Granule processing container and drying device

Abstract

To provide a structure capable of further securing the air tightness of the internal space thereof, while decreasing the level difference formed in the vicinity of the open / shut door of the granule processing container.SOLUTION: The granule processing container comprises an opening disposed on a side wall of the processing container body, an opening / closing door 50 capable of closing the opening from the outer surface of the side wall, a seal member 60 interposed between the peripheral edge of the opening on the outer surface of the side wall and the opening / closing door 50 when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, and a seal plate 55 positioned between the side wall and the seal member 60 to expand in a plate shape along the opening / closing door 50. The seal member 60 has a first section 601 positioned on the side close to the opening and a second section 602 positioned on the side far from the opening. At least a portion of the seal plate 55 is interposed between the edge of the opening on the outer surface of the side wall and the first section 601 of the seal member 60, when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, whereby the first section 601 is pressed and recessed in the radial direction. A cut is provided at least in a part along the boundary between the first section 601 and the second section 602.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a powder or granular material processing container that stores powder or granular material (hereinafter referred to as "powder or granular material") therein, and a drying device that has the powder or granular material processing container. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in the molding process of plastic products, a powder or granular material processing container is used to temporarily store powder or granular material therein in order to perform processing such as drying on the powder or granular material to be processed. The powder or granular material processing container may also be provided with an opening (viewport) or an opening / closing door to enable viewing of the interior and access to the internal space. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which a side wall portion (111) of a powder or granular material processing container (10) is provided with an opening (110) and an opening / closing door (50) that can close the opening (110) from the outer surface side of the side wall portion (111). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7393782 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The powder or granular material processing container (10) of Patent Document 1 is provided with a seal member (60) and a seal plate (55). When the door (50) is closed, the seal member (60) is sandwiched between the door (50) and the periphery of the opening (110) on the outer surface of the side wall portion (111). The provision of the seal member (60) ensures that the internal space of the powder or granular material processing container (10) is hermetically sealed. The seal plate (55) extends in a plate shape along the door (50) between the side wall portion (111) and the seal member (60). The provision of the seal plate (55) reduces a step that may occur between the door (50) and the periphery of the opening (110) on the outer surface of the side wall portion (111).

[0005] However, in the structure of Patent Document 1, when the door (50) is closed, a portion of the seal member (60) is sandwiched between the door (50) and the seal plate (55). As a result, the seal member (60) is pulled as a whole, which may reduce its thickness and the amount of compression. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the structure of the seal member (60) so that the internal space of the powder or granular material processing container (10) can be more tightly sealed even when the door (50) is closed.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a structure that improves the structure of the sealing member and can better ensure the airtightness of the internal space of a powder or granular material processing vessel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, a first invention of the present application provides a powder or granular material processing vessel for storing powder or granular material in an internal space, the processing vessel comprising a processing vessel body, an opening, an opening / closing door, a sealing member, and a sealing plate. The opening is provided in a sidewall of the processing vessel body. The opening / closing door is capable of closing the opening from the outer surface of the sidewall. When the opening / closing door is closed, the sealing member is sandwiched between the opening and the opening / closing door, and is deformable. At least a portion of the sealing plate is located between the sidewall and the sealing member, and extends in a plate shape along the opening / closing door. The sealing member has a first portion located closer to the opening and a second portion adjacent to the first portion and located farther from the opening. When the opening / closing door is closed, at least a portion of the sealing plate is sandwiched between the first portion and at least a portion of the opening's outer surface on the sidewall, thereby causing the first portion to be pressed and recessed radially via the sealing plate. Also, a cut is provided at least partially along the boundary between the first portion and the second portion.

