Decorative door frame attaching apparatus

Okazaki; Gosei ;   et al.

Patent Application Summary

U.S. patent application number 12/154892 was filed with the patent office on 2009-03-05 for decorative door frame attaching apparatus. Invention is credited to Tamotsu Narimatsu, Gosei Okazaki.

Application Number20090060694 12/154892
Document ID /
Family ID39952453
Filed Date2009-03-05

United States Patent Application 20090060694
Kind Code A1
Okazaki; Gosei ;   et al. March 5, 2009

Decorative door frame attaching apparatus

Abstract

A decorative door frame attaching apparatus 1 comprises conveying means 4 for conveying a door 2 in a laid state, transferring means 6 for superimposing a decorative frame 3 on the door 2, and nailing means 7 for nailing the decorative frame 3. Adhesive is applied to a top surface of the door 2 at an adhesive applying position A, and the door 2 is stopped at an attaching position B. The transferring means 6 transfers the square-U-shaped decorative frame 3 from a holding position E to the attaching position B, and superimposes on the stopped door 2. The nailing means 7 nails the decorative frame 3, which is thereby fixed to the door 2. The door 2 is reversed at a reversing position C and returned to the adhesive applying position A. A second decorative frame 3 is attached to a new top surface of the reversed door 2. The decorative frame 3 can be efficiently attached to the door 2.


Inventors: Okazaki; Gosei; (Matsuyama, JP) ; Narimatsu; Tamotsu; (Matsuyama, JP)
Correspondence Address:
    FLYNN THIEL BOUTELL & TANIS, P.C.
    2026 RAMBLING ROAD
    KALAMAZOO
    MI
    49008-1631
    US
Family ID: 39952453
Appl. No.: 12/154892
Filed: May 28, 2008

Current U.S. Class: 414/222.13
Current CPC Class: E06B 3/7001 20130101; B27M 3/18 20130101
Class at Publication: 414/222.13
International Class: B65H 5/00 20060101 B65H005/00

Foreign Application Data

Date Code Application Number
Aug 29, 2007 JP 222132/2007

Claims



1. A decorative door frame attaching apparatus for attaching a decorative frame to a top surface of a door, comprising: conveying means for conveying a door in a laid state; adhesive applying means for applying an adhesive to a top surface of the door on the conveying means; positioning means for stopping the door being conveyed on the conveying means at a predetermined position; transferring means for transferring the decorative frame and superimposing the decorative frame on the top surface of the door positioned by the positioning means; and nailing means for driving a nail into the decorative frame and fixing the decorative frame to the door.

2. The decorative door frame attaching apparatus according to claim 1, comprising reversing means for reversing the door to which the decorative frame is fixed by the nailing means.

3. The decorative door frame attaching apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an adhesive applying position in which the adhesive applying means is provided, an attaching position in which the decorative frame is attached to the door, and a reversing position in which the reversing means is provided are sequentially set on a conveying path of the conveying means, and when the door is reversed by the reversing means at the reversing position, the conveying means conveys the door after being reversed to the adhesive applying position again, and a second decorative frame is attached to a top surface of the door after being reversed.

4. The decorative door frame attaching apparatus according to claim 1, comprising assembling means for coupling a plurality of constituent members to assemble the decorative frame, and holding the decorative frame in a predetermined holding position, wherein the transferring means transfers the decorative frame from the holding position to the attaching position.

5. The decorative door frame attaching apparatus according to claim 4, comprising a movable member movable in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the conveying means, and a driving mechanism for moving the movable member in the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveying means, the transferring means being attached to one end side of the movable member and the nailing means being attached to the other end side, wherein when the transferring means is located in the holding position, the nailing means is located in the attaching position, and when the transferring means is located in the attaching position, the nailing means is located in a holding position outside the attaching position.

6. The decorative door frame attaching apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a rotation axis when the reversing means reverses the door has an almost same height as a mount surface of the conveying means, and is in parallel with the conveying direction of the conveying means.
Description



FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a decorative door frame attaching apparatus for attaching a decorative frame to a door.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] Conventionally, residential doors having decorative frames of square U shape attached to both front and back surfaces have been widely used in general households especially in Europe and the United States. Conventionally, attaching operations of decorative frames to such residential doors have been manually performed by workers.

[0003] Although not the residential doors, there has been proposed a method of manufacturing a wooden panel by attaching a plate material to a surface of a wooden frame (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-39516). Also, an apparatus for reversing a wooden panel has been proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-102547.

