Ceramic powder warehousing line, intelligent warehousing system and control method

Abstract

The invention discloses a ceramic powder warehouse entering line, an intelligent warehouse entering system and a control method. The ceramic powder warehouse entering line comprises a primary conveying module, a secondary conveying module, a plurality of powder bins and a control module. The primary conveying module is used for conveying the ceramic powder in the left-right direction according to the primary direction signal; the secondary conveying module is used for receiving the ceramic powder output by the powder outlet end of the primary conveying module and conveying the ceramic powder to the powder outlet end of the secondary conveying module in the front-back direction according to a secondary direction signal; when the powder bin is full and transferred, the secondary conveying module moves back and forth in the arrangement direction of the powder bin according to a displacement signal; and the control module controls the secondary transmission module to perform full bin transfer when receiving the full bin transfer signal. Automatic detection is achieved when the powder bin is filled, the secondary conveying module is automatically moved to the bin top of the current target powder bin, and automatic bin transfer is completed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ceramic production technology, and in particular to a ceramic powder feeding line, an intelligent feeding system, and a control method. Background Technology

[0002] In the production of ceramic tiles, the drying and storage of raw materials is a crucial process. The drying and storage of raw materials must be carried out simultaneously, and conventionally, these processes should be continuous and uninterrupted. The powder feeding process is one of the most important steps in ceramic tile production; its technology affects not only the stability of the production process but also its efficiency.

[0003] Existing ceramic powder loading systems primarily consist of conveyor belts for easy bin switching. This requires manual pushing of the belt until it aligns with the bin opening, resulting in high labor intensity and requiring at least two people to complete the transfer. Furthermore, once the bin is full, manual pushing makes it difficult to obtain the next target powder bin number, leading to delays in loading time or incorrect loading positions, ultimately wasting significant production time.

[0004] Therefore, existing technologies still need to be improved and developed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a ceramic powder feeding line, an intelligent feeding system and a control method, so as to realize the automatic switching of the hopper position of ceramic powder feeding and complete the automatic hopper transfer function.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a ceramic powder feeding line, comprising: a primary conveying module, a secondary conveying module, a plurality of powder silos, and a control module; wherein... The powder inlet of the primary conveying module is used to receive ceramic powder, and the powder outlet of the primary conveying module is connected to the secondary conveying module to convey the ceramic powder to the left and right directions according to the primary direction signal. The secondary conveying module is located on the top of the powder silo. The powder inlet of the secondary conveying module is used to receive the ceramic powder output from the powder outlet of the primary conveying module, and to convey the ceramic powder to the powder outlet of the secondary conveying module in a forward and backward direction according to the secondary direction signal. When the silo is full and the silo is being rotated, the secondary conveying module moves forward and backward along the arrangement direction of the powder silo according to the displacement signal. The powder hopper is connected to the control module. The powder hoppers are equally spaced, and the length of the secondary conveying module is an integer multiple of the distance between the powder hoppers. When a powder hopper is full, the powder hopper outputs a full hopper transfer signal to the control module. The control module receives the target inlet signal and is connected to the primary and secondary conveying modules of the ceramic powder inlet line. When the control module receives the full-load transfer signal, it controls the secondary conveying module to transfer to the full-load silo. According to the target inlet signal, it controls the secondary conveying module to move to the top of the current target powder silo and outputs primary direction signal, secondary direction signal and displacement signal to control the conveying direction of the primary conveying module and the conveying direction and position of the secondary conveying module.

[0007] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the primary conveying module includes a primary conveyor belt, which is a bidirectional conveyor belt; The secondary conveying module includes a primary conveying module and a secondary conveying module. The primary conveying module is connected to one end of the primary conveyor belt, and the secondary conveying module is connected to the other end of the primary conveyor belt.

[0008] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the primary conveying module and the secondary conveying module include a secondary conveyor belt, a left front unloading shovel, a right front unloading shovel, a left rear unloading shovel, a right rear unloading shovel, and a traveling unit; wherein, The secondary conveyor belt is a bidirectional conveyor belt used to convey ceramic powder to the front or rear of the conveyor belt direction. The left front unloading shovel and the right front unloading shovel are symmetrically arranged at the front end of the secondary conveyor belt, and the left rear unloading shovel and the right rear unloading shovel are symmetrically arranged at the rear end of the secondary conveyor belt, for guiding the ceramic powder into the powder hopper. The traveling unit is located below the secondary conveyor belt and is used to drive the secondary conveyor belt to move freely along the arrangement direction parallel to the powder bins.

[0009] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the powder hoppers are equally spaced on both sides of the secondary conveyor belt. The primary and secondary conveyor modules further include a front discharge guide plate and a rear discharge guide plate. The front discharge guide plate is located at the front end of the secondary conveyor belt, and the rear discharge guide plate is located at the rear end of the secondary conveyor belt. The fixed ends of the front and rear discharge guide plates are located on the center line of the secondary conveyor belt. The movable end of the front discharge guide plate is used to abut against the left or right front discharge shovel; the movable end of the rear discharge guide plate is used to abut against the left or right rear discharge shovel. The front and rear discharge guide plates are used to control the ceramic powder to enter the powder hopper on the left or right side of the secondary conveyor belt.

[0010] A further embodiment of the present invention includes a pre-feeding module and an intermediate conveyor belt. The powder outlet end of the pre-feeding module is connected to the primary conveying module via the intermediate conveyor belt, and is used to generate and temporarily store the ceramic powder.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the pre-entry module includes: a drying device, a pre-entry conveying device, and a buffer device; wherein, The powder outlet end of the drying equipment is located directly above the powder inlet end of the pre-inlet conveying device. The drying equipment is used to dry the ceramic material to be put into the warehouse to obtain ceramic powder. The powder outlet end of the pre-entry conveying device is connected to the powder inlet end of the buffer device, and is used to transport the ceramic powder to the powder inlet end of the buffer device; The powder outlet of the buffer device is located directly above the primary conveying module. The buffer device is used to generate and temporarily store the ceramic powder when the secondary conveying module is transferring the powder to a full hopper.