[0008] A second invention of the present application is a powder or granular material processing vessel for storing powder or granular material in an internal space, comprising a processing vessel body, an opening, an opening / closing door, a sealing member, and a sealing plate. The opening is provided in a side wall of the processing vessel body. The opening / closing door is capable of closing the opening from the outer surface of the side wall. When the opening / closing door is closed, the sealing member is sandwiched between the opening and the opening / closing door, and is deformable. At least a portion of the sealing plate is located between the side wall and the sealing member, and extends in a plate shape along the opening / closing door. The sealing member has a first portion located closer to the opening and a second portion adjacent to the first portion and located farther from the opening. When the opening / closing door is closed, at least a portion of the sealing plate is sandwiched between the first portion and at least a portion of the opening's outer surface on the side wall, thereby causing the first portion to be pressed and recessed in the radial direction via the sealing plate. In addition, the radial thickness of the second portion is greater than the radial thickness of the first portion, and a step portion is formed by changing the thickness of the sealing member along the boundary between the first portion and the second portion.

[0009] A third aspect of the present invention is the powder or granular material processing vessel of the first or second aspect, wherein the first section and the second section are formed from the same member.

[0010] A fourth aspect of the present invention is the powder or granular material processing vessel of the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the first section and the second section are formed from separate members.

[0011] A fifth aspect of the present invention is the powder or granular material processing vessel of the fourth aspect, wherein the hardness of the first portion is higher than the hardness of the second portion.

[0012] The sixth invention of the present application is a powder or granular material processing vessel of the fourth or fifth invention, wherein the radial position of the inner surface of the second part is the same as or more radially inward than the radial position of the inner surface of the first part.

[0013] The seventh invention of the present application is a powder or granular material processing container according to any one of the first to sixth inventions, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the first part when cut perpendicular to the extension direction of the sealing member and the cross-sectional shape of the second part when cut perpendicular to the extension direction of the sealing member are both rectangular.

[0014] The eighth invention of the present application is a powder or granular material processing container according to any one of the first to sixth inventions, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the first part when cut perpendicular to the extension direction of the sealing member and the cross-sectional shape of the second part when cut perpendicular to the extension direction of the sealing member are different from each other.

[0015] A ninth aspect of the present invention is the powder or granular material processing vessel according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the inner surface of the second portion has a bulge radially inward.

[0016] A tenth aspect of the present invention is a powder / granular material processing vessel according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the powder / granular material is resin pellets that are used as raw materials for resin molded products.

[0017] The 11th invention of the present application is a powder or granular material processing vessel according to any one of the first to tenth inventions, wherein the powder or granular material processing vessel is a drying hopper that dries powder or granular material in its internal space and supplies it to a subsequent device.

[0018] The twelfth invention of the present application comprises a powder or granular material processing vessel according to any one of the first to eleventh inventions, a suction port communicating with the internal space of the powder or granular material processing vessel, an outlet port for introducing gas into the internal space of the powder or granular material processing vessel, piping connecting the suction port and the outlet port, airflow generating means for generating an airflow within the piping from the suction port to the outlet port, a heating section for heating the gas flowing within the piping, and an exhaust pipe for discharging powder or granular material downward from the powder or granular material processing vessel. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the first to twelfth aspects of the present invention, even if the first portion of the seal member is pressed by the seal plate and recessed in the radial direction when the door is closed, the second portion is pulled accordingly, reducing its thickness and preventing a reduction in the crushing allowance. This ensures the thickness of the second portion, thereby further ensuring the airtightness of the internal space of the powder or granular material processing container.

[0020] In particular, according to the third and seventh aspects of the present invention, the manufacturing cost of the sealing member can be reduced, and the workability when disposing the sealing member can be improved.

[0021] In particular, according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to further prevent powder and granular material from getting between the seal plate and the side wall portion when the door is closed.