[0004] As described above, conventionally, workers manually attach decorative frames to residential doors. Thus, there is a problem that working efficiency is low. Accordingly, an apparatus for attaching decorative frames to a door has been conventionally demanded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In light of the circumstances described above, the present invention according to claim 1 is a decorative door frame attaching apparatus for attaching a decorative frame to a top surface of a door, comprising conveying means for conveying a door in a laid state; adhesive applying means for applying an adhesive to a top surface of the door on the conveying means; positioning means for stopping the door being conveyed on the conveying means at a predetermined position; transferring means for transferring the decorative frame and superimposing the decorative frame on the top surface of the door positioned by the positioning means; and nailing means for driving a nail into the decorative frame and fixing the decorative frame to the door.

[0006] Because of the configuration, the attaching operation of the decorative frames to the door can be efficiently performed in comparison with the conventional case.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating one embodiment of the present invention;

[0008] FIG. 2 illustrates processing steps by a decorative door frame attaching apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1;

[0009] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main portion of FIG. 1;

[0010] FIG. 4 is an elevation view of FIG. 3;

[0011] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a main portion of FIG. 1;

[0012] FIG. 6 is a right side view of a main portion of FIG. 1;

[0013] FIG. 7 is an elevation view of a main portion of FIG. 1;

[0014] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along VIII-VIII of FIG. 7;

[0015] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view along IX-IX of FIG. 7;

[0016] FIG. 10 is a left side view of FIG. 7; and

[0017] FIG. 11 is a right side view of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0018] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a decorative door frame attaching apparatus, and the decorative door frame attaching apparatus 1 attaches wooden decorative frames 3 sequentially to both front and back surfaces of a wooden door 2.

[0019] The decorative door frame attaching apparatus 1 comprises conveying means 4 for horizontally supporting the door 2 in a laid state and conveying the door 2 on a linear conveying path, assembling means 5 for assembling the decorative frame 3 in a square U shape, transferring means 6 for superimposing the assembled decorative frame 3 on the door 2 which is being stopped, nailing means 7 for driving nails from the decorative frame 3 at a plurality of locations and fixing the decorative frame 3 to the door 2, and reversing means 8 for reversing the door 2 upside down on the conveying path of the conveying means 4. In the decorative door frame attaching apparatus 1, an adhesive applying position A where an adhesive is applied to the top surface of the door 2 in a laid state, an attaching position B where the decorative frame 3 assembled in a square U shape is attached to the door 2, and a reversing position C where the door 2 is reversed upside down are set on the conveying path of the conveying means 4 from an upstream side toward a downstream side. Also, an assembling position D where the decorative frame 3 is assembled in a square U shape and a holding position E where the assembled decorative frame 3 is held until being transferred to the attaching position B are set so as to be disposed in parallel with the conveying means 4. Furthermore, a evacuating position F where the nailing means 7 is evacuated while the decorative frame 3 is transferred is set on a side opposite to the holding position E across the attaching position B.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2(a) and FIG. 2(b), the door 2 as a processing object of the decorative door frame attaching apparatus 1 is composed of a square U-shaped frame member 2A and a body portion 2B which can be opened and closed relative to the frame member 2A via hinges therein, and is a vertically long rectangle as a whole. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2(d) and FIG. 2(e), the decorative frame 3 is composed of a right and left pair of height direction members 3A and 3B, and a width direction member 3C for coupling the height direction members 3A and 3B. Theses members are coupled in a square U shape by the assembling means 5 at the assembling position D, and then, are held at the holding position E.

[0021] First, processing steps by the decorative door frame attaching apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. That is, when the door 2 is supplied onto the conveying means 4 in a laid state, the door 2 is sequentially conveyed to the downstream side by the conveying means 4. The door 2 is temporarily stopped by first positioning means 11 of the adhesive applying position A, and an adhesive is applied to an upper side portion 2c of the top surface (a surface directed upward) of the frame member 2A of the door 2 by adhesive applying means 12 (FIG. 2(a)). Subsequently, an adhesive is applied to both side portions 2a and 2b of the top surface of the frame member 2A of the door 2 in the course of being conveyed to the attaching position B by the conveying means 4 after being released from the first positioning means 11. The door 2 is conveyed to the attaching position B to be stopped and positioned there by second positioning means 13, and the decorative frame 3 is aligned and superimposed on the door 2 which is being stopped by the transferring means 6. The frame member 2A of the door 2 and the decorative frame 3 are thereby bonded to each other with the adhesive, and a plurality of nailing machines 10 of the nailing means 7 simultaneously drive nails into the decorative frame 3 superimposed on the frame member 2A of the door 2 as described above (FIG. 2(b)).