[0012] In a further embodiment of the present invention, a high-level sensor is installed at the top of the powder silo, and a low-level sensor is installed at the bottom of the powder silo. The high-level sensor and the low-level sensor are used to detect the height of ceramic powder in the powder silo. When the high-level sensor detects ceramic powder, the high-level sensor outputs a full silo transfer signal; when the low-level sensor does not detect ceramic powder, the low-level sensor outputs an empty silo signal.

[0013] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the traveling unit includes: a traveling guide rail, a traveling frame, wheels, a traveling limit sensor, and a drive motor; wherein, The driving guide rail is laid on the ground surface to achieve driving positioning; The top of the traveling frame is rotatably connected to the secondary conveyor belt, and wheels are provided at the bottom of the traveling frame; a positioning structure is provided on the traveling frame; the traveling frame is used to support the secondary conveyor belt. The wheels are connected to the traveling rail by rolling, which drives the traveling frame and the secondary conveyor belt to move. The travel limit sensor is installed on the travel guide rail and is used to monitor the position of the travel frame. The travel limit sensor generates a limit signal when the positioning structure passes in front of the travel limit sensor. When the control module detects the limit signal, it controls the drive motor to stop.

[0014] Secondly, the present invention also provides an intelligent ceramic powder feeding system, which includes: the ceramic powder feeding line and the host computer described above; The host computer is connected to the control module of the ceramic powder feeding line. The host computer is equipped with a human-machine interaction page for human-machine interaction and outputs the target feeding signal. The ceramic powder feeding line is used to transfer the ceramic powder to the top of the current target powder silo according to the target feeding signal and to feed the ceramic powder into the silo.

[0015] Thirdly, the present invention also provides a method for controlling the feeding of ceramic powder into a silo, for controlling the aforementioned intelligent feeding system for ceramic powder into a silo, the steps of which include: Read the next target powder bin, use the next target powder bin as the current target powder bin, and use the next powder bin in the spare bin number sequence as the next target powder bin; the spare bin number sequence includes all powder bins that have output empty bin signals; The primary direction signal, secondary direction signal, and displacement signal are obtained based on the target powder silo; The secondary conveying module is driven according to the target inlet signal to move its powder outlet end to the top of the current target powder silo; the conveying direction of the primary and secondary conveying modules is determined according to the target inlet signal. When a full-load transfer signal is detected, the primary transfer module stops working, while the secondary transfer module continues to operate until there is no ceramic powder on the secondary transfer module.

[0016] This invention discloses a ceramic powder feeding line, an intelligent feeding system, and a control method. The ceramic powder feeding line includes a primary conveying module, a secondary conveying module, several powder bins, and a control module. The primary conveying module has a powder inlet end for receiving ceramic powder and a powder outlet end connected to the secondary conveying module, used to convey the ceramic powder left and right according to a primary direction signal. The secondary conveying module is located on top of the powder bins. Its powder inlet end receives the ceramic powder output from the primary conveying module's powder outlet end and conveys the ceramic powder forward and backward to the powder outlet end of the secondary conveying module according to a secondary direction signal. When the bin is full and rotating, the secondary conveying module moves along the powder bin according to a displacement signal. The arrangement of the silos moves back and forth. The powder silos are connected to the control module, with equal spacing between each silo. The length of the secondary conveying module is an integer multiple of the spacing between the powder silos. When a powder silo is full, it outputs a full-silo transfer signal to the control module. The control module receives the target feed signal and is connected to the primary and secondary conveying modules of the ceramic powder feed line. When the control module receives the full-silo transfer signal, it controls the secondary conveying module to transfer to the top of the target powder silo. Based on the target feed signal, it controls the movement of the secondary conveying module to the top of the current target powder silo and outputs primary direction signals, secondary direction signals, and displacement signals to control the conveying direction of the primary conveying module and the conveying direction and position of the secondary conveying module. This invention achieves automatic detection when a powder silo is full and automatically moves the secondary conveying module to the top of the current target powder silo, completing the automatic transfer function without manual silo movement, thus reducing labor intensity. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the ceramic powder feeding line in this invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the ceramic powder feeding line in this invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the human-computer interaction page of the intelligent warehousing system in this invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the ceramic powder feeding line in this invention; Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the ceramic powder feeding control method of the present invention.

[0022] The labels in the attached diagram are as follows: 100, primary conveyor module; 101, primary conveyor belt; 200, secondary conveyor module; 210, first primary conveyor module; 220, second primary conveyor module; 211, secondary conveyor belt; 212, left front unloading shovel; 213, right front unloading shovel; 214, left rear unloading shovel; 215, right rear unloading shovel; 216, front discharge guide plate; 217, rear discharge guide plate; 230, guide valve proximity sensor; 300, powder hopper; 301, high-level sensor; 302, low-level sensor; 400, control module; 500, pre-loading module; 510, drying equipment; 520, pre-loading conveyor device; 530, buffer device; 600, intermediate conveyor belt. Detailed Implementation

[0023] This invention provides a ceramic powder feeding line, an intelligent feeding system, and a control method. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and effects of this invention clearer and more explicit, the invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0024] In the implementation methods and claims, unless otherwise specified in the text, the terms "a," "an," "the," and "the" may also include plural forms. If the embodiments of the present invention involve descriptions of "first," "second," etc., such descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features.