[0022] In particular, according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the second part of the sealing member can be brought into more reliable contact with the side wall when the door is closed, thereby ensuring a more sufficient airtightness of the internal space of the powder or granular material processing container. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram conceptually illustrating the configuration of a powder / granular material processing apparatus. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing connections between a control unit and each unit. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the storage tank according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the storage tank according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a partial top view schematically showing a state in which the opening and closing door according to the first embodiment is closed. [Figure 8] FIG. 3 is a partial top view schematically showing a state in which the opening and closing door according to the first embodiment is closed. [Figure 9]FIG. 10 is a partial top view schematically showing a state in which the opening and closing door according to the second embodiment is closed. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a partial top view schematically showing a state in which the opening and closing door according to the third embodiment is closed. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a partial top view schematically showing a state in which the opening and closing door according to the third embodiment is closed. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a partial top view schematically showing a state in which the opening and closing door according to the fourth embodiment is closed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the storage tank described below, the direction perpendicular to the central axis of the storage tank, which extends vertically, will be referred to as the "radial direction." In addition, within the "radial direction," the side approaching the central axis of the storage tank will be referred to as the "radially inner side," and the side away from the central axis of the storage tank will be referred to as the "radially outer side." In addition, in FIGS. 5 and 7 to 12 described below, the "radial direction" will be represented as "D4," the "radially inner side" will be represented as "D4i," and the "radially outer side" will be represented as "D4o."

[0025] 1. First Embodiment <1-1. Overall configuration of powder and granular material processing equipment> FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a powder or granular material processing apparatus 1, which is a drying apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. This powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 is used to process powder or granular material, which is the processing target, for example, in a molding process for plastic products. Here, the powder or granular material refers to, for example, resin pellets 9, which are the raw material for resin molded products such as plastic. The powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 pre-dries the resin pellets 9 before feeding them into a subsequent device.

[0026] 1, powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a storage tank 10, a material supply mechanism 20, an airflow circulation mechanism 30, and a control unit 40. Powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 supplies resin pellets 9, which are raw material, from material supply mechanism 20 to storage tank 10, dries the resin pellets 9 inside storage tank 10, and then discharges the dried resin pellets 9 to a downstream injection molding machine. However, the downstream machine is not limited to an injection molding machine and may be, for example, another machine such as an extrusion molding machine, a blow molding machine, or a compression molding machine.

[0027] The storage tank 10 is a container that stores and dries resin pellets 9 in its internal space. The storage tank 10 may be placed on a factory floor or above an injection molding machine installed on the floor. The storage tank 10 is made of a metal such as stainless steel. The main body (hereinafter referred to as the "storage tank main body 100") that forms the exterior of the storage tank 10 includes a side wall 11, a bottom 12, and a top plate 13. The side wall 11 has a substantially cylindrical three-dimensional shape extending along a central axis 8 (see FIG. 3 described later). The bottom 12 is a funnel-shaped portion that gradually converges radially inward as it extends downward from the lower end of the side wall 11. The top plate 13 covers the upper part of the storage tank 10. The storage tank 10 may have other shapes. For example, the side wall 11 may have a rectangular cylindrical shape.

[0028] A space for storing and drying resin pellets 9 is provided inside the storage tank 10. The storage tank 10 of this embodiment is also provided with an opening / closing door 50 (see FIG. 3 described later) including a viewing window 54 that allows the internal space to be viewed and accessed from outside the powder / granular material processing apparatus 1. The detailed structure of the storage tank 10 near the opening / closing door 50 will be described later.

[0029] A supply hopper 21, which will be described later, is installed above the top plate 13. The supply hopper 21 is connected to the storage tank 10 via an inlet 14 provided in the top plate 13 of the storage tank 10. The inlet 14 can be opened and closed manually by an operator or automatically. The downstream end of a supply pipe 22, which will be described later, is also connected to the supply hopper 21. When resin pellets 9 are supplied to the storage tank 10, the resin pellets 9 are supplied from the supply pipe 22 through the supply hopper 21 into the storage tank 10.