[0022] The decorative frame 3 is thereby attached to the top surface of the door 2, and then, the door 2 is conveyed to the reversing position C in the adjacent downstream side by the conveying means 4, and is reversed 180 degrees upside down by the reversing means 8 (FIG. 2(c)). The other surface to which the decorative frame 3 is not attached thereby becomes a new top surface. The door 2 in this state is conveyed back to the adhesive applying position A by the conveying means 4, and is stopped by third positioning means 23. An adhesive is applied to an upper side portion 2c of the new top surface of the frame member 2A of the door 2 by the adhesive applying means 12 at the adhesive applying position A, and an adhesive is applied to both side portions 2a and 2b of the frame member 2A of the door 2 in the course of being conveyed to the attaching position B from the adhesive applying position A by the conveying means 4. Subsequently, the door 2 is conveyed again to the attaching position B, and is stopped and positioned by the second positioning means 13. In this state, a second decorative frame 3 is aligned and superimposed on the new top surface of the door 2 by the transferring means 6, and then, the nailing machines 10 of the nailing means 7 simultaneously drive nails from the decorative frame 3.

[0023] Since the decorative frames 3 are thereby respectively attached to the both front and back surfaces of the door 2, the door 2 to which the attachment of the decorative frames 3 has been completed is conveyed out to the downstream side through the attaching position B and the reversing position C by the conveying means 4.

[0024] Next, respective sections of the decorative door frame attaching apparatus 1 will be described in sequence.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the conveying means 4 comprises a first roller conveyor 15 disposed at a fixed frame 14 of the adhesive applying position A, a second roller conveyor 17 disposed at a fixed frame 16 of the attaching position B, and a right and left pair of third roller conveyors 21 attached to a fixed frame 18 of the reversing position C.

[0026] The roller conveyors 15, 17 and 21 are independently rotated forwardly and reversely by respectively working with an unshown driving source. When the roller conveyors 15, 17 and 21 are forwardly rotated, the door 2 is conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the order of the adhesive applying position A, the attaching position B, and the reversing position C. On the other hand, when the roller conveyors 15, 17 and 21 are reversely rotated, the door 2 is conveyed back from the reversing position C toward the adhesive applying position A.

[0027] Mount surfaces of the both roller conveyors 15 of the adhesive applying position A and 17 of the attaching position B are set to the same height. The third roller conveyors 21 of the reversing position C are moved between upper horizontal positions and lower tilt positions by working with right and left sets of air cylinders 22 (see FIG. 7 and FIG. 9). When the door 2 is conveyed into the reversing position C and before the door 2 passes through the reversing position C, the third roller conveyors 21 are supported in the upper horizontal positions by the right and left air cylinders 22, and mount surfaces of the third roller conveyors 21 at this time are maintained at the same height as the mount surfaces of the other respective roller conveyors 15 and 17 (see FIG. 1, FIG. 7 and FIG. 9). On the other hand, when the door 2 is reversed 180 degrees by the reversing means 8 after the door 2 is conveyed into the reversing position C, the third roller conveyors 21 are lowered to the tilt positions by the respective right and left sets of air cylinders 22 in advance (see FIG. 9). Accordingly, the door 2 to be reversed by the reversing means 8 does not collide with the third roller conveyors 21. The third roller conveyors 21 are raised to the horizontal positions by the respective sets of air cylinders 22 after the reversing operation of the door 2 by the reversing means 8, and accordingly, the reversed door 2 is supported by the third roller conveyors 21 (FIG. 7 and FIG. 9).

[0028] Next, the adhesive applying means 12 of the adhesive applying position A comprises a movable discharge section 12A for discharging an adhesive while being moved in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of the first roller conveyor 15, and a pair of fixed discharge sections 12B disposed at both sides of a top surface of the fixed frame 14.

[0029] The first positioning means 11 comprises a stopper 11A provided so as to be capable of rising and setting in the downstream side of the adhesive applying position A, and a right and left set of positioning cylinders 11B for performing positioning in a width direction by sandwiching both right and left side portions of the door 2 therebetween. An unshown door sensor for detecting the door 2 is disposed in a certain position of the adhesive applying position A. When the first roller conveyor 15 is forwardly rotated and the door 2 is detected by the door sensor, the stopper 11A is raised and a lower end portion of the door 2 which is a proceeding end thereof is brought into abutment with the stopper 11A. Subsequently, the both side portions of the door 2 are sandwiched by the right and left positioning cylinders 11B, and the door 2 is thereby positioned in the width direction and the conveying direction at the adhesive applying position A.

[0030] Immediately after that, the movable discharge section 12A of the adhesive applying means 12 discharges an adhesive while being moved along the upper side portion 2c of the frame member 2A of the door 2 by working with an unshown movable member, and the adhesive is thereby applied to the upper side portion 2c.