[0025] It should be further understood that the term "comprising" as used in this specification means the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. It should be understood that when we say an element is "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there may be intermediate elements. Furthermore, "connected" or "coupled" as used herein can include wireless connections or wireless coupling. The term "and / or" as used herein includes all or any unit and all combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0026] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in general dictionaries should be understood to have the same meaning as in the context of the prior art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless specifically defined as herein.

[0027] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0028] The inventors discovered that the drying and storage of raw materials is a crucial step in ceramic tile production. These processes must be synchronized, and conventionally, continuous production is required. The powder loading process is a critical step in ceramic tile production, affecting both the stability and efficiency of the process. Early loading systems relied solely on conveyor belts, requiring manual pushing to align with the hopper openings. This was labor-intensive, necessitating at least two people to complete the loading task. Furthermore, the next target powder hopper number after a full hopper was manually memorized, leading to frequent forgetting or incorrect loading.

[0029] To address the problems of existing technologies that require manual location of storage bins and cannot pre-select multiple backup bins, the inventors propose a ceramic powder feeding line, an intelligent feeding system, and a control method. For the first aspect, please refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 A ceramic powder feeding line is provided, comprising: a primary conveying module 100, a secondary conveying module 200, several powder bins 300, and a control module 400; wherein, the powder inlet of the primary conveying module 100 is used to receive ceramic powder, and the powder outlet of the primary conveying module 100 is connected to the secondary conveying module 200 for conveying the ceramic powder in a left-right direction according to a primary direction signal; the secondary conveying module 200 is located on the top of the powder bins 300, and the powder inlet of the secondary conveying module 200 is used to receive the ceramic powder output from the powder outlet of the primary conveying module 100, and convey the ceramic powder in a forward-backward direction to the powder outlet of the secondary conveying module 200 according to a secondary direction signal; when the bin is full and the bin is being rotated, the secondary conveying module 200 moves back and forth along the arrangement direction of the powder bins 300 according to a displacement signal; the powder... The material hopper 300 is connected to the control module 400. The powder hoppers 300 are evenly spaced, and the length of the secondary conveying module 200 is an integer multiple of the distance between the powder hoppers 300. When a powder hopper 300 is full, it outputs a full-hopper transfer signal to the control module 400. The control module 400 receives the target inlet signal and is connected to the primary conveying module 100 and the secondary conveying module 200 of the ceramic powder inlet line, respectively. When the control module 400 receives the full-hopper transfer signal, it controls the secondary conveying module to transfer to the full-hopper. According to the target inlet signal, it controls the secondary conveying module 200 to move to the top of the current target powder hopper 300 and outputs primary direction signal, secondary direction signal and displacement signal to control the conveying direction of the primary conveying module 100, the conveying direction and position of the secondary conveying module 200.

[0030] For ease of explanation, Figure 2 The left and right indicators in the text indicate the left and right directions of the ceramic powder inlet line. Figure 2 Above this is the front of the ceramic powder feeding line. Figure 2 Below is the area behind the ceramic powder feeding line.

[0031] Specifically, the plurality of powder hoppers 300 are arranged in a matrix or a complex array, and the arrangement of the powder hoppers 300 is symmetrical about the primary conveying module 100 as the center line. The ceramic powder to be fed into the hoppers enters from the powder inlet of the primary conveying module 100 and is conveyed to the left or right by the primary conveying module 100. The conveying direction is determined by the primary direction signal output by the control module 400. Correspondingly, the powder inlet of the secondary conveying module 200 is connected to the powder outlet of the primary conveying module 100. It should be noted that they can overlap horizontally, i.e., the two are at the same height, and / or overlap vertically, i.e., their vertical projections are perpendicular, as long as it is ensured that the ceramic powder can fall naturally onto the secondary conveying module 200. Furthermore, since the secondary conveying module 200 can move back and forth, the powder inlet of the secondary conveying module 200 is the entire area on the secondary conveying module 200 that receives the ceramic powder from the powder outlet of the primary conveying module 100 as its position changes. The position of the secondary conveying module 200 can move forward or backward as a whole, and the direction and distance of its movement are determined by the displacement signal output by the control module 400. When the secondary conveying module reaches the target position, the movement direction of the secondary conveying module 200 is determined by the secondary direction signal output by the control module 400.

[0032] Further, the primary conveying module 100 includes a primary conveyor belt 101, which is a bidirectional conveyor belt; the secondary conveying module 200 includes a primary conveying module 210 and a secondary conveying module 220. The primary conveying module 210 is connected to one end of the primary conveyor belt 101, and the secondary conveying module 220 is connected to the other end of the primary conveyor belt 101. The powder inlet end of the primary conveyor belt 101 is located at the middle position along its length, and the powder outlet ends of the primary conveyor belt 101 are located at both ends along its length. Thus, when the primary conveying module 100 is working, regardless of the conveying direction of the primary conveyor belt 101, one of the primary conveying module 210 and the secondary conveying module 220 receives the ceramic powder output from the powder outlet end of the primary conveying module 100. The primary conveying module 100 and the secondary conveying module 200 can also use other conveying methods such as screw conveying, tubular chain conveying, and pipeline conveying to convey ceramic powder.

[0033] In some preferred embodiments, the primary conveying module 210 and the secondary conveying module 220 include a secondary conveyor belt 211, a left front unloading shovel 212, a right front unloading shovel 213, a left rear unloading shovel 214, a right rear unloading shovel 215, and a traveling unit; wherein, the secondary conveyor belt 211 is a bidirectional conveyor belt used to convey ceramic powder forward or backward in the direction of the conveyor belt; the left front unloading shovel 212 and the right front unloading shovel 213 are symmetrically arranged at the front end of the secondary conveyor belt 211, and the left rear unloading shovel 214 and the right rear unloading shovel 215 are symmetrically arranged at the rear end of the secondary conveyor belt 211, used to guide the ceramic powder into the powder hopper 300; the traveling unit is arranged below the secondary conveyor belt 211, used to drive the secondary conveyor belt 211 to move freely along the arrangement direction parallel to the powder hopper 300.

