Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DESCRIPTION
PROCESSING APPARATUS
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a processing apparatus for
intermittently halting and processing, at a predetermined processing
position, a belt-like work that is continuously carried in a predetermined
direction along which a plurality of processing positions are lined up.
Background Art
[0002] Conventional production lines for disposable diapers, for example,
include a plurality of processing positions aligned front-to-rear along
the horizontal direction. Semi-finished diapers are carried continuously
in the state of a continuously-formed belt-like work in the above-mentioned
front/rear direction, and during this course, various processes are
applied thereto at the respective processing positions and the work is
finally cut into units of products, thereby completing finished products.
[0003] In cases where press-working is to be applied at one of the
above-mentioned processing positions, carrying of the belt-like work will
be intermittently halted with every die-pressing motion using press dies.
This halt, however, affects the carrying at processing positions
immediately upstream and downstream of the press-working position. That
is, it is inevitable that the belt-like work will temporarily be halted
also at the immediately adjacent processing positions.
[0004] In this regard, a processing apparatus 90 disclosed in Japanese
Patent No. 3452577 allows to intermittently halt the carrying of the
belt-like work 1 only at the processing apparatus 90, without stopping
the carrying thereof at positions upstream and downstream of the processing
apparatus 90.
[0005] Describing this in detail, as shown in Fig. 1, the processing
apparatus 90 has a pair of rolls 91a, 91b lined up front-to-rear along
the horizontal direction. The belt-like work 1 is wound around the pair
of rolls 91a, 91b; thus, loops 1La, 1Lb consisting of the belt-like work
1 are formed thereon in the front/rear direction, and rotation of the
rolls 91a, 91b causes the belt-like work 1 to be carried forward at a
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predetermined carry speed Vt. Further, the pair of rolls 91a, 91b is
connected into a single unit by a separator 93 and is also reciprocatably
guided in the front/rear direction.
[0006] In this example, by translationally moving the pair of rolls 91a,
91b horizontally at a predetermined moving speed Vm in the rearward
direction which is opposite from the carrying direction of the belt-like
work 1 (refer to the chain double-dashed lines in Fig. 1) during the carrying
state of the belt-like work 1, the carry speed Vt and the moving speed
Vm cancel out one another and thus the absolute speed of the belt-like
work 1 in the front/rear direction becomes zero at a position Rl between
the pair of rolls 91a, 91b.
[0007] To make use of the above-described cancel-out relationship, the
processing apparatus 90 therefore arranges a processing section 95 in
the position R1 between the pair of rolls 91a, 91b and applies processing
using this processing section 95 while moving the pair of rolls 91a, 91b
rearwardly at the above-mentioned moving speed Vm. In this way, the
intermittently-halted state necessary for applying such processing is
realized at the processing apparatus 90, while maintaining the normal
continuous-carrying state at the processing positions upstream and
downstream of the processing apparatus 90.
Disclosure of Invention
Problem to be Solved by the Invention
[0008] The processing apparatus 90 of Japanese Patent No. 3452577, however,
merely realizes a pseudo-halted state of the belt-like work 1 by the
canceling between the carry speed Vt and the moving speed Vm, without
actually halting the carrying of the belt-like work 1. Therefore, there
is a possibility that the belt-like work 1 may slightly shift with respect
to the processing section 95 owing to synchronization failure between
the carry speed Vt and the moving speed Vm. In this case, the position
of the processing applied on the belt-like work 1 by the processing section
95 may deviate from the target position.
[0009] The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional
problem as that described above, and an object thereof is to provide a
processing apparatus that processes a work while intermittently halting
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the same without affecting the carrying of the work at upstream and
downstream processing positions, and that has superior processing
positional accuracy for processing the work.
Means for Solving the Problem
[0010] A main aspect of the invention for achieving the above-mentioned
obj ect is a processing apparatus for intermittently halting and processing,
at a processing position, a belt-like work that is continuously carried
along a predetermined direction, the processing apparatus including:
a processing section that is provided at the processing position and
that performs the processing on the work while the work is being halted;
an entering-side buffer mechanism that is provided upstream in the
predetermined direction from the processing section and that can
accumulate the work carried from upstream;
an exit-side buffer mechanism that is provided downstream in the
predetermined direction from the processing section and that can
accumulate the work having been processed and to be carried downstream;
and
a sending section that is provided between the entering-side buffer
mechanism and the processing section and that sends out the work
accumulated by the entering-side buffer mechanism to the processing
section;
the sending section,
by restricting the work, halting the work at the processing
position, and
performing simultaneously decrease of an accumulation amount
of work accumulated by the exit-side buffer mechanism and increase of
an accumulation amount of work accumulated by the entering-side buffer
mechanism in such a manner as the decrease in the accumulation amount
of the exit-side buffer mechanism and the increase in the accumulation
amount of the entering-side buffer mechanism equal to one another;
the sending section,
by canceling the restriction on the work, releasing the halt
of the work, and
performing simultaneously increase of the accumulation amount
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of the exit-side buffer mechanism and decrease of the accumulation amount
of the entering-side buffer mechanism in such a manner as the increase
in the accumulation amount of the exit-side buffer mechanism and the
decrease in the accumulation amount of the entering-side buffer mechanism
equal to one another.
[0011] Other features of the invention will be made clear by the description
of the present specification and accompanying drawings.
Effect of the Invention
[0012] The present invention can provide a processing apparatus that
processes a work while intermittently halting the same without affecting
the carrying of the work at upstream and downstream processing positions,
and that has superior processing positional accuracy for processing the
work.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0013] Fig. 1 is a side view showing an example of a conventional processing
apparatus 90.
