying device 1 of the present embodiment includes the air curtain generating unit 3, the billet B is generated by the air curtain generating unit 3 while the billet B is conveyed from the induction heating furnace F to the molding device M by the conveying robot 2. It is possible to shut off billet B from the outside air by blowing an inert gas so that the air curtain C is surrounded by billet B.

  Specifically, the inert gas is ejected from the nozzle 6 attached to the robot hand 4 used in the billet B conveyance process, and the air curtain C is generated to shut off the billet B heated from the outside air and oxidize it. It is possible to prevent.

  Therefore, by using the billet conveyance device 1 of the present embodiment, the inside of the induction heating furnace F is made an inert gas atmosphere and at the same time the conveyance process is shielded from the atmosphere by the air curtain C, so that no oxide film is generated. Billet B can be supplied to a molding apparatus M for die-cast molding, and molding without internal defects due to an oxide film becomes possible. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a high-quality molded product.

(2)
In addition, the tray 5 for transporting the billet B does not require a lid for shielding from the outside air, so that it is possible to save time and effort for opening and closing the lid. Therefore, billet B which is a raw material can be put into die-cast hot water supply port S in a very short time, and can be supplied without causing a temperature drop.

(3)
Further, in the billet transport apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the robot hand 4 grips the billet B via the tray 5 on which the billet B is placed, and the transport robot 2 transfers the billet B from the induction heating furnace F to the molding apparatus M. Is carried on the tray 5. As a result, the billet B being conveyed is only in contact with the tray 5 at a minimum, and does not contact the surrounding ducts and other members, so that there is an advantage that heat is not easily taken away.

  That is, if the induction heating furnace F and the die-cast hot water supply port S are connected by a duct and billet B or molten metal as a material is supplied, it is easy to transport the inside of the duct in an inert gas atmosphere. The heat of billet B is taken to the duct and the temperature is lowered, or the material is welded to the duct and clogged. However, if the billet conveying apparatus 1 of this embodiment is used, supply of the billet B heated in the state enclosed by the inert gas atmosphere without such a malfunction will be attained.

(4)
Moreover, in the billet conveying apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the nozzle 6 of the air curtain generating unit 3 blows out the inert gas outside the direction toward the billet B so that the inert gas does not hit the billet B. The direction of the nozzle 6 is adjusted. Therefore, the air flow of the inert gas can be prevented from being directly applied to the billet B and the tray 5 by adjusting the nozzle 6, and the temperature drop of the billet B can be suppressed.

(5)
Further, in the billet transfer device 1 of the present embodiment, the air curtain generating unit 3 is disposed near the robot hand 4 and has a nozzle 6 that blows out an inert gas that can move as the robot hand 4 moves. Therefore, the billet B being transported can always be blocked from the outside air by the air curtain C.

(6)
Furthermore, in the billet conveying apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the nozzle 6 is a plurality of arc-shaped nozzles that are arranged so as to surround the billet B in a circular shape and have the outlet 6a having an arc-shaped cross section. It is possible to generate an air curtain C having a minimum width that surrounds the tray 5, and it is possible to suppress consumption of inert gas. In particular, when the billet B is cylindrical and the tray 5 is semicircular, the air curtain C can be generated in a narrower range, and the consumption of inert gas can be further suppressed.

(7)
In this embodiment, since the inert gas ejected from the nozzle 6 is nitrogen gas, it is particularly inexpensive and safe among the inert gases.

<Modification>
(A)
In the above embodiment, the robot hand 4 of the transport robot 2 indirectly holds the billet B via the tray 5 on which the billet B is placed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the robot The hand 4 may directly grip the billet B. In this case, too, the air curtain C generated by the air curtain generating unit 3 blows an inert gas so as to surround the billet B, and the billet B is discharged from the outside air. It is possible to block. However, the robot hand in this case does not have the shape shown in the figure, and the hand shape is changed so that the soft billet in the semi-molten state does not collapse. For example, the hand shape is scooped from the tray between the left and right sides.

(B)
Moreover, although the shape of the nozzle 6 has been described as an example of an arc-shaped nozzle in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and employs nozzles having various shapes. Is also possible.