[0034] Specifically, the left front unloading shovel 212 and the right front unloading shovel 213 are located at the front end of the secondary conveyor belt 211, and the left rear unloading shovel 214 and the right rear unloading shovel 215 are located at the rear end of the secondary conveyor belt 211. The left front unloading shovel 212 and the right front unloading shovel 213, and the left rear unloading shovel 214 and the right rear unloading shovel 215 are respectively symmetrically arranged in pairs on the side surface of the secondary conveyor belt 211, and each unloading shovel plays a guiding role. The traveling unit supports the secondary conveyor belt 211 and moves the positions of the secondary conveyor belt 211 and the left front unloading shovel 212, right front unloading shovel 213, left rear unloading shovel 214, and right rear unloading shovel 215. When one of the left front unloading shovel 212, right front unloading shovel 213, left rear unloading shovel 214, and right rear unloading shovel 215 is above the top of the current target powder silo 300, the traveling unit stops working and is fixed, and the ceramic powder is allowed to enter the silo. The secondary conveying module 220 has the same structure as the primary conveying module 210, and will not be described again here.

[0035] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the powder hoppers 300 are equally spaced on both sides of the secondary conveyor belt 211. The primary conveying module 210 and the secondary conveying module 220 further include a front discharge guide plate 216 and a rear discharge guide plate 217. The front discharge guide plate 216 is located at the front end of the secondary conveyor belt 211, and the rear discharge guide plate 217 is located at the rear end of the secondary conveyor belt 211. The fixed end of the front discharge guide plate 216 and the rear discharge guide plate 217 are... The fixed end of 17 is located on the center line of the secondary conveyor belt 211. The movable end of the front discharge guide plate 216 is used to abut against the left front discharge shovel 212 or the right front discharge shovel 213. The movable end of the rear discharge guide plate 217 is used to abut against the left rear discharge shovel 214 or the right rear discharge shovel 215. The front discharge guide plate 216 and the rear discharge guide plate 217 are used to control the ceramic powder to enter the powder hopper 300 on the left or right side of the secondary conveyor belt 211.

[0036] Specifically, Figure 4 for Figure 2 Please refer to the enlarged view of area A as well. Figure 2 and Figure 4The fixed ends of the front unloading guide plate 216 and the rear unloading guide plate 217 are located on the center line of the secondary conveyor belt, which can be either the primary or secondary conveyor belt. The front unloading guide plate 216 and the rear unloading guide plate 217 are connected to a guide plate motor (not shown in the figure). The guide plate motor drives the front unloading guide plate 216 and / or the rear unloading guide plate 217 to rotate left and right around the fixed ends until the rotating end of the front unloading guide plate 216 or the rotating end of the rear unloading guide plate 217 coincides with one side of the secondary conveyor belt, which can be equivalent to a directional valve structure. Furthermore, a guide valve proximity sensor 230 is provided at the contact position between the front unloading guide plate 216 and the left front unloading shovel 212 and the right front unloading shovel 213, respectively, for positioning the front unloading guide plate 216 and the rear unloading guide plate 217. Correspondingly, a guide valve proximity sensor 230 is also provided between the rear unloading guide plate 217 and the left rear unloading shovel 214 and the right rear unloading shovel 215. The mechanical structure is the same as that between the front unloading guide plate 216 and the left front unloading shovel 212 and the right front unloading shovel 213, and will not be described in detail here. By bringing the front discharge guide plate 216 or the rear discharge guide plate 217 close to the corresponding guide valve proximity sensor 230, the discharge shovel outlet on the corresponding side will be blocked by the front discharge guide plate 216 or the rear discharge guide plate 217, guiding the ceramic powder to the discharge shovel outlet on the opposite side. Thus, the control module 400 can locate the contact position of the front discharge guide plate 216 and the rear discharge guide plate 217 based on the parameter information output by the guide valve proximity sensor 230, thereby determining the left and right direction of the ceramic powder. The guide plates mainly control the powder flow direction, forcing the powder to flow into the designated hopper in a predetermined direction, avoiding inertia-induced deviation into the other hopper, and reducing local powder accumulation. They also reduce impact; when the powder flows at high speed, the guide plates can alleviate direct impact on the equipment walls, reducing wear and extending equipment lifespan. Furthermore, they optimize distribution; when entering the hopper, the guide plates ensure uniform powder distribution, avoiding excessively high local concentrations. Finally, the 45-degree angled guide plates optimize the powder flow state, reducing transport resistance and energy consumption. At the same time, the number of overhead cranes and conveyor belts is reduced, saving construction costs, and one set can meet the feeding needs of two rows of powder silos with a capacity of 300.

[0037] Furthermore, in some preferred embodiments, the ceramic powder feeding line further includes a pre-feeding module 500 and an intermediate conveyor belt 600. The powder outlet of the pre-feeding module 500 is connected to the primary conveying module 100 via the intermediate conveyor belt 600, and is used to generate and temporarily store the ceramic powder. Specifically, the pre-feeding module 500 is used to pre-process the powder to be fed into the silo, and to convey the ceramic powder waiting to be fed into the silo to the primary conveying module 100 via the intermediate conveyor belt 600, where the primary conveying module 100 and the secondary conveying module 200 transfer the ceramic powder. The pre-loading module 500 includes: a drying device 510, a pre-loading conveying device 520, and a buffer device 530; wherein, the powder outlet of the drying device 510 is located directly above the powder inlet of the pre-loading conveying device 520, and the drying device 510 is used to dry the ceramic material to be loaded into the warehouse to obtain ceramic powder; the powder outlet of the pre-loading conveying device 520 is connected to the powder inlet of the buffer device 530, and is used to transport the ceramic powder to the powder inlet of the buffer device 530; the powder outlet of the buffer device 530 is located directly above the primary conveying module 100, and the buffer device 530 is used to temporarily store the ceramic powder when the secondary conveying module 200 performs a full-load transfer.