[0030] In addition, a discharge pipe (not shown) is installed below the bottom 12, which discharges the dried resin pellets 9 from the storage tank 10 to the injection molding machine below. That is, the storage tank 10 of this embodiment serves as a drying hopper that supplies the resin pellets 9 after drying in the internal space to the subsequent injection molding machine. The discharge pipe is connected to the storage tank 10 via a discharge port 15 provided in the bottom 12. In addition, a valve is installed in the discharge pipe for switching the discharge port 15 between an open state and a closed state. When the valve is opened, the resin pellets 9 in the storage tank 10 are discharged through the discharge port 15 to the injection molding machine. On the other hand, when the valve is closed, the discharge of the resin pellets 9 from the storage tank 10 is stopped.

[0031] The material supply mechanism 20 is a mechanism for supplying the resin pellets 9 before drying into the storage tank 10. The material supply mechanism 20 of this embodiment has a supply hopper 21, a supply pipe 22, a supply tank 23, and a transport blower 24.

[0032] The supply hopper 21 is a container that temporarily stores resin pellets 9 before they are supplied to the storage tank 10. As described above, the supply hopper 21 is connected to the storage tank 10 via the inlet 14 provided in the top plate 13 of the storage tank 10. In addition, the downstream end of the supply pipe 22 is connected to the side of the supply hopper 21. The upstream end of the supply pipe 22 is connected to the supply tank 23. The supply tank 23 stores undried resin pellets 9, which are the raw material.

[0033] The transport blower 24 may be, for example, a known blower having multiple blades. The transport blower 24 is connected to the supply hopper 21 via a pipe 25. When the transport blower 24 is driven, the multiple blades rotate, generating an airflow that sucks in gas from the pipe 25 and discharges it to the outside. As a result, resin pellets 9 in the supply tank 23, which is a supply source of raw material, are pneumatically transported to the supply hopper 21 via the supply pipe 22 (see arrow D1 in FIG. 1). When the inlet 14 is opened and the airflow is stopped, the resin pellets 9 in the supply hopper 21 fall through the inlet 14 into the storage tank 10 due to gravity. In this way, the material supply mechanism 20 intermittently supplies (batch-supplies) the resin pellets 9 into the storage tank 10 by repeatedly generating and stopping the airflow.

[0034] However, the method of supplying the resin pellets 9 to the storage tank 10 does not necessarily have to be batch supply. For example, the resin pellets 9 may be continuously supplied into the storage tank 10 by suction using negative pressure. Alternatively, the resin pellets 9 may be directly introduced into the storage tank 10 by an operator.

[0035] The airflow circulation mechanism 30 is a mechanism for circulating gas in order to supply hot air for drying into the storage tank 10. The airflow circulation mechanism 30 of this embodiment supplies dry gas into the storage tank 10, and further circulates the gas discharged from the storage tank 10 by heating and drying it again and supplying it back to the storage tank 10. As shown in FIG. 1 , the airflow circulation mechanism 30 has an airflow circulation path 31, a filter 32, a cooler 33, a drying blower 34, a moisture adsorption unit 35, and a heating unit 36.

[0036] The airflow circulation path 31 is a pipe that forms the circulation path. The upstream end of the airflow circulation path 31 is connected to a suction port 16 provided in an upper part of the side wall 11 of the storage tank 10. The suction port 16 is in communication with the internal space of the storage tank 10. The downstream end of the airflow circulation path 31 penetrates the side wall 11 of the storage tank 10, opens into the internal space of the storage tank 10, and forms an air outlet 17. That is, the airflow circulation path 31 connects the suction port 16 and the air outlet 17. The air outlet 17 is located at a height that will be buried by the resin pellets 9 that are accumulated in the internal space of the storage tank 10 before the resin pellets 9 are discharged from the storage tank 10 to a subsequent injection molding machine. Further, on the path of the air circulation path 31, a filter 32, a cooler 33, a drying blower 34, a moisture adsorption unit 35, and a heating section 36 are provided in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side.