Fig. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a continuous production line 5 to
which a processing apparatus 10 according to a first embodiment is applied.
Fig. 3 is a side view of the processing apparatus 10 according to the
first embodiment.
Figs. 4A to 4C are explanatory diagrams describing an oscillating motion
of a seesaw member 34 during the intermittent halt of a belt-like work
1.
Figs. 5A to 5C are explanatory diagrams describing an oscillating motion
of the seesaw member 34 when the intermittent halt of the belt-like work
1 is released.
Fig. 6 is a chart indicating a rotation speed V of a drive roll 31b.
Fig. 7 is a side view of a processing apparatus 10a according to a
second embodiment.
Fig. 8 is a side view of another embodiment of a processing apparatus
10.
List of Reference Numerals
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[0014] 1: belt-like work (work); la: portion; lb: portion;
5: continuous production line; 10: processing apparatus;
10a: processing apparatus; 20: press device (processing section);
21a: male die; 21b: female die; 30: intermittent carry device;
5 31: group of pass-line rolls; 31a: pass-line roll;
31b: drive roll (sending section); 31c: pressing roll;
31d: brake-equipped non-drive roll (sending section);
32: group of pass-line rolls; 32a: pass-line roll;
32b: pass-line roll; 34: seesaw member;
34a: entering-side roll (entering-side buffer mechanism);
34b: exit-side roll (exit-side buffer mechanism);
34c: oscillation central shaft;
36: air cylinder (oscillation drive device);
36a: piston; 41: pressing-motion monitoring sensor;
42: processing-target-section monitoring sensor;
43: oscillating-motion monitoring sensor;
43a: sensor at upper lower-limit position;
43b: sensor at lower lower-limit position;
90: processing apparatus; 91a: roll; 91b: roll; 93: separator;
95: processing section; 1La: loop; 1Lb: loop; Pn-l: processing position;
Pn: processing position; Pn+l: processing position; PL: pass line;
V: carry speed; Vin: entering-side carry speed;
Vout: exit-side carry speed; Al: normal range; A2: deceleration range;
A3: intermittent halt range; A4: acceleration range;
A5: deceleration range; Vt: carry speed; Vm: moving speed; R1: position
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
[0015] At least the following matters will be made clear by the description
of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.
[0016] A processing apparatus for intermittently halting and processing,
at a processing position, a belt-like work that is continuously carried
along a predetermined direction, includes:
a processing section that is provided at the processing position and
that performs the processing on the work while the work is being halted;
an entering-side buffer mechanism that is provided upstream in the
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predetermined direction from the processing section and that can
accumulate the work carried from upstream;
an exit-side buffer mechanism that is provided downstream in the
predetermined direction from the processing section and that can
accumulate the work having been processed and to be carried downstream;
and
a sending section that is provided between the entering-side buffer
mechanism and the processing section and that sends out the work
accumulated by the entering-side buffer mechanism to the processing
section;
the sending section,
by restricting the work, halting the work at the processing
position, and
performing simultaneously decrease of an accumulation amount
of work accumulated by the exit-side buffer mechanism and increase of
an accumulation amount of work accumulated by the entering-side buffer
mechanism in such a manner as the decrease in the accumulation amount
of the exit-side buffer mechanism and the increase in the accumulation
amount of the entering-side buffer mechanism equal to one another;
the sending section,
by canceling the restriction on the work, releasing the halt
of the work, and
performing simultaneously increase of the accumulation amount
of the exit-side buffer mechanism and decrease of the accumulation amount
of the entering-side buffer mechanism in such a manner as the increase
in the accumulation amount of the exit-side buffer mechanism and the
decrease in the accumulation amount of the entering-side buffer mechanism
equal to one another.
[0017] With such a processing apparatus, the accumulation amount of the
entering-side buffer mechanism and the exit-side buffer mechanism is
adjusted as described above. Thus, the processing apparatus can
intermittently halt the work while buffering the influence of the halting
of the work at the processing apparatus through adjustment of the
accumulation amount without causing the influence to spill over to the
processing positions located upstream and downstream of the processing
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apparatus--i.e., without affecting the carrying at processing positions
upstream and downstream of the processing apparatus whatsoever.
[0018] Further, processing is performed in a state where the carrying of
the work is halted owing to the sending section restricting the work.
Therefore, the work is at a complete stop and will not move, and thus,
processing can be applied with high accuracy at a target position on the
work to be processed.
[0019] Furthermore, while the work is being halted, the decrease in the
accumulation amount of the exit-side buffer mechanism and the increase
in the accumulation amount of the entering-side buffer mechanism are kept
equal to one another. Therefore, the tension of the work can be maintained
constant even during the halt. On the other hand, the increase in the
accumulation amount of the exit-side buffer mechanism and the decrease
in the accumulation amount of the entering-side buffer mechanism are also
kept equal to one another even when the halt of the work is released.
Therefore, the tension of the work can be maintained constant even during
the release.
[0020] In the above processing apparatus, it is preferable that: the
sending section is a roll; and the roll is a drive roll that carries the
work to the processing section by being driven to rotate while winding
the work from the entering-side buffer mechanism around an outer
circumferential surface of the roll.
[0021] With such a processing apparatus, the work is wound around the roll
and is carried by the driving rotation of the roll. Therefore, restricting
the rotation of the roll will reliably halt the work, and thus, the work
can reliably be brought to a carry-halt state.