[0031] When the application operation of the adhesive to the upper side portion 2c of the door 2 by the movable discharge section 12A is finished, the sandwiching state by the positioning cylinders 11B is released and the stopper 11A is lowered down. The door 2 is conveyed to the attaching position B by the first roller conveyor 15 being forwardly rotated at this time. Since an adhesive is discharged from the fixed discharge sections 12B for a predetermined amount of time after the stopper 11A is lowered down, the adhesive is applied to the both side portions 2a and 2b of the frame member 2A of the door 2 in the course of being moved from the adhesive applying position A to the attaching position B (see FIG. 2(a)).

[0032] Next, the second positioning means 13 of the attaching position B comprises a stopper 13A capable of rising and setting, and a right and left set of positioning cylinders 13B for performing positioning by sandwiching the both sides of the door 2 therebetween, like the first positioning means 11.

[0033] The second roller conveyor 17 of the attaching position B is forwardly rotated when the door 2 is conveyed thereinto from the adhesive applying position A. At this time, the stopper 13A of the second positioning means 13 protrudes higher than the second roller conveyor 17. Therefore, when the door 2 is conveyed into the attaching position B, the lower end portion of the door 2 is brought into abutment with the stopper 13A and the door 2 is thereby stopped. Subsequently, the door 2 is sandwiched by the right and left positioning cylinders 13B. The door 2 is thereby positioned in the width direction and the conveying direction at the attaching position B, and thereafter, the second roller conveyor 17 is stopped.

[0034] In the state in which the door 2 is positioned at the attaching position B as described above, the decorative frame 3 is transferred from the holding position E to the attaching position B and is aligned and superimposed on the door 2 by the transferring means 6, and then, the nailing means 7 drives nails into the decorative frame 3.

[0035] In the upstream side of the adhesive applying position A, a stopper 23A capable of rising and setting from a conveying surface of the first roller conveyor 15 is provided as the third positioning means 23, so as to stop the door 2 being conveyed back on the first roller conveyor 15 at the adhesive applying position A.

[0036] Next, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the assembling means 5 for assembling the decorative frame 3 comprises magazines 24A and 24B for retaining the right and left height direction members 3A and 3B, which constitute the decorative frame 3, respectively in a laminated state, a magazine 24C for retaining the width direction members 3C in a laminated state, clamp mechanisms 25A and 25B for respectively take out the height direction members 3A and 3B layer by layer in synchronization with each other from respective bottoms of the magazines 24A and 24B, a clamp mechanism 25C for take out the width direction members 3C layer by layer from a bottom of the magazine 24C, a right and left pair of supporting sections 26 disposed adjacent to the magazine 24C, and a conveying belt 28 for pushing the decorative frame 3 after being assembled from the assembling position D onto a supporting member 27 of the holding position E.

[0037] The conveying belt 28 is disposed in a range from a position of the both supporting sections 26 through below the magazine 24C of the width direction members 3C to the holding position E. A pair of supporting rails 31 for supporting the width direction member 3C is disposed along the conveying belt 28. A right and left pair of guiding members 32 is also disposed in both side portions from one end side of the assembling position D to the holding position E. The guiding members 32 can support end portions of the height direction members 3A and 3B when the both members 3A and 3B are took out and lowered from the magazines 24A and 24B by the clamp mechanisms 25A and 25B. Also, when the decorative frame 3 after being assembled is pushed from the assembling position D to the holding position E, the both height direction members 3A and 3B are supported by the guiding members 32, which guide the movement thereof as well.

[0038] L-shaped positioning members 26A are attached facing each other to top surfaces of the supporting sections 26. The respective members 3A to 3C took out from the respective magazines 24A, 24B and 24C are positioned by the positioning members 26A.

[0039] That is, first, the clamp mechanism 25C is raised a certain amount, and the lowest width direction member 3C in the magazine 24C is thereby grasped and took out by the clamp mechanism 25C. After that, the clamp mechanism 25C is moved forward to a position of the positioning members 26A by a movable member 33. 45-degree corner portions which are both ends of the width direction member 3C are thereby positioned in the both positioning members 26A (FIG. 1 and FIG. 3). Subsequently, the clamp mechanisms 25A and 25B are raised a certain amount. The lowest height direction members 3A and 3B in the magazines 24A and 24B are thereby grasped and took out by the clamp mechanisms 25A and 25B, and then, the entire clamp mechanisms 25A and 25B are moved forward toward the positioning members 26A by a movable member 34. Respective 45-degree corner portions of the both height direction members 3A and 3B are thereby inserted to the both positioning members 26A, and are made to abut the 45-degree corner portions of the both end portions of the width direction member 3C (see FIG. 2(d) and FIG. 2(e)). In the state in which the 45-degree corner portions of the respective adjacent members 3A to 3C are made to abut each other, an unshown nailing machine drives nails at two locations over the 45-degree corner portions of the respective adjacent members 3A to 3C (see FIG. 2(e)). Since the assembling of the decorative frame 3 of square U shape is thereby completed, the respective clamp mechanisms 25A, 25B and 25C are lowered a certain amount after releasing the grasping state of the respective members 3A to 3C, and are returned to positions below the respective magazines 24A to 24C by the movable members 33 and 34.

