JPS60180846A - Method and apparatus for marking - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To print dotted letters (continuous) of any size and interval on an object to be marked by using the nozzle of one spray gun by a method in which the opening and closing operations and X-Y-directed drive operation of the nozzle of a marker are made at a suitable timing. CONSTITUTION:When the size of an object to be printed is input, in starting the marking for each line, the position of the nozzle in relation to the present Y axis is read out by an X-Y-theta controller 12 in CPU11. The inclined angle theta is retrieved and calculated from the read value and the size of an object to be printed, and the X-Y stage 1 is inclined. The interval between the tip of the nozzle and the object is measured by a distance sensor 24, and the X-Y stage 1 is raised or lowered by the X-Y stage vertically moving motor 6 so that the interval becomes a reference value.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a marking method and apparatus for printing characters, symbols, etc. on a material to be marked.

Conventionally, multiple spray guns are used to print characters and specific symbols on flat or cylindrical marking surfaces such as steel plates, steel pipes, and steel materials. There are those that print matrix-like characters or specific symbols, and those that perform mass-younging using a stencil with letters or specific symbols punched out of paper, etc., and then spray paint over it to make markings.

However, when using these printing methods to print characters in a dot matrix using multiple spray guns, the width of the spray nozzle affects the dot pitch, making it difficult to make the characters smaller. , the dot position is 5x7 or ? Since the shape is determined as a x9 matrix, it is impossible to change the character size and mark complicated shapes using the same marking head. Furthermore, printing by masking stencils is done manually, making it difficult to mechanize.

The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide a marking method and device that allows dot-like characters or symbols to be automatically printed using only one spray gun. It is something to do.

The marking method of the present invention moves the marker using an X-Y drive mechanism to print characters, symbols, etc., by opening and closing the nozzle of the marker and driving it in the X-Y direction at appropriate timing. It is characterized by printing characters or symbols of arbitrary size and thickness on the marking material by generating a dot sequence or continuous line segment with a dot density.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus implementing the marking method of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, l designates an X-Y stage, which houses a motor and its feeding mechanism for moving the nozzle 2 of the spray gun in a plane, that is, in the X-Y direction. The X-Y stage 1 also has a motor 8 that changes its angle.
is also provided so that the angle of the X-Y stage can be adjusted via the decelerator.

A guide shaft 4 and a feed screw 6 with bellows are fixed to the support frame 7 of the X-Y stage 1, and the X-Y stage 1 is moved around the guide shaft 4 by reversible rotation of a motor 6 provided at the other end of the feed screw 5. and a feed screw 5 so that it can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction. The motor 6 is fixed to a support base 7b fixed to the tip of an arm 7a. Therefore, the entire XY stage 1 is supported via the feed screw 5 by the support stand 7a and hence by the arm 7a. The other end of arm 7a is rotatably attached to stand 7C.

A paint tank 8 is installed on this stand 7C so that paint can be supplied at a constant pressure to the nozzle 2 of the marking spray gun, and a terminal box 9 for electrical wiring is installed so that the power to the entire device can be turned on. do.

In addition, a control panel 10 is provided near the stand 7C, which controls the device and controls the upper level (3PU (central control unit)).
This enables connection with the operator, conversation with the operator, etc. Further, a distance measuring sensor 24 is provided near the nozzle 2, and its output is supplied to 0PtJ via an A/D converter to be described later to control the lifting motor 6 and maintain the nozzle spacing with respect to the material to be marked within an appropriate range. do what you can.

The more detailed structure and operation of the marking device constructed as above will be explained with reference to FIG. The present invention will be explained by taking as an example a case where characters are printed on a steel pipe (hereinafter referred to as pipe). In Figure 2, 11 is the central control unit (hereinafter OP
It is composed of a Markcro processor, memory, character table, interface circuit, etc., and is used to exchange data with external devices and X-Y-θ controllers, as well as control input/output with other peripheral devices. This 0PUII includes the size of characters or symbols to be printed (hereinafter simply referred to as characters), dot density, character data, selection of whether the characters are dots or continuous,
Store external setting data such as pipe size.

The character table referred to here includes the amount of movement of the x-axis for each character, the movement order, interpolation commands, opening/closing of game) 14,
It means a table containing the division ratio of the division device 18, X-Y pulse selection instructions, etc., and is usually UV-erasable lO
It is composed of R0M and other lOR0M.