[0022] In the above processing apparatus, it is preferable that: the
sending section includes a roll that is in contact with the work and a
pressing roll that is pressed against an outer circumferential surface
of the above-mentioned roll; and the work is carried sandwiched between
the roll and the pressing roll.
[0023] With such a processing apparatus, the responsiveness for halting
the carrying of the work with the roll can be improved.
[0024] In the above processing apparatus, it is preferable that: the
entering-side buffer mechanism accumulates the work carried from upstream
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by forming a loop consisting of the work in an intersecting direction
that intersects with the predetermined direction; and the exit-side buffer
mechanism accumulates the work having been processed and to be carried
downstream by forming, in the intersecting direction, a loop consisting
of the work having been processed.
[0025] With such a processing apparatus, the direction in which the loops
of the entering-side buffer mechanism and the exit-side buffer mechanism
are formed is in the intersecting direction, which intersects with the
predetermined direction. Thus, the processing apparatus can be kept from
becoming large in size in the predetermined direction along with the
formation of the loops . In other words, the entire length of the processing
apparatus can be kept short with respect to the predetermined direction
which is the direction in which the work is carried.
[0026] In the above processing apparatus, it is preferable that the
intersecting direction is a direction orthogonal to the predetermined
direction.
[0027] With such a processing apparatus, the entire length of the
processing apparatus can be minimized with respect to the predetermined
direction.
[0028] In the above processing apparatus, it is preferable that: the
entering-side buffer mechanism includes an entering-side roll that is
reciprocatably guided in the intersecting direction, and the loop is formed
by winding the work around the entering-side roll; the exit-side buffer
mechanism includes an exit-side roll that is reciprocatably guided in
the intersecting direction, and the loop is formed by winding the work
having been processed around the exit-side roll; and the entering-side
roll and the exit-side roll move in the intersecting direction interlocked
with one another, and move in opposite directions from one another at
the same speed when moving in the intersecting direction.
[0029] With such a processing apparatus, the entering-side roll and the
exit-side roll carry out opposite motions with respect to one another
in the intersecting direction. Thus, the total amount of the length of
the work accumulated by the entering-side roll and the length of the work
accumulated by the exit-side roll is always kept constant, regardless
of whether the work is being intermittently halted or the halt is released.
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Accordingly, it is possible to reliably achieve synchronization between
the carry speed of the work both at positions upstream and downstream
of the processing apparatus while keeping the tension of the work constant.
In other words, it is possible to pass the work having been processed
on to the downstream processing position at the same carry speed as the
carry speed of the work received from the upstream processing position,
while effectively reducing any change in tension of the work.
[0030] Incidentally, the above can also be stated as follows. Since the
entering-side roll and the exit-side roll carry out opposite motions with
respect to one another in the intersecting direction, the decrease in
the accumulation amount of the exit-side buffer mechanism and the increase
in the accumulation amount of the entering-side buffer mechanism can be
kept equal to one another while the work is being halted, and on the other
hand, the increase in the accumulation amount of the exit-side buffer
mechanism and the decrease in the accumulation amount of the entering-side
buffer mechanism can be kept equal to one another when the halt of the
work is released. As a result, the tension of the work can be maintained
constant both during the halt of the work and during the release of the
halt.
[0031] In the above processing apparatus, it is preferable that: the
processing apparatus further includes a seesaw member that oscillates
about a predetermined axis, wherein both the entering-side roll and the
exit-side roll are mounted on the seesaw member, and wherein the axis
is located at a midpoint between a position where the entering-side roll
is mounted and a position where the exit-side roll is mounted.
[0032] With such a processing apparatus, the above-mentioned
opposite-motion relationship in the intersecting direction between the
entering-side roll and the exit-side roll can easily be created by the
oscillating motion of the seesaw member, thus simplifying the
configuration of the processing apparatus.
[0033] In the above processing apparatus, it is preferable that: the
entering-side buffer mechanism includes a plurality of the entering-side
rolls for forming the loop of the work by winding the work around the
entering-side rolls in a zigzag form; and the exit-side buffer mechanism
includes a plurality of the exit-side rolls for forming the loop of the
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work having been processed by winding the processed work around the
exit-side rolls in a zigzag form.
With such a processing apparatus, the oscillation stroke amount of
the seesaw member can be reduced, compared to a case where the loops are
5 not formed in a zigzag form, i. e. , a case where one each of the entering-
side
roll and the exit-side roll is provided and each roll forms a single loop.
Thus, it is possible to reduce the oscillating motion speed and thereby
reduce the impact upon vertically reversing the oscillating motion.
[0034] In the above processing apparatus, it is preferable that a motion
10 for increasing the accumulation amount of the exit-side buffer mechanism
and a motion for decreasing the accumulation amount of the entering-side
buffer mechanism performed upon releasing the halt of the work are achieved
by making a carry speed at which the work is carried between the
entering-side buffer mechanism and the exit-side buffer mechanism faster
than both a carry speed at which the work is carried on a side upstream
from the entering-side buffer mechanism and a carry speed at which the
work having been processed is carried on a side downstream from the
exit-side buffer mechanism.
[0035] With such a processing apparatus, the above-described motions of
the entering-side buffer mechanism and the exit-side buffer mechanism
can be achieved reliably while the halt of the work is released.
__= FIRST EMBODIMENT =__
[0036] Fig. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a continuous production line 5
to which a processing apparatus 10 according to the present first
embodiment is applied. Fig. 3 is a side view of the processing apparatus
10. Below, the vertical direction is referred to also as the up/down
direction, and the horizontal direction orthogonal to the vertical
direction is referred to also as the front/rear direction. Incidentally,
the "front" of the front/rear direction is the downstream side of the
carrying direction of the belt-like work 1, and the "rear" is the upstream
side of the same. Further, the upstream side of the processing apparatus
10 is referred to also as the entering side, and the downstream side of
the same is referred to also as the exit side.