[0037] The drying blower 34 may be, for example, a known blower having multiple blades. The drying blower 34 corresponds to the "airflow generating means" of the present invention. When the drying blower 34 is driven, the multiple blades rotate, generating an airflow in the airflow circulation path 31 from the suction port 16 to the blowout port 17 (see arrow D2 in FIG. 1). As a result, the gas in the storage tank 10 is sucked into the airflow circulation path 31 from the suction port 16.

[0038] At this time, fine dust particles sucked from the storage tank 10 into the air circulation path 31 are collected by the filter 32. This prevents dust particles from being taken into equipment located downstream of the filter 32 and causing malfunctions.

[0039] The cooler 33 cools the gas sucked into the gas circulation path 31 from the storage tank 10 by a known method such as heat exchange. As a result, the gas that has passed through the cooler 33 becomes in a state in which moisture can be easily removed.

[0040] The moisture adsorption unit 35 is a device that adsorbs (dehumidifies) moisture contained in the gas after it has been cooled in the cooler 33. For example, various known devices using a honeycomb-shaped ceramic body or the like can be used for the moisture adsorption unit 35. When a honeycomb-shaped ceramic body is used, the ceramic body may contain zeolite, which has the property of adsorbing moisture.

[0041] Heating section 36 heats the gas dehumidified in moisture adsorption unit 35 using a known device such as an electric heater. That is, heating section 36 heats the gas flowing through airflow circulation path 31. As a result, the gas that has passed through heating section 36 becomes hot air. Then, the gas that has become dry hot air by passing through moisture adsorption unit 35 and heating section 36 is blown out from outlet 17 into the interior space of storage tank 10. That is, the gas that has become dry hot air is introduced into the interior space of storage tank 10 from outlet 17.

[0042] The dry hot air blown out from the air outlet 17 passes through the gaps between the resin pellets 9 stored inside the storage tank 10 and is diffused into the storage tank 10. As a result, the moisture contained in the resin pellets 9 is transferred to the dry hot air. As a result, the resin pellets 9 are dried.

[0043] The gas that has absorbed the moisture from the resin pellets 9 is sucked back into the airflow circulation path 31 through the suction port 16, cooled in the cooler 33, dehumidified in the moisture adsorption unit 35, heated in the heating section 36, and then sent into the storage tank 10. This gas circulation progresses the drying process of the resin pellets 9 in the storage tank 10. However, the gas that has absorbed the moisture from the resin pellets 9 may be sucked into the airflow circulation path 31 through the suction port 16 and then discharged to the outside without being circulated. In other words, the airflow circulation path 31 may be used as an exhaust pipe rather than as a circulation path. In this case, the cooler 33 and the moisture adsorption unit 35 may be omitted.

[0044] When the drying process of the resin pellets 9 is completed, the dried resin pellets 9 are discharged from the storage tank 10 to the subsequent injection molding machine. Thereafter, the next undried resin pellets 9 are pneumatically transported from the supply tank 23 to the supply hopper 21 via the supply pipe 22, and fall into the storage tank 10 to be deposited. Then, the drying process is carried out again in the storage tank 10.

[0045] The control unit 40 is a unit for controlling the operation of each component within the powder / granular material processing apparatus 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the connection between the control unit 40 and each component within the powder / granular material processing apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 40 is electrically connected to the transport blower 24, the cooler 33, the drying blower 34, the moisture adsorption unit 35, and the heating unit 36. The control unit 40 may be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU and memory, or may be configured as an electrical circuit. The control unit 40 controls the operation of each component based on a preset program or an external input signal. In other words, the hardware and software cooperate to enable the components within the powder / granular material processing apparatus 1 to function. This allows the processing of resin pellets 9 in the powder / granular material processing apparatus 1 to proceed. However, the transport blower 24 and the drying blower 34 may be separated from the control unit 40 and manually operated by an operator.