[0038] Specifically, the drying equipment 510 is preferably a drying tower, which can achieve rapid and continuous drying of wet materials. The drying tower can be a spray drying tower, in which the ceramic material to be fed into the chamber is separated into droplets by an atomizer, and the powder-shaped product is obtained by direct contact between hot air or other gases and the droplets. Depending on the characteristics of the material, it can be used for hot air drying, centrifugal granulation, and cold air granulation. Most products with significantly different characteristics can be produced using this machine. Because the drying process is completed instantaneously, the finished product particles can basically maintain an approximately spherical droplet shape, and the product has good dispersibility, flowability, and solubility, used to prepare fine ceramic powders with stable moisture content. It features continuous production, fast drying speed, and convenient operation and control, making it suitable for large-scale production. After drying, the ceramic powder falls from the powder outlet of the drying equipment 510 onto the pre-feeding conveyor 520, which can be a conveyor belt, and transports the ceramic powder to the powder inlet of the buffer device 530. The buffer device 530 can be a powder buffer hopper, used to act as a transition during the transfer from full to full hopper. Specifically, when the current powder hopper 300 is full, the secondary conveyor module 200 moves to the next hopper number selected by the human-machine interface. During the crane movement and alignment process, the primary conveyor belt 101 of the primary conveyor module 100 and the secondary conveyor belt 211 of the secondary conveyor module 200 are all stopped. Only the pre-loading conveyor device 520 continues to operate and transports the ceramic powder from the drying tower to the buffer device 530 for temporary storage. This solves the problem of storing ceramic powder in the drying tower during the transfer from full to full hopper, prevents material leakage during the transfer, and ensures the continuity of material spraying in the drying tower.

[0039] Please refer to the following preferred embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 and Figure 4 A high-level sensor 301 is installed at the top of the powder silo 300, and a low-level sensor 302 is installed at the bottom of the powder silo 300. The high-level sensor 301 and the low-level sensor 302 are used to detect the height of ceramic powder in the powder silo 300. When the high-level sensor 301 detects ceramic powder, the high-level sensor 301 outputs a full silo transfer signal; when the low-level sensor 302 does not detect ceramic powder, the low-level sensor 302 outputs an empty silo signal.

[0040] When the height of the ceramic powder is greater than that of the high-level sensor 301, the ceramic powder in the corresponding powder hopper 300 has reached its maximum storage capacity, and a full-hopper transfer signal is output to the control module 400. The control module 400 controls the secondary conveying module 200 to perform a full-hopper transfer based on this signal. Specifically, the control module 400 controls the conveying direction of the primary conveying module 100 and the secondary conveying module 200, and the position of the secondary conveying module 200, to designate the current target powder hopper 300 as the endpoint of the ceramic powder conveying line. When the height of the ceramic powder is less than that of the low-level sensor 302, the corresponding powder hopper 300 is empty, and an empty-hopper signal is output to the control module 400. It can then be used as the next target powder hopper 300 for storing ceramic powder. The control module 400 stores a sequence of spare silo numbers. This sequence is used to store information about powder silos 300 that output empty silo signals in advance. The sequence of spare silo numbers can be fixed or determined by the user based on the current empty powder silo during use.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the two ends of the secondary conveyor belt 211 of the secondary conveyor module 200 can also be provided with a front unloading guide plate 216 and a rear unloading guide plate 217, so that the secondary conveyor module 200 can position four powder bins 300 at the same position, reduce the average displacement distance of the secondary conveyor module 200 during the full bin transfer process, and improve the full bin transfer efficiency.

[0042] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the traveling unit includes: a traveling guide rail, a traveling frame, wheels, a traveling limit sensor, and a drive motor; wherein, the traveling guide rail is laid on the ground surface for traveling positioning; the top end of the traveling frame is rotatably connected to the secondary conveyor belt 211, and the bottom end of the traveling frame is provided with wheels; a positioning structure is provided on the traveling frame; the traveling frame is used to support the secondary conveyor belt 211; the wheels are rolled on the traveling guide rail, driving the traveling frame and the secondary conveyor belt 211 to move; the traveling limit sensor is disposed on the traveling guide rail for monitoring the position of the traveling frame, and the traveling limit sensor generates a limit signal when the positioning structure passes in front of the traveling limit sensor; when the control module 400 detects the limit signal, it controls the drive motor to stop. The traveling unit can use any driving energy source and any transmission device. The connection relationship between the driving energy source, the transmission device, and the traveling unit in this invention is prior art in the art, and will not be described further here. Preferably, the traveling unit can be composed of components such as traveling guide rails, wheels, drive motor, drive shaft, drive sprocket, and chain, with the traveling belt mounted on the traveling frame. The traveling unit is used to transport the secondary conveyor belt 211, aligning its powder outlet end with the openings of the corresponding powder bins 300.