[0037] As shown in Fig. 2, the continuous production line 5 includes a
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plurality of processing positions P1, P2,... arranged front-to-rear along
the horizontal direction, which serves as a predetermined direction. At
each processing position P1, P2,..., appropriate processing is successively
applied on a semi-finished belt-like work 1 that is carried continuously,
to thereby complete finished products.
[0038] As shown in Fig. 3, the processing apparatus 10 according to the
first embodiment is incorporated into one processing position Pn (in this
example, a position for press-working the belt-like work 1) of the
plurality of processing positions P1, P2,.... The belt-like work 1 is drawn
into the processing apparatus 10 from an immediately upstream processing
position Pn-1 at an entering-side carry speed Vin, and on the other hand,
after being subjected to predetermined processing by the processing
apparatus 10, the work is drawn out toward an immediately downstream
processing position Pn+1 at an exit-side carry speed Vout.
[0039] According to the constant mass flow principle, the entering-side
carry speed Vin and the exit-side carry speed Vout of the processing
apparatus 10 should basically be equal to one another; however, in cases
where the belt-like work 1 is a stretchable material such as nonwoven
fabric, the entering-side carry speed Vin and the exit-side carry speed
Vout may differ from one another owing to the stretching deformation of
the material, and for example, the entering- side carry speed Vin may range
from 95% to 1050-. of the exit-side carry speed Vout. The explanation below,
however, is based on the premise that the entering-side carry speed Vin
and the exit-side carry speed Vout are controlled in such a manner that
they are equal to one another and are at a reference speed V0.
[0040] Incidentally, the processing carried out by the processing
apparatus 10 is, for example, press-working. It is therefore necessary
to intermittently halt the carrying of the belt-like work 1 during this
press-working. The processing apparatus 10, however, is devised so that
it can keep the entering-side carry speed Vin and the exit-side carry
speed Vout constant at approximately the above-mentioned reference speed
V0, regardless of the intermittent halt. In other words, this processing
apparatus 10 allows intermittent carrying to be performed only at the
processing apparatus 10, while continuously carrying the belt-like work
1 at the immediately upstream and downstream processing positions Pn-1,
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Pn+l without stopping the carrying thereat whatsoever. The following
describes the processing apparatus 10 in detail.
[0041] The processing apparatus 10 includes: a press device 20, which
serves as a processing section, for applying press-working on the belt-like
work 1; an intermittent carry device 30 for intermittently carrying the
belt-like work 1 along a horizontal pass line PL and making the work pass
the position of the press device 20 with every pressing motion of the
press device 20; a group of sensors 41, 42, 43 for detecting the state
of the press device 20 and the intermittent carry device 30 ; and a controller
(not shown) for controlling the press device 20 and the intermittent carry
device 30 in cooperation with one another based on the detection results
of the group of sensors 41, 42, 43.
[0042] The press device 20 includes, for example, a male die 21a that can
be driven to ascend/descend up and down in the vertical direction, and
a female die 21b arranged below the male die 21a in opposition thereto.
The pass line PL is set between the male and female dies 21a, 21b with
respect to the up/down direction. A section targeted for processing
("processing target section") of the belt-like work 1 is carried in the
horizontal direction along the pass line, and then, while the carrying
is being intermittently halted, the male die 21a descends toward the female
die 21b and sandwiches and presses the processing target section of the
belt-like work 1, to thus apply press-working. When the male die 21a
ascends and the pressing motion is finished, the carrying motion of the
belt-like work 1 is resumed, and the press device 20 stays on standby
until the subsequent processing target section of the belt-like work 1
moves below the male die 21a and halts. Note that in this example, a
hydraulic cylinder (not shown) is employed as a drive source of the
ascending/descending motion of the male die 21a, but the invention is
not limited thereto.
[0043] The intermittent carry device 30 includes: groups of pass-line rolls
31, 32 that form the horizontal pass line PL for the belt-like work 1
with respect to the press device 20; an entering-side buffer mechanism
34a that is provided on the upstream side of the press device 20 and that
can accumulate the belt-like work 1 in a state strung like a loop that
is convex downward in the vertical direction; and an exit-side buffer
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mechanism 34b that is provided on the downstream side of the press device
20 and that can accumulate the press-worked belt-like work 1 in a state
strung like a loop that is convex downward in the vertical direction.
[0044] The groups of pass-line rolls 31, 32 mainly consist, for example,
of a pair of pass-line rolls 31a, 31b arranged at the same height and
on the upstream side of the press device 20, and a pair of pass-line rolls
32a, 32b arranged at the same height and on the downstream side of the
press device 20. The belt-like work 1 is passed over and supported by
the pass-line rolls 31a, 31b, 32a, 32b, and thereby the horizontal pass
line PL for the belt-like work 1 is formed stretching across the press
device 20 front-to-rear in the horizontal direction.
[0045] Among these pass-line rolls 31a, 31b, 32a, 32b, only the roll 31b
immediately upstream of the press device 20 (also referred to below as
a drive roll) is a drive roll that can be driven to rotate by a drive
source such as a servomotor, and the other rolls are driven rolls that
are not driven. Accordingly, the carry state of the belt-like work 1 in
the press device 20 is controlled by controlling the rotational speed
of the drive roll 31b (which corresponds to a "sending section"). That
is, when the drive roll 31b rotates, the belt-like work 1 in the press
device 20 is carried, and on the other hand, when the drive roll 31b halts,
the carrying of the belt-like work 1 in the press device 20 also halts.
