Filler filling device
The filler filling device addresses the labor-intensive and costly issues of existing technologies by using an air cylinder and vacuum pump to continuously fill filler materials into concrete structures, even with large height differences, reducing the need for frequent cartridge replacements and skilled labor.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023172385
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-10-03
- Publication Date
- 2025-04-15
AI Technical Summary
Existing filler filling devices require frequent cartridge replacements and are labor-intensive and costly, especially when filling large concrete structures with varying height differences between the filler container and the filling location.
A filler filling device that uses an air cylinder connected to a compressor and a vacuum pump, which cooperates to continuously fill the filler material from a container without the need for cartridges, allowing for efficient filling even with large height differences.
The device enables continuous filling of filler materials into concrete structures with minimal labor and reduced costs, as it can operate efficiently across large height differences and does not require skilled workers to handle the device.
Smart Images

Figure 2025062966000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a filler filling device capable of continuously filling a filler into an object to be filled, such as a concrete structure. [Background technology]
[0002] A filling device is used to fill a filling object such as a concrete structure with a fluid filler. Conventionally, such a filling device has generally been a gun-type cartridge-type filling device in which the filler is divided into small portions and filled into a cartridge. Such a cartridge has a nozzle at one end of a cylindrical body filled with the filler, and a plug that can slide inside the body is provided at the other end, and the filler inside is sealed so that it does not come into contact with air. Then, by pushing in the plug of the loaded cartridge with the filling device, the filler inside the cylinder is pushed out from the nozzle, and the desired construction position can be filled.
[0003] However, when the object to be filled, such as a concrete structure, is large and the amount of filling is large, it is necessary to replace the cartridge many times, which is troublesome, and the cartridge itself must be disposed of, which increases costs. For this reason, there has been a demand for a filling device that can continuously fill the filler without using a cartridge.
[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a filling device that includes a cylindrical body 10 that can be filled with a filler, a piston 20 that is arranged on the base end side inside the cylindrical body 10 and is capable of pushing out the filler A filled inside the cylindrical body 10 toward the tip end, an operation unit 30 that can move the piston 20 back and forth from the base end side to the tip end side of the cylindrical body 10, a nozzle that ejects the filler A pushed out by the piston 20, and a stirring means 50 that can stir the filler A filled inside the cylindrical body, and that can mix and fill a plurality of materials uniformly without using a cartridge (see claim 1 in the claims of Patent Document 1, paragraphs
[0013] to
[0022] of the specification, Figure 1 of the drawings, etc.).
[0005] However, although the filling device described in Patent Document 1 does not use disposable cartridges, it refills the filler into a cylindrical body and is not capable of continuous use. Furthermore, when a large amount of filler is to be filled, refilling is time-consuming, just like with the cartridge type, and it does not solve the problem of high labor costs for the filling operation.
[0006] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a sealant filling device that includes a sealant supply device 10 and a filling gun 5 for sucking up sealant M stored in a tank 3 and filling it into joints and gaps, and that can reliably supply sealant continuously and perform work in a short amount of time without requiring any labor (see claim 1 in the claims of Patent Document 2, paragraphs
[0018] to
[0028] of the specification, and Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, etc.).
[0007] However, a filling device of the type in which the filling material (sealant M) in the tank 3 is pushed up and filled by the feeder 10, such as the filling device of Patent Document 2, is a device that can handle high-viscosity sealant as described in the specification. In this mechanism, the upward force of the sealant M is generated by the interaction between the rotation of the blade portion 141 and the spiral groove 121. Therefore, when the sealant M is highly viscous, it is possible to push the sealant up to a certain height where the weight of the sealant and the upward force are balanced, but when the viscosity is low, the weight of the sealant and its fluidity are factors, and even if the blade portion is rotated at high speed, the sealant is pushed up to about 1 m. In order to increase this suction and pushing force, it is necessary to provide a large-diameter piston or a long piston in the gun part, which makes it difficult to carry on narrow scaffolding, etc., and causes the problem that it cannot be handled by a weak worker. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0008] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-104210 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2010-70924 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0009] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a filler filling device that makes the portable gun part as small as possible and can continuously fill the filler into the object to be filled, such as a concrete structure, even if there is a large difference in height between the filler container and the gun part. [Means for solving the problem]
[0010] The filler filling device according to claim 1 is a filler filling device that continuously fills a filling object with a filler, and is characterized in that it comprises an air cylinder connected to a compressor and operated by compressed air pressure, and a vacuum pump connected to the air cylinder by an air tube, and the air cylinder and the vacuum pump work together to suck and fill the filler from a storage container that stores the filler.