[0043] Secondly, please refer to Figure 3 This invention also provides an intelligent ceramic powder silo loading system, comprising: the aforementioned ceramic powder loading line and a host computer; the host computer is connected to the control module of the ceramic powder loading line, and the host computer is equipped with a human-machine interface for human-machine interaction and outputting a target loading signal; the ceramic powder loading line is used to transfer the powder to the top of the current target powder silo according to the target loading signal and to load the ceramic powder. Preferably, the host computer's human-machine interface and the programmable controller use RS-485 serial communication to transmit the target loading signal as an instruction signal to the control module of the ceramic powder loading line. The control module stores a sequence of spare silo numbers, and the human-machine interface may include the storage time of each powder silo, empty / full information, manual operation instruction buttons, and the sequence of spare silo numbers. It also displays the storage time of the powder, etc. This system reduces the labor intensity of manual silo transfer after a full silo, and the recording of powder settling time provides basic information for production. Allowing the ceramic powder to settle for a certain period of time allows for a more uniform moisture distribution, alleviates stress between particles, promotes full chemical reactions, and stabilizes powder properties. Sufficient storage time prevents uneven shrinkage of the green body after molding, reduces cracking or deformation caused by moisture differences, improves the plasticity and binding strength of the ceramic powder, and ensures continuous and consistent production. Displaying the storage time also prevents a series of product quality problems after molding due to insufficient settling time.

[0044] Thirdly, such as Figure 5 As shown, the present invention also provides a method for controlling the feeding of ceramic powder into a silo, for controlling the above-mentioned intelligent feeding system for ceramic powder into a silo, the steps of which include: S100: Read the next target powder bin, take the next target powder bin as the current target powder bin, and take the next powder bin in the spare bin number sequence as the next target powder bin; the spare bin number sequence includes all powder bins that have output empty bin signals; Specifically, taking 20 powder silos as an example, the powder silos are numbered sequentially from 1 to 20 from front to back and from left to right. The control module reads the powder silo with the first number in the spare silo sequence from its own readable storage medium, which is the next target powder silo, and uses it as the current target powder silo for positioning. The powder silo one position above or below the spare silo number in the sequence is then used as the next target powder silo.

[0045] Prior to S100, the system also includes: users completing system control commands through a human-machine interface, exchanging information with the control module via a program, and enabling manual / automatic operation switching and pre-selection of storage bins. The control module internally includes a programmable controller for storing instruction and data information. The instruction information is used for manual control by the user; for example, the instruction information includes emergency stop, manual / automatic switching, manual forward and reverse rotation of the primary and secondary conveying modules, and manual displacement control of the secondary conveying module. When the manual / automatic switch on the human-machine interface is set to manual, the interface sends a signal to disconnect the manual input point between the control module and the interface, placing the system in manual control mode. When the manual / automatic switch on the interface is set to automatic, the interface sends a signal to connect the control module input point, placing the system in automatic operation mode. The intelligent ceramic powder storage system achieves intelligent storage and full-bin transfer.

[0046] S200: Obtain primary direction signal, secondary direction signal and displacement signal according to the target powder silo; Specifically, the control module obtains the target position based on the target powder hopper and the conveying direction of the primary and secondary conveying modules for entering the hopper. It then integrates the target position and conveying direction to obtain a primary direction signal, a secondary direction signal, and a displacement signal. These signals are used to control the operating state of the primary and secondary conveying modules. The control module can detect the current position of the secondary conveying module using environmental sensors such as proximity switches, and determine the displacement distance and direction of the secondary conveying module based on the current position and the target position. The conveying direction of the exit conveying module and secondary conveying module when the powder hopper with the corresponding number enters the hopper can be preset, or determined by the control module based on the powder outlet end used when connecting the secondary conveying module; this invention does not impose any limitations on this.

[0047] S300: Drive the secondary conveying module according to the target inlet signal to move the powder outlet end of the secondary conveying module to the top of the current target powder silo; determine the conveying direction of the primary conveying module and the secondary conveying module according to the target inlet signal; Specifically, the primary conveying module and the secondary conveying module operate according to the primary direction signal, the secondary direction signal, and the displacement signal. In some preferred embodiments, the control module can also output a buffer signal to the pre-loading module to control the buffering device in the pre-loading module to buffer the ceramic powder. When the primary conveying module and the secondary conveying module start working normally, the transfer is completed and the powder can be loaded into the hopper normally. At this time, the control module stops outputting the buffer signal, the buffering device continues to output ceramic powder, and the current target powder hopper is loaded into the hopper.

[0048] S400. When a full-load transfer signal is detected, the primary transfer module stops working, and the secondary transfer module continues to run until there is no ceramic powder on the secondary transfer module.

[0049] When the target powder hopper is full, the hopper outputs a full-hopper transfer signal to the control module. Based on this signal, the control module controls the primary and secondary conveying modules to restart the full-hopper transfer process. To prevent ceramic powder from falling off the secondary conveying module and causing waste during the transfer, the secondary conveying module continues operating for a period until all the ceramic powder is transferred to the hopper before proceeding with the transfer. This time period can be predetermined or manually set by the user; details are omitted here.

[0050] Specifically, taking the sequential arrangement of feed silos (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) as an example, the method for controlling the feeding of ceramic powder into the silos will be explained.

[0051] The first digit of the spare bin number sequence is the next target powder bin. When the spare bin number sequence is set to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, powder bin number 1 is the next target powder bin. The HMI manual / automatic switch is in automatic mode, in automatic bin-switching mode. The control module reads powder bin number 1 as the next target powder bin and sets it as the current target powder bin. At the same time, it sets the next powder bin in sequence, namely powder bin number 2, as the new next target powder bin. It outputs primary direction signal, secondary direction signal, and displacement signal. The displacement of the primary conveying module until it is sensed by the proximity switch indicates that the left front unloading shovel of the primary conveying module is directly above the top of powder bin number 1. The front feeding guide plate 216 approaches the guide valve proximity sensor 230 located at the right front position of the primary conveyor belt. The corresponding guide valve proximity sensor 230 outputs a position signal, which includes information indicating whether an object is approaching the guide valve proximity sensor 230. The control module 400 reads the parameters at the corresponding address in the readable storage medium to obtain the position signals output by the guide valve proximity sensors 230 at different positions. Upon detecting this position signal, the control module activates the pre-feed conveyor, intermediate conveyor belt, primary conveyor belt, and primary conveyor belt, initiating feeding into powder hopper 1. Simultaneously, the control module transmits the target powder hopper number and the next target powder hopper number to the host computer, which displays the current feed hopper number and the next target powder hopper number.