With the present processing apparatus 10, since the above-mentioned
press-working is performed under this carry-halt state, the press-working
can be applied accurately at a target position on the belt-like work 1.
[0046] Note that a pressing roll 31c that followingly rotates about a
rotation axis parallel to that of the drive roll 31b is pressed against
the outer circumferential surface of the drive roll alb at a predetermined
pressing pressure. Being sandwiched between the drive roll 31b and the
pressing roll 31c, the belt-like work 1 is carried without causing any
relative slippage with the drive roll 31b. Thus, the responsiveness of
the carrying motion of the belt-like work 1 by the drive roll 31b is improved,
and as a result, the halt position accuracy of the belt-like work 1 is
improved.
[0047] The entering-side buffer mechanism 34a and the exit-side buffer
mechanism 34b employ, as their main body, a seesaw member 34 whose
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respective ends in the front and rear in the horizontal direction can
oscillate up and down about an oscillation central shaft 34c. The ends
of the seesaw member respectively have a pair of rolls 34a, 34b that are
equal in diameter and weight and that are for forming the loops of the
belt-like work 1. In this state, the seesaw member 34 is in balance such
that it can rotate back and forth about the oscillation central shaft
34c that is located in the middle of the rolls 34a, 34b. The rolls 34a,
34b are respectively located at a position between the pair of pass-line
rolls 31a, 31b and at a position between the pair of pass-line rolls 32a,
32b. Accordingly, the rolls 34a, 34b respectively have a portion la of
the belt-like work 1 passed over between the pair of pass-line rolls 31a,
31b and a portion lb of the belt-like work 1 passed over between the pair
of pass-line rolls 32a, 32b wound around the respective rolls 34a, 34b
from below.
[0048] Therefore, when the seesaw member 34 rotates to oscillate, the
amount of the loop (the accumulation amount) of the belt-like work 1 formed
by the descending roll 34b (34a) increases, thereby accumulating the
belt-like work 1; on the other hand, the amount of the loop (the accumulation
amount) of the belt-like work 1 formed by the ascending roll 34a (34b)
decreases, thereby sending out the belt-like work 1. That is, the roll
34a of the entering-side buffer mechanism and the roll 34b of the exit-side
buffer mechanism always move in an opposite-motion relationship with one
another. As a result, the total amount of the length of the loops formed
by these rolls 34a, 34b is always kept constant, and thus, it is possible
to reliably achieve synchronization between the entering-side carry speed
Vin and the exit-side carry speed Vout of the processing apparatus 10
while keeping the tension of the belt-like work 1 constant.
[0049] The following describes this in detail. First, the initial state
is a state where a loop is greatly accumulated on the roll 34b of the
exit-side buffer mechanism whereas there is almost no loop on the roll
34a of the entering-side buffer mechanism, as shown with the solid lines
in Fig. 3. Even if, in this state, the rotation of the drive roll 31b
is restricted by the servomotor and halted in order to intermittently
halt the carrying of the belt-like work 1 in the press device 20, it is
still necessary to send out the belt-like work 1 to the downstream
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processing position Pn+1 at the exit-side carry speed Vout, regardless
of the halted state. In this case, the roll 34b of the exit-side buffer
mechanism (also referred to below as an "exit-side roll") is raised upward
owing to the tension of the belt-like work 1, and thus, the belt-like
5 work 1 is sent out from the loop of the exit-side buffer mechanism, as
shown in Figs. 4A to 4C. In this way, it is possible to send out the
belt-like work 1 at the carry speed Vout equal to the reference speed
V0, regardless of the halt of the drive roll 31b.
[0050] On the other hand, at this time, the roll 34a of the entering-side
10 buffer mechanism (also referred to below as an "entering-side roll") which
is at its upper-limit position descends and accumulates the belt-like
work 1, which is carried from the upstream processing position Pn-1, into
a downwardly-convex loop shape while pulling the work downward, as shown
in Figs. 4A to 4C. Note here that the entering-side roll 34a is also
15 provided on the seesaw member 34, alike the exit-side roll 34b. Therefore,
the descending motion of the entering-side roll 34a takes place
simultaneously and in parallel with the above-mentioned ascending motion
of the exit-side roll 34b, as an opposite motion thereof, without any
delay in motion. That is, the entering-side roll 34a descends at the same
speed as the ascending speed of the exit-side roll 34b, and the descending
amount thereof is the same as the ascending amount of the roll 34b. Thus,
the amount of the belt-like work 1 accumulated by the roll 34a of the
entering-side buffer mechanism becomes equal to the amount of the belt-like
work 1 sent out from the roll 34b of the exit-side buffer mechanism. As
a result, it is possible to make the entering-side carry speed Vin and
the exit-side carry speed Vout almost equal; in other words, it is possible
to reliably achieve synchronization between the entering-side carry speed
Vin and the exit-side carry speed Vout.
[0051] Note that, when this intermittently-halted state is cancelled, the
restriction on the rotation of the drive roll 31b is also cancelled--that
is, the rotation is resumed--and thus, the belt-like work 1 in the press
device 20 is carried until it reaches the subsequent intermittent-halt
position. During this carrying, however, it is necessary to return the
seesaw member 34 from the state shown in Fig. 4C to the initial state
shown in Fig. 4A in preparation for the subsequent intermittent halt;
CA 02703669 2010-04-23
16
this return to the initial state is achieved by setting the carry speed
V of the belt-like work 1 in the press device 20 for the intermittent
carrying.