X-Y-θ hun) tz-512 receives the X-axis, Y-axis movement amount, linear capture command, etc. from 0PtJ11, and sprays a linear movement of any angle and any length via the X-Y stage 1. so that it can be supplied to the marking nozzle 2 of the gun.

When printing a circle or an arc, the center coordinate of the arc, the coordinates of the start and end points of the arc, the distinction between clockwise and counterclockwise rotation, the circular interpolation command, etc. are received, and any circle or arc movement is sent to the marking nozzle 2. supply. Therefore, characters and symbols can be printed by combinations of line segments and circular arcs of arbitrary lengths at arbitrary angles due to linear and circular arc movements.

The frequency divider 18 divides the input pulse train from the X-Y pulse selector 21 by an arbitrary division ratio specified by the CPU,
Generate timing pulses to form arbitrary dot spacing. OR game this timing pulse) 161
It is then supplied to Game) 14. Game) 14 is 0PUII
The output pulse of the divider 18 is gated according to instructions from the gate F, and the game F is closed to prevent the timer 15 from being triggered, especially in order to stop marking at the time of passing between characters or at the discontinuation of a character segment. Make it. Timer 15 is 0
An arbitrary time setting is performed by the PU 11 so that a pulse of the set time length can be generated when triggered by the output of the gate 14. The latch circuit 14' provided between the OR gate 161 and the XY pulse selector 21
By allowing only the pulse to pass or blocking the pulses after the second pulse, and when a reset signal is newly supplied from 0PUII, by allowing only the first pulse to pass, it is possible to prevent the first dot from falling off. Try to get it. For this purpose latch circuit 1 by OR game) 16/
The pulse of 4/ and the output pulse of the frequency divider 18 are added.

OR game) 16 is the timer output pulse or 0PUII
A continuous line writing signal from the 1.

The hot coupler 17 insulates the input side and the output side and connects the switching element 18 to OWL, /glue 19 (1i-th nozzle 2
The nozzle is opened by energizing the thread/id fill (corresponding to the above). Nozzle 19 is paint tank 20
Marking is performed by ejecting and stopping the paint that is pumped through the nozzle 19 by opening and closing the nozzle 19. When marking dots, the nozzle 19 repeatedly opens and closes instantaneously, and when marking continuous lines, it opens and closes every letter l segment. . X-
The Y-pulse selector 21 selects a drive pulse for the X-axis motor 28 or the Y-axis motor 29 according to instructions from the CPU 11, so that it can be supplied to the frequency divider 18 as an input pulse.

The A/D humbator 122.28 digitizes the analog outputs of the distance sensor 24 and pressure sensor 25, respectively, and supplies them to 0PUIN.

0PUII always checks whether the distance between the material to be marked and the nozzle and the air pressure for pressurizing the paint are within the specified range, and adjusts the X-Y stage lifting motor 6 and the Controls electric air regulator 26.

The electric air regulator 26 raises and lowers the air pressure for pressurizing the paint by reversibly rotating the motor according to instructions from the OPU, thereby adjusting the dot size and line thickness.

The marking nozzle 2 or 19 used in this example uses an air atomization type that blows air from around the nozzle, so the dot size and line thickness depend on the amount of paint sprayed, the material to be marked, and the nozzle tip. Determined by the interval between. Paint line B is activated by the pulp selection signal of the CPU during the marking pause at the time interval set in the CPU for internal cleaning of the marking nozzle by the switching valve 27.
is switched to a cleaning liquid, which opens the nozzle and cleans the inside of the nozzle, then switches to air to drain the interior, and then switches again to the paint line to prepare for marking.

The operation of the apparatus of the present invention constructed as described above will be explained in more detail. When 0PU11 receives external data such as character size, standard dot density, character data, etc. from the upper OPU,
Axis, Y-axis movement amount, interpolation command, splitter division ratio game) 1
4 opening/closing instructions, x-y pulse selection instructions, and searching the character table for paint pressure, nozzle opening time, nozzle spacing, etc. to obtain a dot size suitable for the character size.
Calculate 1 these data to the X-Y-θ controller 12,
The signal is supplied to the frequency divider 18, the AND gate 14, the timer 1sx-y pulse selector 21, and the like. In addition, for the electric air regulator z6 and the X-Y stage lift motor 6, it is determined whether the current paint pressure and nozzle spacing are larger or smaller than the specified values, and the motor is moved in a direction that approaches the specified values. It rotates and can stop operating when it reaches a specified range.