[0046] <1-2. Detailed structure around the opening and closing door> Next, the detailed structure of the storage tank 10 near the opening / closing door 50 will be described. FIG. 3 is a side view of the storage tank 10. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the storage tank 10 when viewed from above at position II in FIG. 3. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the side wall 11 of this embodiment has a two-layer structure made up of an inner side wall 111 and an outer side wall 112. The inner side wall 111 and the outer side wall 112 each have a substantially cylindrical three-dimensional shape extending along the central axis 8. The inner side wall 111 is located radially inward of the outer side wall 112. However, the structure of the storage tank 10 is not limited to this structure. For example, the side wall 11 may have a single-layer structure or a three- or more-layer structure.

[0047] An inner opening 110 is provided in the inner sidewall 111. The inner opening 110 is an opening that connects to a space radially inside the inner sidewall 111. In other words, the inner opening 110 connects to the internal space of the storage tank 10. The inner opening 110 corresponds to the "opening" of the present invention. In other words, the inner opening 110 is an "opening" provided in the sidewall 11 of the storage tank body 100. An outer opening 120 is provided in the outer sidewall 112. The outer opening 120 is an opening that connects to a space radially inside the outer sidewall 112. The outer opening 120 is located radially outside the inner opening 110 and overlaps with the inner opening 110 in the radial direction. The opening and closing door 50 is held in the sidewall 11 so that a radially outer portion of the opening and closing door 50 fits into the outer opening 120. 3 and 4, the left end portion of the opening / closing door 50 as viewed from the radial outside is connected to the outer surface of the outer side wall portion 112 via a hinge 51. Also, the right end portion of the opening / closing door 50 as viewed from the radial outside has a structure that can engage with an engaging portion 52 fixed to the outer surface of the side wall portion 11. Also, when the radially outer portion of the opening / closing door 50 is fitted into the outer opening 120, the inner circumferential surface of the opening / closing door 50 (the inner circumferential surface of an inner plate 501 described later) covers the inner opening 110 from the radial outside.

[0048] As a result, the right end of the opening / closing door 50 as viewed from the outside in the radial direction can move in the opening / closing direction D3, making it possible to close the inner opening 110 from the outer surface side of the side wall portion 11. On the other hand, when cleaning the internal space of the storage tank 10 or when directly checking the state of the resin pellets 9 in the internal space of the storage tank 10, the opening / closing door 50 can be opened to allow access to the internal space. However, the opening / closing door 50 may have a structure in which the right end in FIGS. 3 and 4 is connected via a hinge 51 and the left end is movable in the radial direction. In other words, it is sufficient that the opening / closing door 50 has a structure in which one of the left and right ends is connected to the outer surface of the side wall portion 11 via the hinge 51 and the other of the left and right ends is movable in the radial direction.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 4, the cross section of the opening / closing door 50 has an arc shape that follows the curvature of the side wall portion 11. The opening / closing door 50 has a two-layer structure made up of an inner plate 501 and an outer plate 502. As shown in FIG. 3, a through-hole 53 is provided near the center of the opening / closing door 50 in the left-right direction when viewed from the radial outside. The through-hole 53 passes through the inner plate 501 and the outer plate 502 and extends in the direction of the central axis 8. A colorless, transparent, plate-like member (e.g., a glass plate) is tightly fitted into the through-hole 53 to form a viewing window 54. The inner circumferential surface of the member fitted into the through-hole 53 is smoothly continuous with the inner circumferential surface of the inner plate 501. As a result, the opening / closing door 50 can be closed to ensure the hermeticity of the interior space, and the interior space can be viewed from the outside through the viewing window 54.