[0052] More specifically, when the intermittent halt is released, the drive
roll 31b starts to rotate again as shown in Fig. 5A. Here, the rotation
speed V thereof at this time is set higher than the entering-side carry
speed Vin and the exit-side carry speed Vout. Accordingly, as shown in
Figs. 5A to 5C, the belt-like work 1 in the press device 20 is carried
at a speedy faster than the entering-side carry speed Vin and the exit-side
carry speed Vout, and thus, the amount of belt-like work 1 sent out from
the entering-side roll 34a becomes larger than the amount of belt-like
work 1 supplied to the entering-side roll 34a at the entering-side carry
speed Vin, thereby making the amount of work at the entering-side roll
run short. As a result, the amount of the loop at the entering-side roll
34a decreases, and the entering-side roll 34a ascends from its lower-limit
position to its upper-limit position. On the other hand, the belt-like
work 1 is sent out from the exit-side roll 34b, which is at its upper-limit
position, at the carry speed Vout. However, since the belt-like work 1
is supplied to the exit-side roll 34b at a speed V faster than the carry
speed Vout, the belt-like work 1 becomes oversupplied. As a result, the
amount of the loop at the exit-side roll 34b increases, and the exit-side
roll 34bdescends from its upper-limit position to its lower-limit position.
In other words, the seesaw member 34 carries out a seesawing motion in
which the entering-side roll 34a ascends and the exit-side roll 34b
descends, and in this way, the seesaw member 34 returns to the
above-described initial state.
[0053] As shown in Fig. 3, the group of sensors 41, 42, 43 includes a
pressing-motion monitoring sensor 41 for monitoring the pressing motion
of the press device 20, a processing-target-section monitoring sensor
42 for monitoring the position of the processing target section on the
belt-like work 1, and an oscillating-motion monitoring sensor 43 for
monitoring the oscillating motion of the seesaw member 34.
[0054] The pressing-motion monitoring sensor 41 is, for example, a
proximity switch provided at the upper-limit position of the male die
21a and outputs a detection signal every time the male die 21a reaches
CA 02703669 2010-04-23
17
the upper-limit position. The processing-target-section monitoring
sensor 42 is a sensor that is arranged immediately upstream of the press
device 20 and that outputs a detection signal every time the sensor detects
a mark indicating a processing location (referred to below as a
"processing-location mark") formed on the belt-like work 1 at a
predetermined pitch. An example thereof includes a photoelectric tube
that outputs a signal having an intensity corresponding to the amount
of light received. The oscillating-motion monitoring sensor 43 is, for
example, a proximity switch provided near the lower-limit position of
the exit-side roll 34b of the seesaw member 34, and the proximity switch
outputs a detection signal when the exit-side roll 34b reaches the
lower-limit position. Note here that two positions--an upper lower-limit
position, and a lower lower-limit position situated slightly below the
upper lower-limit position--are set as the lower-limit position, and
proximity switches 43a, 43b are respectively arranged at those positions.
[0055] The controller is a suitable sequencer and/or a computer, and
controls the various drive sources relating to the processing apparatus
10 based on the detection results output from the above-described group
of sensors 41, 42, 43. More specifically, the controller controls the
hydraulic cylinder that drives the male die 21a of the press device 20
so that it ascends and descends, and controls the rotational speed of
the servomotor, which serves as the drive source of the drive roll 31b.
[0056] With the processing apparatus 10 configured as above, rotating the
drive roll 31b as described below allows the belt-like work 1 to be
intermittently carried in the press device 20 and press-working to be
applied to the belt-like work 1 at an appropriate pitch while maintaining
the carry speed Vin, Vout of the belt-like work 1 at the respective
processing positions Pn-1,Pn+1 upstream and downstream of the press device
20 at the normal reference speed V0.
[0057] Fig. 6 is a chart showing the rotation speed V of the drive roll
31b. The horizontal axis indicates time, and the vertical axis indicates
speed (meters/second). Note that, since the carrying of the belt-like
work 1 in the press device 20 is controlled by the drive roll 31b, the
vertical axis of Fig. 6 also indicates the carry speed V of the belt-like
work 1 for carrying the work in the press device 20.
CA 02703669 2010-04-23
18
[0058] First, in the initial state, it is assumed that the entering-side
roll 34a and the exit-side roll 34b of the seesaw member 34 are respectively
located at the upper-limit position and the lower-limit position as shown
with the solid lines in Fig. 3, and the belt-like work 1 in the press
device 20 is being carried by the drive roll 31b at the reference speed
VO equal to the entering-side carry speed Vin and the exit-side carry
speed Vout.
[0059] When a detection signal indicating detection of a
processing-location mark on the belt-like work 1 is transmitted from the
processing-target-section monitoring sensor 42 during the normal range
Al of Fig. 6 in which carrying is performed in the initial state, the
controller halts the rotation of the drive roll 31b according to a
predetermined deceleration pattern as shown in the deceleration range
A2 of Fig. 6, to thus intermittently halt the carrying of the belt-like
work 1 in the press device 20.
[0060] During this intermittent halt A3, the controller makes the press
device 20 perform its pressing motion (Fig. 4B).