  For example, as a modification, a flat nozzle 16 having a flat rectangular cross-section outlet 16a as shown in FIG. 6 is used to surround the billet B in a polygonal shape (for example, a square shape). Also good. Also in this case, it is possible to generate the air curtain C having a minimum width that surrounds the billet B and the tray 5, and it is possible to suppress the consumption of the inert gas.

(C)
Further, in the above embodiment, nitrogen gas is taken as an example of an inert gas for generating an air curtain, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various inert gases are used. It is also possible to adopt.

  For example, as a modified example of the inert gas, a burned gas not containing oxygen generated during combustion from a heating furnace using a heated gas such as a gas furnace or other existing heating means in a work site may be used. Also in this case, it is possible to generate an air curtain of an inert gas that blocks the billet B from the outside air. Moreover, since the burned gas is a gas discharged from a heating furnace or other heating means, it can be obtained in large quantities without purchasing costs.

(D)
Moreover, although the nozzle 6 was arrange | positioned in the vicinity of the robot hand 4 in the said embodiment, the aspect which moves with the movement of the robot hand 4 was mentioned as an example, it demonstrated, but this invention is not limited to this. .

  As a modification of the present invention, for example, by changing the arrangement of the nozzle 6 and the injection range of the inert gas as appropriate, the robot arm can be arranged without arranging the nozzle 6 near the robot hand 4 at the tip of the robot arm 7. The billet B transported by the robot hand 4 can be shielded from the outside air by an inert gas air curtain generated by the nozzle 6 installed at a position away from the air 7. In this case, a plurality of nozzles 6 may be installed on the transport path of the billet B, or a mechanism for moving the nozzles 6 may be provided separately from the robot hand 4.

(E)
Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the example which conveys billet B by the robot arm 7 turning as the conveyance robot 2 is shown, this invention is not limited to this, A heated billet The transfer robot 2 that can hold the B or the tray 5 with the robot hand 4 and transfer it from the heating device to the molding device can be used in various forms.

  The present invention can be applied to a billet conveying device for conveying a heated billet.

The block diagram of the billet conveying apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention. The enlarged view of the robot arm and robot hand of FIG. The enlarged view of the robot hand and nozzle of FIG. The figure which shows the state in which the tray which mounted the billet on the robot hand of FIG. 1 was hold | gripped. The figure which looked at the some circular arc nozzle arrange | positioned in the robot hand vicinity of FIG. 1 from the nozzle front end side. FIG. 6 is a view showing a modification of the present invention, in which a plurality of flat nozzles arranged near the robot hand are viewed from the nozzle tip side.

Explanation of symbols

1 Billet Transfer Device 2 Transfer Robot 3 Air Curtain Generation Unit (Air Curtain Generation Unit)
4 Robot hand (grip)
5 Tray 6, 16 Nozzle 7 Robot arm 8 Gas cylinder 9 Gas hose B Billet C Air curtain F Induction furnace M Molding device S Die-cast hot water outlet

Claims (8)

A transport device body (2) having a gripping part (4) for gripping the billet and transporting the billet from the heating device to the molding device;
A billet transporting device (1) comprising air curtain generating means (3) for generating an air curtain that blows out an inert gas so as to surround the billet and blocks the billet from outside air. The grip portion (4) grips the billet via the tray (5) on which the billet is placed,
The transport device body (2) transports the billet on the tray (5) from the heating device to the molding device.
The billet conveying device (1) according to claim 1. The air curtain generating means (3) blows out the inert gas outside the direction toward the billet so that the inert gas does not hit the billet.
The billet conveying device (1) according to claim 1 or 2. The air curtain generating means (3) is arranged in the vicinity of the grip portion (4), and is a nozzle (6, 16) that blows out the inert gas that can move as the grip portion (4) moves. )
The billet conveying device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The nozzle (6) is a plurality of arc-shaped nozzles arranged so as to surround the billet in a circular shape and having an outlet (6a) having an arc-shaped cross section.
The billet conveying device (1) according to claim 4. The nozzle (16) is a plurality of flat nozzles which are arranged so as to surround the billet in a polygonal shape and have a rectangular cross-section outlet (16a).
The billet conveying device (1) according to claim 4. The inert gas is nitrogen gas.
The billet conveying device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The inert gas is burned gas generated from the heating device or other heating means.
The billet conveying device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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