[0052] When the high-level sensor of powder silo No. 1 detects powder, the pre-feed conveyor, intermediate conveyor belt, and primary conveyor belt stop working, while the primary conveyor belt continues to run to clean the material, and the control module times the cleaning time.

[0053] When the timed material clearing period ends, the control module starts timing the storage time of powder bin #1, and the stored information is displayed in the host computer. Simultaneously, the next powder bin number is transmitted sequentially to the previous one. At this point, the spare bin numbers are in the sequence 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 0, where 0 indicates that no powder bin number is set at that position. The control module obtains the number of the next target powder bin, the primary conveyor belt stops outputting, the traveling unit starts working, and the primary conveyor belt travels towards powder bin #2 until the secondary conveyor module completes its positioning at powder bin #2. This process continues until the next target powder bin in the spare bin number sequence is 0, and all powder bins in the spare bin number sequence have been stored.

[0054] Taking the randomized order of feed silos (10, 7, 5, 4, 3, 6, 9, 8, 2, 1) as an example, this paper explains the method for controlling the feeding of ceramic powder.

[0055] When the spare bin numbers are sequentially set to 10, 7, 5, 4, 3, 6, 9, 8, 2, 1, the HMI manual / automatic switch is in automatic mode, operating in automatic bin-changing mode. The control module outputs primary direction signals, secondary direction signals, and displacement signals. The first-stage conveyor module moves until it is sensed by a proximity switch, indicating that the left front unloading shovel of the first-stage conveyor module is directly above the top of bin number 10. The rear unloading guide plate 217 approaches the guide valve proximity sensor 230 located to the right rear of the first-stage conveyor belt. The guide valve proximity sensor 230 outputs a position signal. The control module detects this position signal and controls bin number 10 to start feeding. The pre-feeding conveyor, intermediate conveyor, primary conveyor, and first-stage conveyor all begin operation. Simultaneously, the control module transmits the current target bin number and the next target bin number to the host computer. The host computer displays the current feeding bin number as 10 and the next target bin number as 7.

[0056] When the high-level sensor of powder silo No. 1 detects powder, the pre-feed conveyor, intermediate conveyor belt, and primary conveyor belt stop working, while the primary conveyor belt continues to run to clean the material, and the control module times the cleaning time.

[0057] When the timed material clearing period ends, the control module starts timing the storage time of powder bin #10, and the stored information is displayed in the host computer. Simultaneously, the next powder bin number is transmitted sequentially to the previous one. At this point, the spare bin numbers are in the order of 7, 5, 4, 3, 6, 9, 8, 2, 1, 0. The control module obtains the next target powder bin number as 7, the primary conveyor belt stops outputting, the traveling unit starts working, and the primary conveyor belt travels towards powder bin #7 until the secondary conveyor module completes its positioning at powder bin #7. This process continues until the next target powder bin in the spare bin number sequence is 0, and all powder bins in the spare bin number sequence have been filled.

[0058] This invention discloses a ceramic powder feeding line, an intelligent feeding system, and a control method. The ceramic powder feeding line includes a primary conveying module, a secondary conveying module, several powder bins, and a control module. The primary conveying module has a powder inlet end for receiving ceramic powder and a powder outlet end connected to the secondary conveying module, used to convey the ceramic powder left and right according to a primary direction signal. The secondary conveying module is located on top of the powder bins. Its powder inlet end receives the ceramic powder output from the primary conveying module's powder outlet end and conveys the ceramic powder forward and backward to the powder outlet end of the secondary conveying module according to a secondary direction signal. When the bin is full and rotating, the secondary conveying module moves along the powder bin according to a displacement signal. The arrangement of the silos moves back and forth. The powder silos are connected to the control module, with equal spacing between each silo. The length of the secondary conveying module is an integer multiple of the spacing between the powder silos. When a powder silo is full, it outputs a full-silo transfer signal to the control module. The control module receives the target feed signal and is connected to the primary and secondary conveying modules of the ceramic powder feed line. When the control module receives the full-silo transfer signal, it controls the secondary conveying module to transfer to the top of the target powder silo. Based on the target feed signal, it controls the movement of the secondary conveying module to the top of the current target powder silo and outputs primary direction signals, secondary direction signals, and displacement signals to control the conveying direction of the primary conveying module and the conveying direction and position of the secondary conveying module. This invention achieves automatic detection when a powder silo is full and automatically moves the secondary conveying module to the top of the current target powder silo, completing the automatic transfer function without manual silo movement, thus reducing labor intensity.

[0059] It should be understood that the application of the present invention is not limited to the examples above. Those skilled in the art can make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A ceramic powder feeding line, characterized in that, include: The system includes a primary conveying module, a secondary conveying module, several powder silos, and a control module; among which, The powder inlet of the primary conveying module is used to receive ceramic powder, and the powder outlet of the primary conveying module is connected to the secondary conveying module to convey the ceramic powder to the left and right directions according to the primary direction signal. The secondary conveying module is located on the top of the powder silo. The powder inlet of the secondary conveying module is used to receive the ceramic powder output from the powder outlet of the primary conveying module, and to convey the ceramic powder to the powder outlet of the secondary conveying module in a forward and backward direction according to the secondary direction signal. When the silo is full and the silo is being rotated, the secondary conveying module moves forward and backward along the arrangement direction of the powder silo according to the displacement signal. The powder hopper is connected to the control module. The powder hoppers are equally spaced, and the length of the secondary conveying module is an integer multiple of the distance between the powder hoppers. When a powder hopper is full, the powder hopper outputs a full hopper transfer signal to the control module. The control module receives the target inlet signal and is connected to the primary and secondary conveying modules of the ceramic powder inlet line. When the control module receives the full-load transfer signal, it controls the secondary conveying module to transfer to the full-load silo. According to the target inlet signal, it controls the secondary conveying module to move to the top of the current target powder silo and outputs primary direction signal, secondary direction signal and displacement signal to control the conveying direction of the primary conveying module and the conveying direction and position of the secondary conveying module.