[0040] The decorative frame 3 after being assembled is supported by the supporting sections 26, the guiding members 32, and the supporting rails 31, and also, the width direction member 3C of the decorative frame 3 is mounted on the conveying belt 28 which is being stopped.

[0041] When the conveying belt 28 travels a predetermined amount in a forward rotation direction from this state by an unshown motor, engagement claws 28A attached to the conveying belt 28 are brought into abutment with the width direction member 3C of the decorative frame 3 to push the width direction member 3C toward the holding position E. Accordingly, the entire decorative frame 3 is guided by the both guiding members 32 and is pushed from the assembling position D onto the supporting member 27 of the holding position E by the conveying belt 28. Subsequently, the conveying belt 28 is reversely rotated a certain amount by the unshown motor, and thus, the engagement claws 28A are returned to positions outward from the positioning members 26A. The decorative frame 3 of square U shape after being assembled is held on the supporting member 27 of the holding position E until being transferred by the transferring means 6.

[0042] The assembling means 5 of the present embodiment couples the respective members 3A to 3C to assemble the decorative frame 3 of square U shape at the assembling position D, and then, holds the decorative frame 3 at the holding position E as described above.

[0043] As the assembling means 5, other components than the supporting member 27 of the holding position E may be omitted. That is, in the case, the decorative frame 3 of square U shape assembled in advance in another place may be held on the supporting member 27 of the holding position E.

[0044] Next, the transferring means 6 and the nailing means 7 will be described with reference to FIG. 4.about.FIG. 6. A supporting frame 35 is horizontally disposed in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the conveying means 4 above the both holding positions E and F which are provided by sandwiching the attaching position B therebetween. A rectangular movable frame 36 is mounted on the supporting frame 35. The movable frame 36 is moved along a longitudinal direction of the supporting frame 35 by working with a driving mechanism 37. The driving mechanism 37 is configured to forwardly and reversely rotate a timing belt 39B suspended along a moving path of the movable frame 36 of the supporting frame 35 via a timing belt 39A by a motor 38 as a driving source, and is coupled to a coupling section 36A of the movable frame 36. When the motor 38 is forwardly and reversely rotated, the movable frame 36 is thereby moved back and forth along the longitudinal direction of the supporting frame 35.

[0045] The transferring means 6 is attached to one end (the holding position E) side of the Longitudinal direction of the movable frame 36, and the nailing means 7 is attached to the other end (the holding position F) side. When the movable frame 36 is moved back and forth a predetermined amount along the supporting frame 35 by the driving mechanism 37, the transferring means 6 and the nailing means 7 are moved the same distance in synchronization with each other in the direction orthogonal to the conveying means 4. That is, when the transferring means 6 is moved from the holding position E to the attaching position B via the movable frame 36 by the driving mechanism 37 from the state in which the transferring means 6 is located in the holding position E and the nailing means 7 is located in the attaching position B, the nailing means 7 is moved from the attaching position B to the holding position F. On the other hand, when the nailing means 7 is moved from the holding position F to the attaching position B via the movable frame 36 by the driving mechanism 37, the transferring means 6 is moved from the attaching position B to the holding position E.

[0046] The transferring means 6 comprises a frame member 44 liftably supported via a lifting mechanism 43 by the movable frame 36, and four clamp members 45 disposed on the frame member 44. The lifting mechanism 43 comprises four guiding members 43A coupled to the frame member 44, and a lifting cylinder 43B for lifting up and down the frame member 44.

