The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a hollow molded article like a fuel tank to be carried on an automobile and a method of manufacturing the hollow molded article.
Various parts contingent on a fuel tank are incorporated in the fuel tank of an automobile as a hollow molded article. The various parts include parts concerning a valve and a pump, a part to secure the strength of the fuel tank, a part to suppress waving of the fuel, and the like. When such built-in parts are attached onto the inner wall of the fuel tank, considering labor and the like for the attachment work, it is better that built-in parts are attached during a manufacturing process for the fuel tank than the built-in parts are attached after the manufacturing of the fuel tank is finished.
There is a manufacturing apparatus described, for example, in the patent literature 1 as a related art for attaching a built-in part in the manufacturing process for a fuel tank. A fuel tank is manufactured by this manufacturing apparatus as follows. First, two sheet-like parisons are made, and the parisons are disposed to be hung down one by one on both sides of a center die provided with built-in parts. Then, the center die is held between respective recessed portion sides of a pair of molding dies via respective side parisons, and the molding dies are pushed toward the center die in directions where the molding dies approach each other, so that these dies are tightly closed.
Vacuuming is performed for the inside of the closed molding dies and the parisons are transferred to the recessed portions. Then, the built-in parts are attached to the transferred parisons by an actuator in the center die. After this, the center die is retreated while moving the respective molding dies in directions to leave from each other. In the end, the two molding dies are pushed against each other so that the respective recessed portion sides of the molding dies face each other. Thereby, a closed space is formed in the parisons. Accordingly, a fuel tank provided with built-in parts is manufactured.
Patent literature 1: JP 2012-187843 A
However, because the manufacturing apparatus in the patent literature 1 is provided with the center die, it brings about upsizing of the whole of the apparatus. Furthermore, a space to retreat the center die is also necessary. Therefore, there has been a problem that a wide setting space for the manufacturing apparatus is necessary.
The present invention is created to solve such problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method for a hollow molded article capable of downsizing the manufacturing apparatus and reducing the space for setting the manufacturing apparatus.
In order to solve the problems, the present invention provides an apparatus including: a first molding device having a pair of molding dies disposed to position a sheet-like parison being in a plane state between the first molding dies, the device being a device to transform a portion of the sheet-like parison into a predetermined shape; a second molding device juxtaposed with the first molding device and having a pair of molding dies disposed to position the sheet-like parison between the second molding dies, the device being a device to transform a different portion of the sheet-like parison different from the portion into a predetermined shape; a fixing device disposed in at least one of the first molding device and the second molding device, the device being a device to fix a part to the transformed sheet-like parison; a cutting device to cut the sheet-like parison at a position between the portion transformed by the first molding device and the different portion transformed by the second molding device; and a moving device to relatively move the first molding device and the second molding device so that after cutting by the cutting device, a molding die of the first molding device and a molding die of the second molding device face each other and the molding dies are clamped.
According to the present invention, a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method for a hollow molded article, which realize downsizing the manufacturing apparatus for a hollow molded article and can reduce the space for setting the manufacturing apparatus, can be provided.
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.
The manufacturing apparatus 10 shown in
Furthermore, the manufacturing apparatus 10 includes the recessed molding die (molding die) 17a, a molding die 18b, a molding die 18a, and the recessed molding die 17b. The recessed molding die 17a is fixed on the upper moving carriage 14a on the outer rail portion 11, and has the recessed portion on a surface opposite to the fixing surface. The molding die 18b is fixed on the lower moving carriage 14b, and has two piston portions 19 on a surface opposite to the fixing surface. The molding die 18a is fixed on the upper moving carriage 15a on the other outer rail portion 12, and has two piston portions 19 on a surface opposite to the fixing surface. The recessed molding die 17b is fixed on the lower moving carriage 15b, and has the recessed portion on a surface opposite to the fixing surface.
In such a structure, the recessed molding die 17a and the molding die 18a located upper on the respective outer rail portions 11, 12 face each other with a predetermined distance. In the same state as this, the lower molding die 18b and recessed molding die 17b also face each other with the predetermined distance. In this gap G having the predetermined distance, a sheet-like parison P is hung down to a position near the lower ends of the outer rail portions 11, 12. Note that, the gap G is a gap where the sheet-like parison P can be hung without coming into contact with anywhere.