The X-Y-θ controller (3 drives the upper X-axis and Y-axis according to commands given from the CPU 11, and also controls the game) 14 controls the opening of character marking segments according to instructions from the CPU 11. The output of the frequency generator 18 can be supplied to the timer 15. That is, as the X-axis and Y-axis move, the timer 15 is triggered at regular intervals (3PU
Gate 16 outputs a pulse with a time length set by ll.
, a photocoupler 17, and a switching element 18 to the coil of the nozzle 19, so that the nozzle is opened at regular intervals for a timer period to eject paint to form dots or segments. Since the gate 14 is closed for X-axis and Y-axis driving when marking is not performed, the timer 15 is not triggered.

FIG. 8a is a side view of the device of the present invention applied to a relatively small diameter pipe. When marking multiple lines,
If the nozzle position is too far away from the center of the pipe, the paint will flow sideways and the dots will become elliptical, which may worsen the academic award. In order to solve this problem, as shown in Figure 8b, the X-Y stage 1 is tilted by a desired angle θ depending on the pipe size and nozzle position, so that the nozzle is always directed to the center of the pipe, and the nozzle is It is necessary to maintain the distance between the tip and the material to be marked at an appropriate value, and for this purpose, when the size of the pipe etc. is input from the outside, apu i z will change the current nozzle position with respect to the Y axis to The inclination angle θ is retrieved and calculated using the read value and the pipe size by the -Y-θ controller, and the X-Y stage 1 is tilted as desired. In this case, the distance between the nozzle tip and the material to be marked is measured by the distance sensor 24, and the X-Y stage l is raised and lowered by the X-Y stage lifting motor 6 so that the distance becomes the reference value. According to this method, dot-like characters or continuous characters of arbitrary thickness, size, and spacing can be easily printed on a material to be marked using only one spray gun nozzle.

The present invention is not limited only to the examples described above, but can be modified in many ways.

For example, by providing a plurality of nozzles with the same nozzle diameter or several nozzles with different nozzle diameters on the X-Y stage l, multicolor printing or printing with different thicknesses can be quickly performed.

Furthermore, the air regulator 26 does not necessarily need to be a complete set of electric motors, and an electro-pneumatic converter or the like that controls air pressure by a voltage value can also be used.

Further, in the above example, the material to be marked is a steel tube, but it can also be a cylindrical or cylindrical material made of wood or plastic, and the marking surface of the material to be marked is also limited to a circular shape. It can be a flat surface rather than a solid object.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a device that implements the marking method of the present invention, Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the device of the present invention, and Figure 8a is an inappropriate angle of the nozzle for printing on a pipe. Figure 8b is a side view showing the proper angle of the nozzle for printing on the pipe. l...x-y stage 2...nozzle 8...motor...guide shaft 5...feed screw 6...lifting motor?・p・Support frame 7a...Arm 7b...Support stand 7C...Stand 8...Paint tank 9...Terminal box 10...Control operation panel 11...CPU 12...X -Y-θ contraler 18... Frequency divider 14... Gate 14/... Latch circuit 15... Timer 16, 167... OR gate 17... Photocoupler 18... Switching element 19... ... Nozzle 20 ... Paint tank 21 ... ...X-axis motor 29...Y-axis motor 80...θ-axis motor. Patent Applicant: aXX Ray Talk Uniform Yosa Figure 2 Nail Figure 3 ('G)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] L: When moving a marker using an X-Y drive mechanism to print characters, symbols, etc., the nozzle of the marker is opened and closed and driven in the X-Y direction at appropriate timing. A marking method that prints characters or symbols of arbitrary size and thickness on a material to be marked by generating a series of dots or continuous line segments with a dot density. λ The marking method according to claim 1, characterized in that the dot size or line segment thickness is controlled by the length of the nozzle opening time, the level of paint supply pressure, and the distance between the nozzle and the material to be marked. . & When printing on a cylindrical or cylindrical material to be marked, set the nozzle in the X-Y position so that the tip of the nozzle always faces the center of the cylinder or column. The marking method according to claim 1, characterized in that the marking method is calculated and controlled based on the nozzle position of the X-Y drive stand. Table 1. The marking method according to claim 1, further comprising nozzle clogging prevention means for cleaning and drying the inside of the nozzle by appropriately switching the paint supply line, cleaning liquid supply line, and air supply line. . (v) an X-Y stage equipped with an X-Y drive means having a nozzle that can be opened and closed; a means for driving the X-Y stage in two-axis directions; A marking device comprising means for moving the angle device, and means provided near the nozzle for maintaining a desired distance between the tip of the nozzle and the marking surface of the material to be marked. .