[0047] When the frame member 44 is lifted down to a descent position by the lifting mechanism 43 in the state in which the transferring means 6 is located in the holding position E, the both height direction members 3A and 3B of the decorative frame 3 being held at the holding position E are grasped by the four clamp members 45. The frame member 44 is lifted up to an ascent position from this state by the lifting mechanism 43, and the decorative frame 3 grasped by the clamp members 45 is thereby lifted up above the supporting member 27. Subsequently, the movable frame 36 is moved a predetermined distance toward the other holding position F by the driving mechanism 37. Accordingly, the decorative frame 3 retained by the clamp members 45 of the transferring means 6 is located above the attaching position B, and the nailing means 7 is moved from the attaching position B to the holding position F. Since the door 2 is conveyed into the attaching position B and is positioned by the second positioning means 13 by this time, the decorative frame 3 retained by the clamp members 45 of the transferring means 6 is supported above and adjacent the door 2.

[0048] The frame member 44 and the clamp members 45 are lifted down to the descent position from this state by the lifting mechanism 43 of the transferring means 6, and thus, the decorative frame 3 of square U shape is superimposed on the upper side portion 2c and the both side portions 2a and 2b of the frame member 2A of the door 2. Since the adhesive has been already applied to the both side portions 2a and 2b and the upper side portion 2c of the top surface of the door 2, the decorative frame 3 and the door 2 are bonded to each other with the adhesive (see FIG. 2(b)).

[0049] Subsequently, the clamp members 45 of the transferring means 6 release the grasping state of the decorative frame 3, and also, the frame member 44 and the clamp members 45 are lifted up to the ascent position by the lifting mechanism 43. As described above, the decorative frame 3 is transferred from the holding position E to the attaching position B, and is positioned above and superimposed on the door 2 by the driving mechanism 37 and the transferring means 6.

[0050] The transferring means 6 which released the decorative frame 3 is then moved from above the attaching position B to the holding position E by the driving mechanism 37, and stops at the holding position E above a new decorative frame 3. Thereafter, the frame member 44 and the clamp members 45 are lifted down by the lifting mechanism 43 of the transferring means 6, and the new decorative frame 3 is thereby grasped by the clamp members 45.

[0051] On the other hand, the nailing means 7 is moved from the holding position F to the attaching position B and is stopped above and adjacent the door 2 and the decorative frame 3 at the same time as when the transferring means 6 is returned to the holding position E as described above. The plurality of nailing machines 10 of the nailing means 7 drive nails into the decorative frame 3 at the attaching position B.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the nailing means 7 comprises a rectangular frame member 46 liftably attached to the movable frame 36, a total of eight nailing machines 10 attached to the frame member 46 (see FIG. 2(b) and FIG. 6), and a lifting mechanism 47 for lifting up and down the frame member 46. The lifting mechanism 47 comprises a motor 48 as a driving source, a nut member 51 rotated forwardly and reversely via a timing belt 49 and a pair of timing pulleys 50, a lifting shaft 52 whose screw portion in an upper side is screwed with the nut member 51 and whose lower portion is coupled to the frame member 46, and four lifting guides 53 for guiding the lifting operation of the frame member 46. By forwardly and reversely rotating the motor 48 of the lifting mechanism 47 a certain amount, all the nailing machines 10 can be lifted up and down to an ascent position and a descent position. In the present embodiment, two of the nailing machines 10 are attached to one of short sides of the frame member 46 and three of the nailing machines 10 are attached to each of long sides thereof (see FIG. 2(b)). The configuration of the nailing machine 10 itself is the same as the one which is conventionally well known.

[0053] When the nailing means 7 is located above the attaching position B by the driving mechanism 37 as described above, the entire nailing means 7 is lifted down to the descent position by the lifting mechanism 47. The total of eight nailing machines 10 are thereby located above and adjacent the decorative frame 3 of square U shape superimposed on the door 2 (FIG. 2(b) and FIG. 6). In this state, all the nailing machines 10 simultaneously drive nails. Furthermore, the total of six nailing machines 10 disposed in the long sides of the frame member 46 are configured to be moved in parallel a predetermined amount along the long sides of the frame member 46 by an unshown movable mechanism after driving nails once, and simultaneously drive nails again there.

[0054] As described above, the nailing machines 10 of the nailing means 7 drive nails at a total of 14 locations to the door 2 and the decorative frame 3 which are being stopped at the attaching position B, and the decorative frame 3 is thereby rigidly fixed to the top surface of the door 2.

[0055] Subsequently, the nailing means 7 is lifted up to the ascent position by the lifting mechanism 47, and then, the nailing means 7 is moved from the attaching position B to the holding position F to be in the holding state there, by working with the driving mechanism 37 at the time of transferring the next decorative frame 3 from the holding position E to the attaching position B.

[0056] On the other hand, the door 2 to which the attachment of the decorative frame 3 has been completed at the attaching position B as described above is released from the positioning state by the second positioning means 13, and also, is conveyed into the reversing position C from the attaching position B by the forward rotation operation of the second roller conveyor 17.