The upper recessed molding die 17a and molding die 18a are a first molding device which consists of a pair facing each other while positioning the sheet-like parison P between the pair. The lower recessed molding die 17b and molding die 18b are a second molding device which consists of a pair facing each other while positioning the sheet-like parison P between the pair.
Note that, the respective recessed molding dies 17a, 17b and the respective molding dies 18a, 18b are attachable to and detachable from the moving carriages 14a, 15b, 15a, 14b.
Furthermore, the sheet-like parison P is a multi-layer plastic sheet having a barrier layer, a thermoplastic resin layer, and so on. The sheet-like parison P is, not shown, formed by cutting a parison having a cylindrical shape being hung in the vertical direction along one cutting line of a vertical line, and opening the parison to be one sheet-like parison. And furthermore, one sheet-like parison can be formed by using a known molding device.
Each piston portion 19 of each of the molding dies 18a, 18b is movable in a facing direction shown by an arrow Y1 or Y2, and in the reverse direction. Built-in parts 20a, 20b are attached to the respective piston portions 19 as shown in
The built-in parts 20a, 20b are various parts contingent to a fuel tank, like parts concerning a valve and/or a pump of the fuel tank, parts to secure the strength of the fuel tank, or parts to restrain waves of the fuel.
Furthermore, as shown in
An air passage (hereinafter, a symbol 23 is also added to the passage) shown by an arrow 23 which has a plurality of branches in parallel to one another is formed in each of the molding dies 18a, 18b, each direction of which branches is facing the recessed molding die 17a or 17b. An air compressor (air blow device) not shown is connected to the passages 23, the air is blown in the facing direction through the passages 23 by air blow of the air compressor.
The moving carriages 14a, 14b and the moving carriages 15a, 15b, which are disposed on the outer rail portions 11, 12, respectively, are movable upward and downward along the outer rail portions 11, 12 as shown by arrows Y3, Y4, and can stop at a predetermined position. Note that, each movement of the moving carriages 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b is performed by using a linearly moving mechanism like a linear motor mechanism or a rack and pinion mechanism.
Each of the outer rail portions 11 and 12 is movable in the facing direction shown by the arrow Y1 or Y2 and in the reverse direction, and can stop at a predetermined position. These outer rail portion 11, 12 are also moved by a linearly moving mechanism.
Note that, a moving device is constituted by the outer rail portions 11, 12 and the moving carriages 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b which are incorporated in such a moving mechanism to move.
Moving and stopping of each of the moving carriages 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b and the outer rail portions 11, 12 are controlled by a controller not shown. The controller also controls moving and stopping of the piston portions 19. Note that, the controller is provided with, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory device like a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), which are not shown. The CPU executes a program stored in the memory device to control the above-mentioned moving and stopping.
Furthermore, the manufacturing apparatus 10 is provided with a cutter (cutting device) 25 to cut the sheet-like parison P in the horizontal direction as shown in
Operation of the manufacturing apparatus 10 having such a structure at the time of manufacturing a fuel tank of a hollow molded article will be explained with reference to
Moving and stopping of each of the moving carriages 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b, the outer rail portions 11, 12, and the piston portions 19 shown in
First, as shown in
Second, the respective outer rail portions 11, 12 are moved in the facing directions shown by the arrows Y1 and Y2, or in the reverse directions, so that positioning is performed so that the upper recessed molding die 17a and molding die 18a face each other with a gap G, and the lower molding die 18b and recessed molding die 17b face each other with the same gap G. After this, the sheet-like parison P is hung in the gap G down to a position near the lower ends of the outer rail portions 11, 12 by a device not shown.