[0011] The filler filling device of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the filler filling device of claim 1, the air cylinder has a cylinder shaft and a cylinder case, a sensor provided in the cylinder case detects the position of the cylinder shaft, and a solenoid valve switches the valve position based on the detected sensor information to change the inlet for compressed air to the cylinder case, thereby controlling piston movement.
[0012] The filler filling device of claim 3 is the filler filling device of claim 2, characterized in that a filler reservoir section for temporarily storing filler is formed in front of the cylinder case, and a vacuum suction port connected to the vacuum pump by the air tube is formed in the filler reservoir section, and the inside of the filler reservoir section is sucked by the suction force of the vacuum pump.
[0013] The filler filling device of claim 4 is characterized in that, in the filler filling device of any of claims 1 to 3, a discharge part that discharges a filler is connected to the air cylinder via a push-release valve, and when the discharge part is pressed against an object to be filled, the push-release valve is opened, and the filler can be discharged from the discharge port of the discharge part. Effect of the Invention
[0014] According to the inventions of claims 1 to 4, the portable gun part can be made as small as possible, and the filler can be continuously filled into the object to be filled, such as a concrete structure, even if there is a large difference in height between the filler container and the gun part. Also, according to the inventions of claims 1 to 4, since the portable gun part is small and can be filled automatically, anyone can fill the filler, even if they are not a skilled worker, and it becomes easier to secure the labor force.
[0015] In particular, according to the invention of claim 2, the position of the cylinder shaft is detected by a sensor installed inside the cylinder case, and the valve position is switched by a solenoid valve based on the information detected by the sensor, thereby controlling the piston movement by changing the inlet of compressed air to the cylinder case. Therefore, the compressed air of a separate compressor can be appropriately distributed to perform the piston movement of the air cylinder, and the suction force of the filler can be secured while making the air cylinder of the gun part carried by the worker ultra-compact.
[0016] In particular, according to the invention of claim 3, a vacuum suction port connected to a vacuum pump by an air tube is formed in the filler reservoir, and the inside of the filler reservoir is sucked by the suction force of the vacuum pump, so that the operation of the air cylinder and the operation of the vacuum pump can be coordinated efficiently, and further, the portable gun part can be made as small as possible, and the filler can be continuously filled into the object to be filled, such as a concrete structure, even if there is a large difference in height between the filler storage container and the gun.
[0017] In particular, according to the invention of claim 4, when the discharge part is pressed against the object to be filled, the press release valve opens and the filler can be discharged from the discharge port of the discharge part, thereby preventing the filler from being accidentally discharged. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a filler filling device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, showing the filler filling device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the filler filling device of the same. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a right side view showing the filler filling device of the same. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view showing the filler filling device. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a left side view showing the filler filling device of the same. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a rear view showing the filler filling device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a filler filling device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0020] [Filling material filling equipment] First, a filler filling device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 7. Fig. 1 is a front view showing the filler filling device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 1 showing the filler filling device according to this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the filler filling device according to this embodiment, and Fig. 4 is a right side view showing the filler filling device according to this embodiment. Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view showing the filler filling device according to this embodiment, Fig. 6 is a left side view showing the filler filling device according to this embodiment, and Fig. 7 is a rear view showing the filler filling device according to this embodiment.
[0021] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the filler filling device 1 is equipped with an ultra-compact air cylinder 2 that is connected to an air compressor (not shown) and operates on the pressure of compressed air from the air compressor, and a vacuum pump 3 that is connected to the air cylinder 2 by an air tube.The air cylinder 2 and the vacuum pump 3 work together to suck the filler from a storage container (not shown) that contains the filler, and continuously fill it.This is the gun portion that is carried by the operator of the filling device, excluding the compressor and the storage container.
[0022] Here, continuous filling means that, unlike conventional cartridge-type filler filling devices, when the filler in the cartridge is filled, the filler in the container that already contains a large amount of filler is continuously filled without being replaced with another cartridge or remixed in the cylinder.
[0023] As shown in Fig. 1 etc., the filler filling device 1 includes a handle 4 made of a rod having a rectangular cross section, and a controller box 5 attached to the handle 4. The above-mentioned vacuum pump 3 is installed inside the controller box 5.