[0057] The third roller conveyors 21 capable of oscillating between the upper horizontal positions and the lower tilt positions are disposed at the reversing position C as described above. The door 2 is conveyed into the reversing position C from the attaching position B in the state in which the third roller conveyors 21 are in the upper horizontal state, and also, are forwardly rotated by an unshown driving source. At this time, the third roller conveyors 21 are stopped after being forwardly rotated a certain amount, and thus, the door 2 is stopped in a predetermined position in the conveying direction on the third roller conveyors 21.

[0058] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 11, the reversing means 8 comprises a pair of supporting frames 55 disposed at the fixed frame 18 so as to face each other with a predetermined distance therebetween in the conveying direction, a rotating plate 56 rotatably disposed in a center portion of the respective supporting frames 55, a door retaining mechanism 54 attached to the respective rotating plates 56, and a rotating mechanism 59 for rotating the both rotating plates 56 180 degrees around a horizontal rotation center as the center.

[0059] The respective supporting frames 55 are composed of a plate-like member whose hollow portion is formed to be circular. The respective rotating plates 56 have a circular disc shape having approximately the same size as the circular hollow portion of the supporting frame 55. In a center portion of the respective rotating plates 56, there is formed a rectangular opening 56A through which the decorative frame 3 and the door 2 can sufficiently pass.

[0060] Three engaging rollers 60 are rotatably attached to an outer circumference portion of the respective rotating plates 56, and a groove in an outer circumference portion of the engaging roller 60 engages with a circular inner circumference portion 55A of the supporting frame 55. The both rotating plates 56 can be thereby guided by the inner circumference portions 55A of the supporting frames 55 to be forwardly and reversely rotated.

[0061] The door retaining mechanism 54 comprises a first grasping mechanism 57 for grasping the door 2 from a vertical direction, and a second grasping mechanism 58 for grasping the door 2 from a lateral direction.

[0062] A plate-like member 61 is respectively horizontally coupled to a lower margin portion of the respective openings 56A of the respective rotating plates 56. Furthermore, a pair of lifting cylinders 62 is attached to a wall surface of the respective rotating plates 56 so as to face the respective plate-like members 61. A grasping member 62A composed of an elastic body is attached to a top end of the respective lifting cylinders 62. The first grasping mechanism 57 is constituted by the plate-like member 61, the lifting cylinders 62, and the grasping members 62A.

[0063] Also, a plate-like member 63 is respectively vertically coupled to a side margin portion of the respective openings 56A of the respective rotating plates 56. A cylinder 64 is attached to the wall surface of the respective rotating plates 56 so as to face the plate-like member 63, and a grasping member 64A composed of an elastic body is also attached to a top end of the cylinder 64. The second grasping mechanism 58 is constituted by the plate-like member 63, the cylinder 64, and the grasping member 64A.

[0064] When the both rotating plates 56 are in normal positions before being reversed, the plate-like members 61 are located in a lower side and are horizontal, and the grasping members 62A are located in an upper side as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 10. The height of the plate-like members 61 at this time is slightly lower than the height of the mount surfaces of the third roller conveyors 21 in the horizontal state (FIG. 7).

[0065] When the both rotating plates 56 are in the normal positions, the door 2 is conveyed into the reversing position C from the attaching position B as described above. Therefore, the door 2 with the decorative frame 3 fixed to the top surface passes through the opening 56A of the rotating plate 56 in the upstream side, is conveyed onto the third roller conveyors 21 of the reversing position C, and is stopped at a predetermined position (FIG. 7).

[0066] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 9, the third roller conveyors 21 are lowered by the air cylinders 22 to be in the tilt state. Therefore, lower portions of both ends in a longitudinal direction of the door 2 are supported by the plate-like members 61 of the both rotating plates 56. After that, the cylinders 64 of the second grasping mechanisms 58 of the both rotating plates 56 are moved forward, and the both sides of the door 2 are sandwiched by the respective grasping members 64A. Since the lifting cylinders 62 of the first grasping mechanism 57 of the respective rotating plates 56 are then moved forward in synchronization with each other, one end of the door 2 in the longitudinal direction is grasped by the grasping members 62A and the plate-like member 61 of the rotating plate 56 in the upstream side, and the other end of the door 2 in the longitudinal direction is grasped by the grasping members 62A and the plate-like member 61 of the rotating plate 56 in the downstream side. As described above, the door 2 is positioned in the width direction and the vertical direction in the reversing position C (FIG. 8, FIG. 10, and FIG. 11).