Next, as shown in
In the abutting state, as shown by arrows Y6, Y7, the sheet-like parison P is transferred to respective recessed portions of the recessed molding dies 17a, 17b by evacuating with use of a vacuum pump not shown. The transferred state is shown in
After the transferring, the respective piston portions 19 of the molding dies 18a, 18b are pushed out, so that the built-in parts 20a, 20b are pushed onto the sheet-like parison P to be attached to the parison. The attachment is performed by processing in which the built-in parts 20a, 20b are welded to the sheet-like parison P because of the heat of the parison, the built-in parts 20a, 20b are embedded into a predetermined depth of the sheet-like parison P, or the like.
Next, as shown in
Next, as shown in
Next, as shown in
Next, as shown in
After that, the respective outer rail portions 11, 12 are moved in the reverse directions against the facing directions to make the recessed molding dies 17a, 17b separate from each other, and the hollow molded article P3 shown in
As explained above, the manufacturing apparatus 10 for a hollow molded article of the present embodiment includes a first molding device which has the pair of molding dies 17a, 18a disposed with the sheet-like parison P in the form of a plane between the pair of molding dies 17a, 18a and transforms the sheet-like parison P to a predetermined form; and a second molding device juxtaposed with the first molding device, which second molding device has the pair of molding dies 18b, 17b with the sheet-like parison P in the form of a plane between the pair of molding dies 18b, 17b and transforms a different part of the sheet-like parison P different from the part of the sheet-like parison P transformed in the above to a predetermined form.
Furthermore, the manufacturing apparatus 10 includes a piston portion 19 as a fixing device which is provided in at least one of the first molding device and the second molding device to fix a part to the transformed sheet-like parison P above-mentioned; a cutter 25 as a cutting device which cuts a portion of the sheet-like parison P between the part of the sheet-like parison P transformed by the first molding device and the part of the sheet-like parison P transformed by the second molding device; and the respective outer rail portions 11, 12 and the respective moving carriages 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b as a moving device which relatively moves the first molding device and the second molding device so that after the cutting, a molding die of the first molding device and a molding die of the second molding device face each other and these molding dies are clamped.
Therefore, the manufacturing apparatus 10 of the present embodiment does not need a large center die between the facing molding dies like a conventional type apparatus. Accordingly, the manufacturing apparatus 10 can be downsized to that extent. Furthermore, as the center die is not needed, there is not needed either a space where the large center die is retreated. Therefore, a space to set the manufacturing apparatus 10 can be saved.
Furthermore, in the conventional type apparatus, when molding dies facing each other having a center die between them are moved in the facing directions, the moving distance of the molding dies is shorter only by the size of the center die disposed between them, so that the degree of freedom for design has been low.
On the other hand, a center die is not needed in the present embodiment, the depth of the recessed portion of a molding die can be enlarged to that extent, and furthermore, the moving distance of the molding dies in the facing directions can also be lengthened. Thereby, a fuel tank having a big capacity can be made. Furthermore, as the capacity of the fuel tank can be enlarged, a large built-in part, which is a part long in a height direction of the fuel tank, can be loaded.
Furthermore, each of the first molding device and the second molding device includes at least one of a vacuum pump as an evacuating device and an air compressor as an air blow device, which pump or compressor transfers the sheet-like parison P to each of the molding dies 17a, 17b.
According to this constitution, the sheet-like parison P can be drawn to or pressed on each recessed portion of the molding dies 17a, 17b, or both of the drawing and the pressing can be performed. Therefore, the sheet-like parison P can be more adequately transferred to each recessed portion of the molding dies 17a, 17b. Thereby, the molding accuracy can be enhanced.
Note that, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the outside shape of the fuel tank P4 as a hollow molded article is substantively a rectangular parallelepiped. However, by changing the shape of the recessed portion of each molding die 17a, 17b, a fuel tank or another product, which is a hollow molded article having various shapes like a substantive cylinder shape or a column shape having a substantive elliptical cross-section, can be manufactured.
Furthermore, the first molding device and the second molding device are juxtaposed in the vertical direction along the sheet-like parison P in the present embodiment. But, the first molding device and the second molding device may be juxtaposed in the lateral direction (direction of the thickness of the paper sheet showing
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2013-180887 | Sep 2013 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2014/068537 | 7/11/2014 | WO | 00 |