2. The ceramic powder feeding line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The primary conveying module includes a primary conveyor belt, which is a bidirectional conveyor belt. The secondary conveying module includes a primary conveying module and a secondary conveying module. The primary conveying module is connected to one end of the primary conveyor belt, and the secondary conveying module is connected to the other end of the primary conveyor belt.

3. The ceramic powder feeding line according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first-stage conveying module and the second-stage conveying module each include a secondary conveyor belt, a left front unloading shovel, a right front unloading shovel, a left rear unloading shovel, a right rear unloading shovel, and a traveling unit; wherein... The secondary conveyor belt is a bidirectional conveyor belt used to convey ceramic powder to the front or rear of the conveyor belt direction. The left front unloading shovel and the right front unloading shovel are symmetrically arranged at the front end of the secondary conveyor belt, and the left rear unloading shovel and the right rear unloading shovel are symmetrically arranged at the rear end of the secondary conveyor belt, for guiding the ceramic powder into the powder hopper. The traveling unit is located below the secondary conveyor belt and is used to drive the secondary conveyor belt to move freely along the arrangement direction parallel to the powder bins.

4. The ceramic powder feeding line according to claim 3, characterized in that, The powder hoppers are evenly spaced on both sides of the secondary conveyor belt. The primary and secondary conveyor modules also include a front discharge guide plate and a rear discharge guide plate. The front discharge guide plate is located at the front end of the secondary conveyor belt, and the rear discharge guide plate is located at the rear end of the secondary conveyor belt. The fixed ends of the front and rear discharge guide plates are located on the center line of the secondary conveyor belt. The movable end of the front discharge guide plate is used to abut against the left or right front discharge shovel; the movable end of the rear discharge guide plate is used to abut against the left or right rear discharge shovel. The front and rear discharge guide plates are used to control the ceramic powder to enter the powder hopper on the left or right side of the secondary conveyor belt.

5. The ceramic powder feeding line according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a pre-loading module and an intermediate conveyor belt. The powder outlet of the pre-loading module is connected to the primary conveyor module via the intermediate conveyor belt, and is used to generate and temporarily store the ceramic powder.

6. The ceramic powder feeding line according to claim 5, characterized in that, The pre-entry module includes: drying equipment, a pre-entry conveying device, and a buffer device; wherein... The powder outlet end of the drying equipment is located directly above the powder inlet end of the pre-inlet conveying device. The drying equipment is used to dry the ceramic material to be put into the warehouse to obtain ceramic powder. The powder outlet end of the pre-entry conveying device is connected to the powder inlet end of the buffer device, and is used to transport the ceramic powder to the powder inlet end of the buffer device; The powder outlet of the buffer device is located directly above the primary conveying module, and the buffer device is used to temporarily store the ceramic powder when the secondary conveying module is transferring the powder to a full container.

7. The ceramic powder feeding line according to claim 1, characterized in that, A high-level sensor is installed at the top of the powder silo, and a low-level sensor is installed at the bottom of the powder silo. The high-level sensor and the low-level sensor are used to detect the height of ceramic powder in the powder silo. When the high-level sensor detects ceramic powder, the high-level sensor outputs a full silo transfer signal; when the low-level sensor does not detect ceramic powder, the low-level sensor outputs an empty silo signal.

8. The ceramic powder feeding line according to claim 3, characterized in that, The traveling unit includes: a traveling guide rail, a traveling frame, wheels, traveling limit sensors, and a drive motor; wherein, The driving guide rail is laid on the ground surface to achieve driving positioning; The top of the traveling frame is rotatably connected to the secondary conveyor belt, and wheels are provided at the bottom of the traveling frame; a positioning structure is provided on the traveling frame; the traveling frame is used to support the secondary conveyor belt. The wheels are connected to the traveling rail by rolling, which drives the traveling frame and the secondary conveyor belt to move. The travel limit sensor is installed on the travel guide rail and is used to monitor the position of the travel frame. The travel limit sensor generates a limit signal when the positioning structure passes in front of the travel limit sensor. When the control module detects the limit signal, it controls the drive motor to stop.

9. A smart ceramic powder feeding system, characterized in that, include: The ceramic powder feeding line and host computer as described in any one of claims 1-8; The host computer is connected to the control module of the ceramic powder feeding line. The host computer is equipped with a human-machine interaction page for human-machine interaction and outputs the target feeding signal. The ceramic powder feeding line is used to transfer the ceramic powder to the top of the current target powder silo according to the target feeding signal and to feed the ceramic powder into the silo.

10. A method for controlling the feeding of ceramic powder into a silo, used to control the intelligent feeding system for ceramic powder as described in claim 9, characterized in that the steps include... include: Read the next target powder bin, use the next target powder bin as the current target powder bin, and use the next powder bin in the spare bin number sequence as the next target powder bin; The order of the spare bin numbers includes all powder bins that have output empty bin signals; The primary direction signal, secondary direction signal, and displacement signal are obtained based on the target powder silo; The secondary conveying module is driven according to the target inlet signal to move its powder outlet end to the top of the current target powder silo; the conveying direction of the primary and secondary conveying modules is determined according to the target inlet signal. When a full-load transfer signal is detected, the primary transfer module stops working, while the secondary transfer module continues to operate until there is no ceramic powder on the secondary transfer module.

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