[0061] Note that during this intermittent halt A3, the seesaw member 34
performs its oscillating motion from the initial state (Fig. 4A) to the
opposite state (Fig. 4C) as described above (that is, the entering-side
roll 34a descends while the exit-side roll 34b ascends) . Thus, it is
possible to receive the belt-like work 1 sent in from the upstream
processing position Pn-1 at the reference speed VO in its stretched-out
state and to send out the belt-like work 1 to the downstream processing
position Pn+l at the reference speed VO. Therefore, the carrying state
at the respective upstream and downstream processing positions Pn-1, Pn+1
is not interrupted whatsoever by the intermittent halt.
[0062] When receiving a signal indicating completion of the pressing motion
from the pressing-motion monitoring sensor 41 after awhile, the controller
resumes the rotation of the drive roll 31b. At this time, however, as
shown in the acceleration range A4 of Fig. 6, the controller increases
the rotation speed according to a predetermined acceleration pattern up
to a speed faster than the reference speed VO in order to make the speed
eventually faster than the entering-side carry speed vin and the exit-side
carry speed Vout, to thus return the seesaw member 34 in the state shown
CA 02703669 2010-04-23
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in Fig. 5A back to the initial state shown in Fig. 5C and prepare for
the intermittent halt of the subsequent pressing motion.
[0063] Note that the fact that the seesaw member has returned to its initial
state (Fig. 5C) is detected by the oscillating-motion monitoring sensor
43. This is described in detail. Immediately before returning to the
initial state, the exit-side roll 34b first passes the position of the
sensor 43a at the upper lower-limit position, and therefore, the sensor
43a at the upper lower-limit position sends a detection signal. Then,
the controller starts to decelerate the drive roll 31b, as shown in the
deceleration range A5 of Fig. 6. Then, when the exit-side roll 34b reaches
the lower lower-limit position and the sensor 43b at the lower lower-limit
position sends a detection signal, the controller sets the rotation speed
of the drive roll 3lb to the reference speed V0, which completes a single
processing cycle.
[0064] After this, the above-described processing cycle is repeated every
time the processing-target-section monitoring sensor 42 detects a
processing-location mark on the belt-like work 1.
__= SECOND EMBODIMENT =__
[0065] Fig. 7 is a side view of a processing apparatus l0a according to
a second embodiment. In the above-described first embodiment, the drive
roll 31b controlled the carrying state of the belt-like work 1 in the
press device 20. In the present second embodiment, the carrying state
is controlled by a brake-equipped non-drive roll 31d provided in place
of the drive roll 31b and an oscillation drive device 36 for driving the
seesaw member 34 to oscillate. Note that the features other than the above
are almost the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus explanation
thereon is omitted.
[0066] The brake-equipped non-drive roll 31d includes a non-drive roll
31d installed at the same position as the drive roll 31b in place thereof,
and a brake mechanism (not shown) of, for example, the drum-type or the
disk-type for braking the rotation of the non-drive roll 31d. Accordingly,
when the brake mechanism is not in operation, the non-drive roll 31d rotates
along with the carrying of the belt-like work 1 which is in contact with
the roll, whereas when the brake mechanism is in operation, not only is
CA 02703669 2010-04-23
the roll itself halted, but the belt-like work 1 in contact therewith
is also halted.
[0067] The oscillation drive device 36 is, for example, an air cylinder,
and the tip end of its piston 36a is connected to the seesaw member 34.
5 Thus, by supplying compressed air (pressurized air) from a predetermined
compressed-air source to a cylinder chamber in the air cylinder via a
diverter valve such as a solenoid valve, it is possible to oscillate the
seesaw member 34 up and down via the ascending/descending motion of the
piston 36a.
10 [0068] The non-drive roll 31d and the oscillation drive device 36 are
controlled by the above-described controller, and thus, the belt-like
work 1 is intermittently carried in the press device 20 as follows.
[0069] As in the above example, explanation is made based on the assumption
that the processing apparatus 10a is in the initial state shown in Fig.
15 3. More specifically, the entering-side roll 34a and the exit-side roll
34b of the seesaw member 34 are respectively located at the upper-limit
position and the lower-limit position as shown by the solid lines in Fig.
7, and the belt-like work 1 in the press device 20 is pulled by the downstream
processing position Pn+l and thus carried at the reference speed VO equal
20 to the entering-side carry speed Vin and the exit-side carry speed Vout.
[0070] When a detection signal indicating detection of a
processing-location mark is transmitted from the
processing-target-section monitoring sensor 42 while performing the
carrying in the initial state, the controller activates the brake mechanism
to restrict and stop the rotation of the non-drive roll 31d, to thus
intermittently halt the carrying of the belt-like work 1 in the press
device 20.
[0071] Then, during this intermittent halt, the controller makes the press
device 20 perform its pressing motion.
[0072] Note that during this intermittent halt, the cylinder chamber of
the air cylinder 36 is cut off from the compressed-air source by the diverter
valve and opened to the atmosphere, and thus, the seesaw member 34 is
brought to a state where it can freely oscillate owing to even the slightest
load. Thus, the exit-side roll 34b of the seesaw member 34 is raised by
the tension of the belt-like work 1 and ascends, whereas the entering-side
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roll 34a performs the opposite motion and descends. In other words, the
seesaw member 34 performs its oscillating motion from the initial state
shown with the solid lines in Fig. 7 to the opposite state shown with
the chain double-dashed lines. Thus, the seesaw member 34 can receive
the belt-like work 1 sent in from the upstream processing position Pn-1
at the entering-side carry speed Vin in its stretched-out state and send
out the belt-like work 1 to the downstream processing position Pn+l at
the exit-side carry speed Vout. Therefore, the carrying state at the
respective upstream and downstream processing positions Pn-1, Pn+1 is
not interrupted whatsoever by the intermittent halt.