[0050] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the storage tank 10 as viewed from above at position II in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 illustrates a state in which the access door 50 is closed. As shown in the enlarged view in FIG. 5, a deformable seal member 60, which is a packing, is fixed to the inner surface of the inner plate 501 of the access door 50. The seal member 60 is made of a material that is easily deformed, such as silicone sponge or fluorine sponge. FIG. 6 is a side view of the access door 50. In FIG. 6, the inner opening 110 and seal member 60 located radially inside the access door 50 in FIG. 5 are illustrated by dashed lines and hatching. As shown in FIG. 6, the seal member 60 is fixed in an annular shape to the inside of the access door 50 via an adhesive so that it is positioned around the entire periphery of the inner opening 110 of the side wall portion 11 when the access door 50 is closed. As shown in FIG. 5, when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, the sealing member 60 is sandwiched radially between the opening / closing door 50 and the peripheral edge of the inner opening 110 on the outer surface of the inner side wall portion 111.

[0051] The seal member 60 of this embodiment has a first portion 601 and a second portion 602. The first portion 601 is a portion of the seal member 60 located on the inner side when the annular seal member 60 is viewed from the outside in the radial direction. That is, the first portion 601 is a portion of the seal member 60 located on the side closer to the inner opening 110 (the "opening" of the present invention). The second portion 602 is a portion of the seal member 60 located on the outer side when the annular seal member 60 is viewed from the outside in the radial direction. That is, the second portion 602 is a portion adjacent to the first portion 601 but located farther from the inner opening 110 (the "opening" of the present invention). The first portion 601 is positioned to contact the outer surface (the outer end surface in the radial direction) of a seal plate 55 (described later) when the opening and closing door 50 is closed. The second portion 602 is positioned not to contact the outer surface of the seal plate 55 (described later) when the opening and closing door 50 is closed.

[0052] 5, the seal member 60 of this embodiment has a slit 810 formed along the boundary between the first portion 601 and the second portion 602. The slit 810 is formed from the inner surface (the radially inner end surface) of the seal member 60 to the middle of the way to the outer surface (the radially outer end surface). The seal member 60 of this embodiment is manufactured by fixing a deformable material made of a single member to the inner surface of the inner plate 501 of the opening / closing door 50, and then forming the slit 810 from the inner surface side. That is, the first portion 601 and the second portion 602 of this embodiment are formed from the same member. This reduces the manufacturing cost of the seal member 60. It also improves the workability when arranging the seal member 60 on the inner surface of the opening / closing door 50.

[0053] 7, which will be described later, the cross sections of the first portion 601 and the second portion 602 of this embodiment when cut perpendicular to the extension direction of the sealing member 60 (the vertical direction in the case of FIG. 7) have substantially the same shape. More specifically, the cross section of the first portion 601 of this embodiment when cut perpendicular to the extension direction of the sealing member 60 and the cross section of the second portion 602 when cut perpendicular to the extension direction of the sealing member 60 are both rectangular. By making the first portion 601 and the second portion 602 have such shapes, the workability when manufacturing the sealing member 60 can be further improved.

[0054] The slit 810 does not have to be provided along the entire periphery of the inner opening 110 near the periphery of the inner opening 110 along the boundary between the first portion 601 and the second portion 602. The slit 810 only needs to be provided in at least a portion along the boundary between the first portion 601 and the second portion 602.

[0055] Furthermore, a seal plate 55 is fixed to the opening / closing door 50 of this embodiment. When viewed from the radial outside, the seal plate 55 of this embodiment has, for example, a rectangular shape having an upper side, a lower side, a right side 553, and a left side 554. When viewed from the radial outside of the storage tank 10, the seal plate 55 is slightly larger than the inner opening 110 of the side wall portion 11 and slightly smaller than the area surrounded by the seal member 60. The seal plate 55 is made of a metal such as stainless steel. However, other materials such as resin that can deform due to the pressing force applied when the opening / closing door 50 is closed may also be used for the seal plate 55. The seal plate 55 is supported by deformable support members 56, for example, bolted to the inner surface of the inner plate 501 of the opening / closing door 50 (above and below the viewing window 54). This allows the seal plate 55 to be elastically deformable in the radial direction.