[0024] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, in the filler filling device 1, a battery pack 6 which serves as the power source for the filler filling device 1 is attached to one side of the controller box 5, and a filter box 7 is attached to the other side of the controller box 5 to remove dirt and dust from the air sucked in by the vacuum pump 3 and to stop any filler that may enter the tube on the vacuum pump 3 side before it reaches the vacuum pump, thereby keeping the vacuum pump 3 operating normally.
[0025] (Air cylinder) The air cylinder 2 has an air cylinder body 20, a cylinder shaft 21 that moves back and forth from the air cylinder body 20, and a cylinder case 22 that covers the air cylinder body 20 and the cylinder shaft 21. A piston valve 21a made of a rubber material is attached to the tip (front end) of the cylinder shaft 21.
[0026] The cylinder case 22 is divided into a cylindrical rear cylinder case 23 that covers the air cylinder body 20, and a cylindrical front cylinder case 24 that covers the protruding portion of the cylinder shaft 21, and a filler reservoir 25 for temporarily storing the filler is formed in front of the front cylinder case 24. Note that the terms front, rear, front, and rear refer to the side from which the filler is discharged, based on the direction in which the filler filling device 1 discharges the filler, and the opposite side, based on the direction in which the filler is discharged ... are based on the direction in which the filler is discharged, and the opposite side, are based on the direction in which the filler is discharged, and the opposite side, are based on the direction in which the filler is discharged, and the opposite side, are based on the direction in which the filler is discharged.
[0027] The rear end of the rear cylinder case 23 is sealed by a rear end cap 26, and the front end of the front cylinder case 24 is sealed by a front end cap 27. A rear end sensor 23a is provided in the center of the rear end cap 26 of the rear cylinder case 23 to detect when the cylinder shaft 21 has reached its rearmost position, and a front end sensor 23b is provided in front of the rear cylinder case 23 to detect when the cylinder shaft 21 has reached its frontmost position.
[0028] Furthermore, a cylinder-side backward air connection port 23c is provided in the front of the rear cylinder case 23, and a cylinder-side forward air connection port 23d is provided in the rear of the rear cylinder case 23. These cylinder-side backward air connection ports 23c are connected to a controller-side backward air connection port 52 (described later) by air tubes (not shown), and the cylinder-side forward air connection port 23d is connected to a controller-side forward air connection port 51 (described later) by air tubes (not shown).
[0029] A discharge part 28 that discharges the filler is connected to the front of the front end cap 27 of the front cylinder case 24 via a push-on release valve 29, and when the discharge part 28 is pressed against the object to be filled, the push-on release valve 29 opens, allowing the filler to be discharged from the filler reservoir 25 through the discharge port 28a of the discharge part 28. This makes it possible to prevent the filler from being accidentally discharged.
[0030] In addition, a check valve 29a is provided between the front end cap 27 and the rear of the push-release valve 29, which is configured to prevent the filler from flowing back from the discharge portion 28 and returning to the filler reservoir portion 25.
[0031] Furthermore, the filler reservoir 25 is connected by a tube to a container that stores the filler at the filler suction port 25a, and is also connected by a tube to the vacuum pump 3 at the vacuum suction port 25b. Check valves 25c and 25d are provided on the filler reservoir 25 sides of the filler suction port 25a and the vacuum suction port 25b, respectively, to prevent the filler from flowing back from the filler reservoir 25 to the container or back to the vacuum pump 3. A water level sensor 25e that detects the presence or absence of the filler is also attached above the vacuum suction port 25b.
[0032] (Vacuum Pump) A small diaphragm pump capable of reducing pressure to about -80 kPa, for example, which can reduce the size and weight, is suitable as the vacuum pump 3. This vacuum pump 3 has a box-side vacuum pump air connection port 31 and a vacuum suction port 25b connected via a filter box 7, and is structured so that the vacuum pump 3 sucks and reduces pressure in the filler reservoir 25, thereby increasing the suction force of the filler from the storage container to the filler reservoir 25.
[0033] (Handshake) The grip 4 is made of a rod with a rectangular cross section, with its upper end attached to the rear cylinder case 23 and a controller box 5 for controlling the air cylinder 2 attached to one side.
[0034] (Controller box) The controller box 5 is equipped with the above-mentioned vacuum pump 3, and also has a control board and compressed air intake 50 (not shown), which is connected to an air compressor (not shown) and receives compressed air from the air compressor through the compressed air intake 50, controls the control board to send the air to the air cylinder 2, and controls the piston operation of the air cylinder 2. Reference numeral 8 denotes a pressure gauge that measures the pressure of the compressed air received through the compressed air intake 50.