[0067] The door 2 in the reversing position C is thereby retained by the door retaining mechanism 54 of the respective rotating plates 56. The both rotating plates 56 are united by the rotating mechanism 59 in this state, and are reversed 180 degrees in a clockwise direction in FIG. 10.

[0068] The rotating mechanism 59 comprises a sector gear 75 coupled to the wall surface of the rotating plate 56 and extending in a half arc, and a pinion 76 meshing with the sector gear 75 and rotated in forward and reverse directions by working with a motor 74. When the pinion 76 is forwardly rotated a predetermined amount by working with the motor 74, the both rotating plates 56 and the door 2 retained by the door retaining mechanisms 54 are reversed 180 degrees. Since the third roller conveyors 21 are being lowered at this time, the door 2 is reversed 180 degrees without abutting the third roller conveyors 21, and the surface to which the decorative frame 3 has not been attached becomes the new top surface.

[0069] The rotation axis when the door 2 is reversed 180 degrees by the rotating mechanism 59 corresponds to a virtual line connecting axis of the both rotating plates 56. The rotation axis is horizontal and is in parallel with the conveying direction of the conveying means 4.

[0070] When the door 2 is reversed by the rotating mechanism 59 of the reversing means 8, the third roller conveyors 21 are raised from the tilt positions to the upper horizontal positions by the air cylinders 22.

[0071] Subsequently, the second grasping mechanisms 58 of the rotating plates 56 release the grasping state of the both side portions of the door 2, and the grasping members 62A of the lifting cylinders 62 of the first grasping mechanism 57 of the respective rotating plates 56 are lowered to release the grasping state of the door 2. The door 2 is thereby supported on the third roller conveyors 21. The door 2 is reversed 180 degrees by the reversing means 8 of the reversing position C, and then, is supported by the third roller conveyors 21 as described above.

[0072] Since the third roller conveyors 21, and the both roller conveyors 15 and 17 are then reversely rotated, the door 2 is conveyed back from the reversing position C via the attaching position B to the adhesive applying position A.

[0073] When the door 2 is conveyed out from the reversing position C, the rotating mechanism 59 of the reversing means 8 rotates the pinion 76 in a direction opposite to the direction before via the motor 74. Accordingly, the both rotating plates 56 are rotated 180 degrees in a direction opposite to the direction before, and are returned to the normal positions from the reversed positions.

[0074] On the other hand, the door 2 returned to the adhesive applying position A is brought into abutment with the stopper 23A of the third positioning means 23 to be stopped, and is also positioned at the adhesive applying position A in the width direction of the conveying means 4 by the positioning cylinders 11B of the first positioning means 11.

[0075] Thereafter, the decorative frame 3 is attached to the new top surface of the door 2 as in the processing steps of the first decorative frame 3 to the door 2 described above. That is, first, the adhesive applying means 12 applies an adhesive to the top surface of the frame member 2A of the door 2 at the adhesive applying position A (see FIG. 2(a)). The second decorative frame 3 is positioned and superimposed by the transferring means 6 on the door 2 which is being stopped at the attaching position B by the second positioning means 13, and then, the nailing means 7 drives nails into the second decorative frame 3 at predetermined locations (see FIG. 2(b)).

[0076] The attachment of the decorative frames 3 to the both front and back surfaces of the door 2 is thereby completed. The door 2 to which the decorative frames 3 have been attached to the both front and back surfaces as described above is conveyed from the attaching position B via the reversing position C to the downstream side thereof by rotating the second roller conveyor 17 and the third roller conveyors 21 in the forward direction.

[0077] As described above, the decorative door frame attaching apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can attach the decorative frames 3 to the both front and back surfaces of the door 2 being conveyed in a laid state. Accordingly, according to the present embodiment, the attaching operation of the decorative frames 3 to the door 2 can be efficiently performed in comparison with the conventional case where the attachment of the decorative frames 3 to the door 2 is manually performed. Furthermore, the door 2 as a product to which the decorative frames 3 have been attached has an uniform appearance and coupling state since an attaching position or a fixing state of the decorative frames 3 is uniform.

[0078] Although the door 2 is returned to the adhesive applying position A after being reversed by the reversing means 8 and the second decorative frame 3 is attached to the new top surface in the above embodiment, a following process may be performed. That is, another one set of the adhesive applying means, the transferring means, the nailing means or the like similar to those in the above embodiment is disposed in the downstream side from the reversing means 8. When the first decorative frame 3 is coupled to the door 2 and the door 2 is reversed by the reversing means 8, the door 2 may be conveyed to the downstream side, and the second decorative frame 3 may be attached to the new top surface of the door 2 by the adhesive applying means, the transferring means, and the nailing means disposed there.

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