[0073] Then, when receiving a signal indicating completion of the pressing
motion from the pressing-motion monitoring sensor 41, the controller
releases the brake on the non-drive roll 31d (i. e. , cancels the restriction
on the rotation) . Then, the non-drive roll 31d comes to rotate along with
the belt-like work 1 carried by being pulled by the downstream processing
position Pn+l. During this carrying, however, it is necessary to return
the seesaw member 34 to the initial state shown with the solid lines (i.e.,
to the state in which the entering-side roll 34a is at the upper-limit
position and the exit-side roll 34b is at the lower-limit position) in
preparation for the subsequent intermittent halt. To do so, the controller
switches the diverter valve and supplies the compressed air from the
compressed-air source to the cylinder chamber of the air cylinder 36,
thereby extending the piston 36a of the air cylinder 36 and oscillating
the seesaw member 34, i. e . , raising the entering-side roll 34a and lowering
the exit-side roll 34b.
[0074] Note that the fact that the seesaw member has returned to its initial
state is detected by the oscillating-motion monitoring sensor 43. This
is described in detail. Immediately before returning to the initial state,
the exit-side roll 34b passes the position of the sensor 43a at the upper
lower-limit position. Therefore, when the sensor 43a at the upper
lower-limit position sends a detection signal, the controller first starts
to decelerate the extending motion of the piston 36a of the air cylinder
36. Then, when the exit-side roll 34b reaches the lower lower-limit
position and the sensor 43b at the lower lower-limit position sends a
detection signal, the controller halts the extending motion of the air
CA 02703669 2010-04-23
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cylinder 36, which completes a single processing cycle.
[0075] Incidentally, the above-described second embodiment uses a
brake-equipped non-drive roll 31d for intermittently halting the
belt-like work 1 and releasing the same. It is instead possible to use
a simple non-drive roll (driven roll) having no brake mechanism. In this
case, however, a separate mechanism for restricting and halting the
belt-like work 1 becomes necessary. An example thereof may include a nip
mechanism that is arranged immediately downstream of the non-drive roll
and that includes a pair of upper and lower nipping members provided so
that they can nip the belt-like work if rom above and below. When halting
the carrying of the belt-like work 1, the pair of upper and lower nipping
members moves toward one another and nips the belt-like work 1, to thereby
restrict the downstream movement of the belt-like work 1. On the other
hand, when resuming the carrying of the belt-like work 1, the nipping
members move away from one another to thus cancel the nipped state of
the belt-like work 1, thereby canceling the restriction on the movement
of the belt-like work 1.
__= OTHER EMBODIMENTS =__
[0076] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described
above, the invention is not limited to those embodiments, and modifications
such as those described below are possible.
[0077] The foregoing embodiments describe, as methods for returning the
seesaw member 34 to the initial state, an example in which the drive roll
31b is rotated rapidly, and an example in which the seesaw member 34 is
moved by the air cylinder 36. The invention, however, is not limited
thereto whatsoever, and it is possible, for example, to use a cam mechanism
such as a plate cam to return the seesaw member 34 to the initial state.
[0078] The foregoing embodiments illustrate a configuration in which the
entering-side roll 34a serving as the entering-side buffer mechanism and
the exit-side roll 34b serving as the exit-side buffer mechanism are
connected into a single unit by the seesaw member 34. The invention,
however, is not limited thereto whatsoever, as long as the two members
carry out opposite motions interlocked with one another. That is, the
two members do not have to be connected together by the seesaw member
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34.
[0079] For example, the entering-side roll 34a and the exit-side roll 34b
may be configured so that they are reciprocatably guided in the up/down
direction respectively, for example, by suitable guide rails and that
the entering-side roll 34a and the exit-side roll 34b can ascend/descend
up and down by a drive source such as an air cylinder. However, it is
needless to say that, when the entering-side roll 34a and the exit-side
roll 34b move in the up/down direction, the entering-side roll 34a and
the exit-side roll 34b are controlled to move interlocked with one
another--i.e., are controlled to move in opposite directions from one
another at the same speed.
[0080] The foregoing embodiments do not particularly describe the
materials etc. for the belt-like work 1. However, any belt-like element
having moderate flexibility is applicable, and examples thereof may
include nonwoven fabrics, woven fabrics, sheets, and film-like elements.
Materials therefor may include resins, such as synthetic resins, and pulp.
[0081] The foregoing embodiments give press-working as an example of
processing applied to the belt-like work 1. The invention, however, is
not limited thereto whatsoever, and for example, the processing may include
embossing for applying projecting-and-depressed patterns through
pressing with dies, and sealing for melt-joining the belt-like work 1.
[0082] In the foregoing embodiments, one entering-side roll 34a and one
exit-side roll 34b are provided on the seesaw member 34 to thus form a
single downwardly-convex loop on each roll. It is, however, possible to
increase the number of loops to two or more. For example, as shown in
Fig. 8, two zigzag loops of belt-like work 1 may be formed by providing
two each of the entering-side rolls 34a and the exit-side rolls 34b on
the seesaw member 34 and providing respective fixed rolls 35 (rolls that
are fixed at a predetermined position so that they do not move) between
the entering-side rolls 34a, 34a and between the exit-side rolls 34b,
34b. Note that increasing the number of loops to two or more allows the
stroke amount of the oscillating motion of the seesaw member 34 to be
reduced compared to a case where the number of loops is one, and thus,
it is possible to reduce the oscillating motion speed and thereby reduce
the impact upon vertically reversing the oscillating motion.