[0035] In addition, the controller box 5 is provided with a controller-side forward air connection port 51 and a controller-side reverse air connection port 52, with the controller-side forward air connection port 51 being connected to the aforementioned cylinder-side reverse air connection port 23c, and the controller-side reverse air connection port 52 being connected to the cylinder-side forward air connection port 23d.
[0036] The controller box 5 also has a 5-port solenoid valve (not shown), a forward air speed controller (not shown), and a reverse air speed controller (not shown). The aforementioned control board and solenoid valve switch the destination of the compressed air flowing in from the compressed air intake 50 to the controller side forward air connection port 51 or the controller side reverse air connection port 52, and the forward air speed controller and the reverse air speed controller adjust the outflow speed of the compressed air to control the piston movement of the air cylinder 2.
[0037] The air compressor that supplies compressed air to the air cylinder of the gun is connected to the gun with a compressed air tube, so it does not need to be small and lightweight since it does not need to be lifted to a high place. Therefore, the air compressor used in the filler filling device 1 may be a known commercially available air compressor such as a reciprocating type, scroll type, screw type, or turbo type. However, the air compressor according to this embodiment is an oil-free, silent compressor that is driven by an AC power source of AC 100V, has an air discharge amount of 140 L / min, and a maximum operating pressure of about 0.7 MPa (control pressure 0 to 0.7 MPa).
[0038] (Battery pack) The battery pack 6 of this embodiment is composed of a 12V lithium-ion battery equipped with a safety circuit to enable continuous operation for 7 to 8 hours a day. This battery pack 6 is replaceable and rechargeable. The 12V power supplied by the battery pack 6 is supplied to the air cylinder 2 and the vacuum pump 3, and these are controlled and driven by the control program of the controller box 5. Needless to say, a DC 24V battery pack may also be used.
[0039] (Filter box) The filter box 7 uses a filter equipped with a water droplet and dirt removal type filter and pod to remove dirt and dust from the sucked air. In the unlikely event that filler material gets into the vacuum pump 3 side tube, it is trapped inside the filter pot to protect it from being sucked into the vacuum pump 3.
[0040] [Operation of the filling material filling device] Next, the operation of the filler filling device 1 will be described. The filler filling device 1 is constantly supplied with compressed air from the compressor through the compressed air intake 50, and when the power switch is turned on, compressed air is supplied from the normally open connection port of the 5-port solenoid valve. At this time, the compressed air flowing in from the compressed air intake 50 flows out to the forward air connection port 51 on the controller side, and in the air cylinder 2, the cylinder shaft 21 is pushed toward the tip side by the pressure of the compressed air, causing it to move.
[0041] Furthermore, when the cylinder shaft 21 reaches the tip due to the pressure of the compressed air, the tip sensor 23b detects that the cylinder shaft 21 has reached the tip, and the valve position of the 5-port solenoid valve is switched. As a result, the control board and solenoid valve of the controller box 5 switch the outflow destination of the compressed air flowing in from the compressed air intake port 50 to the controller side retreat air connection port 52, and the retreat air speed controller adjusts the outflow speed of the compressed air to control the retreat movement of the air cylinder 2.
[0042] The backward movement of the piston valve sucks up the filler from the container through the filler suction port 25a. At the same time, the vacuum pump 3 starts operating, and the suction force of the vacuum pump 3 supplied through the vacuum suction port 25b increases the suction force sucking the filler from the container, making it possible to suck and fill the filler even if the elevation difference between the container and the filler filling device 1 exceeds 5m.
[0043] When the cylinder shaft 21 moves to the rear end again, the rear end sensor 23a detects it and switches the valve position of the 5-port solenoid valve. This causes compressed air to be blown out from the controller side forward air connection port 51 after the pressure is adjusted through the forward air speed controller, pushing the cylinder shaft 21 forward and pushing it out, and the filler sucked from the storage container through the filler suction port 25a by the piston valve 21a is pushed out and injected.
[0044] In this way, the air cylinder 2 repeats piston movement by moving the cylinder shaft 21 back and forth by changing the location where compressed air from the air compressor is injected using the controller and solenoid valve. When the piston moves backward, the filler is sucked up from the filler storage container through the filler suction port 25a into the filler storage section 25, and when the piston moves forward, the filler accumulated in the filler storage section 25 is discharged from the discharge port 28a of the discharge section 28, and the filler is injected into the desired filling location.
[0045] When the filler is sucked up by the vacuum created by the vacuum pump 3 and exceeds the filler reservoir 25 to the position of the water level sensor 25e, the vacuum pump 3 stops suctioning. When the water level drops, the sensor 25e automatically detects the drop in the water level and the vacuum pump 3 restarts suctioning.
[0046] According to the filler filling device 1 of this embodiment described above, the gun part of the conventional filling device had a weight of 3.5 kg and a gun length of 55 cm, but the portable gun part has been made smaller with a weight of 3.0 kg or less and a gun length of 50 cm. Furthermore, according to the filler filling device 1, even if there is a large difference in height between the filler container and the target object to be filled, such as a concrete structure, the filler can be continuously filled. Furthermore, according to the filler filling device 1, the portable gun part is small and can be filled automatically, so that anyone, even if not a skilled worker, can fill the filler, making it easier to secure the labor force.
[0047] Furthermore, according to the filler filling device 1, the position of the cylinder shaft 21 is detected by sensors (rear end sensor 23a, front end sensor 23b) installed inside the cylinder case 22, and the piston movement is controlled by switching the valve position with a solenoid valve based on the information detected by the sensors and changing the compressed air inlet to the cylinder case 22, so that the piston movement of the air cylinder 2 can be performed by appropriately allocating compressed air from a separate compressor, and the suction power of the filler material can be secured while making the air cylinder 2 of the gun part carried by the worker extremely compact.
[0048] In addition, according to the filler filling device 1, the filler reservoir 25 is formed with a vacuum suction port 25b connected to the vacuum pump 3 by an air tube, and the inside of the filler reservoir 25 is sucked in by the suction force of the vacuum pump 3. This allows the operation of the air cylinder 2 and the operation of the vacuum pump 3 to work together efficiently, further allowing the filler filling device 1 to be made compact, and the filler can be continuously filled into the object to be filled, such as a concrete structure, even if the height difference between the filler storage container and the object exceeds 5 m.
[0049] Furthermore, according to the filler filling device 1, when the discharge part 28 is pressed against the object to be filled, the press-release valve 29 opens and the filler can be discharged from the discharge port 28a of the discharge part 28, so that it is possible to prevent the filler from being accidentally discharged from the discharge port 28a.
[0050] Although the filler filling device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the above-mentioned and illustrated embodiments are merely specific embodiments for carrying out the present invention, and therefore the technical scope of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited by these. [Explanation of symbols]
[0051] 1: Filler filling device 2: Air cylinder 20: Air cylinder body 21: Cylinder shaft 21a: Piston valve 22: Cylinder case 23: Rear cylinder case (cylinder case) 23a: Rear end sensor 23b: Tip sensor 23c: Cylinder side reverse air connection port 23d: Cylinder side forward air connection port 24: Front cylinder case (cylinder case) 25: Filler reservoir 25a: Filler inlet 25b: Vacuum suction port 25c, 25d: Check valve 25e: Water level sensor 26: Rear end cap 27: Front end cap 28:Discharge part 28a: Discharge port 29: Press release valve 29a: Check valve 3: Vacuum pump 31: Box side vacuum pump air connection port 4: Gripping hands 5: Controller box 50: Compressed air intake 51: Controller side forward air connection port 52: Controller side retract air connection port 6: Battery pack 7: Filter box 8: Pressure gauge
Claims
1. A filler filling device that continuously fills a filler into a filling object, The device is provided with an air cylinder connected to a compressor and operated by compressed air pressure, and a vacuum pump connected to the air cylinder by an air tube, and the air cylinder and the vacuum pump work together to suck and fill the filler from a container that contains the filler. A filler filling device comprising:
2. The air cylinder comprises a cylinder shaft and a cylinder case, and a sensor provided in the cylinder case detects the position of the cylinder shaft. Based on the information detected by the sensor, a solenoid valve switches the valve position to change the inlet of compressed air to the cylinder case, thereby controlling piston movement.
2. The filler filling device according to claim 1,
3. A filler reservoir for temporarily storing the filler is formed in the front of the cylinder case, and a vacuum suction port connected to the vacuum pump by the air tube is formed in the filler reservoir, and the inside of the filler reservoir is sucked by the suction force of the vacuum pump.
3. The filler filling device according to claim 2,
4. A discharge part for discharging a filling material is connected to the air cylinder via a pressure release valve, and when the discharge part is pressed against an object to be filled, the pressure release valve is opened, and the filling material can be discharged from the discharge port of the discharge part. The filler filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Sealant filling apparatus
JP2010070924A
Filling device and construction method of anchor
JP2013104210A