[0056] As will be described later, when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, the edges (upper edge, lower edge, right edge 553, and left edge 554) of the seal plate 55 are located between the inner sidewall 111 and the first portion 601 of the seal member 60. The seal plate 55 extends in a thin plate shape along the inner sidewall 111 and the opening / closing door 50. However, when the opening / closing door 50 is open, the seal plate 55 does not necessarily have a shape that conforms to the inner sidewall 111 and the opening / closing door 50. The seal plate 55 may be fixed to the inner surface of the inner plate 501 of the opening / closing door 50 by a method other than using the support member 56 described above, or may simply be connected to a part of the opening / closing door 50 via a separate member (such as a plate or a string). Alternatively, the seal plate 55 may be attached to the first portion 601 of the seal member 60 with an adhesive or the like. Furthermore, as long as the seal plate 55 is sandwiched between the first portion 601 of the seal member 60 and the inner side wall portion 111 when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, there is no problem if the seal plate 55 is in a somewhat free state except when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, and it does not have to be completely fixed. Note that a viewing window (not shown) having a structure similar to that of the viewing window 54 is formed in the seal plate 55 at a position radially overlapping with the viewing window 54 of the opening / closing door 50. Furthermore, a heat insulating material may be further disposed between the seal plate 55 and the opening / closing door 50.

[0057] Furthermore, a part of the seal plate 55 may protrude from between the inner side wall portion 111 and the first part 601 of the seal member 60 when the opening / closing door 50 is closed. For example, an upper edge portion of the seal plate 55 may protrude above the seal member 60 when the opening / closing door 50 is closed. In other words, it is sufficient that at least a part of the seal plate 55 is located between the inner side wall portion 111 and the first part 601 of the seal member 60 when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, and that the seal plate 55 extends in a plate shape along the opening / closing door 50.

[0058] 7 and 8 are partial top views each showing a schematic view of the opening / closing door 50 being closed. Note that in FIGS. 7 and 8, the shapes of the components are simplified. For example, the left end of the opening / closing door 50 does not actually move because it is connected to the outer surface of the side wall 11 via the hinge 51, while the right end moves significantly. However, in FIGS. 7 and 8, the left and right ends are shown as moving the same distance. Note that FIG. 7 shows the state immediately before the opening 110 of the side wall 11 is closed by the opening / closing door 50. FIG. 8 shows the state after the opening 110 of the side wall 11 is closed by the opening / closing door 50. As described above, the seal plate 55 is fixed to the inner surface of the opening / closing door 50 via the support member 56 but is not fixed to the seal member 60. This allows the seal plate 55 to move relative to the seal member 60 and the inner side wall 111.

[0059] As described above, the seal plate 55 of this embodiment is disposed radially inward of the seal member 60. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 , when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, the inner surface 551 of the seal plate 55 comes into contact with the outer surface of the inner side wall portion 111 before the seal member 60 does. As a result, the seal plate 55 is pressed and displaced in the radial and left-right directions to conform to the curved shape of the inner side wall portion 111. Furthermore, the first portion 601 of the seal member 60, which is located radially outward of the seal plate 55, is pressed radially via the seal plate 55 and is recessed radially outward.

[0060] 8, when the opening / closing door 50 is completely closed, the second portion 602 of the seal member 60 contacts the inner sidewall portion 111 above the upper edge portion of the seal plate 55, below the lower edge portion, to the right of the right edge portion 553, and to the left of the left edge portion 554. That is, the seal member 60 has an annular first portion 601 that contacts the seal plate 55, and an annular second portion 602 that is adjacent to the first portion 601 and contacts the outer surface of the inner sidewall portion 111 around the entire periphery of the seal plate 55 at a position farther from the inner opening 110. This ensures that the internal space of the storage tank 10 is tightly sealed.

[0061] As described above, the seal member 60 has a slit 810 formed along the boundary between the first portion 601 and the second portion 602. Therefore, even if the first portion 601 of the seal member 60 is pressed via the seal plate 55 and recessed in the radial direction when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, the second portion 602 is pulled accordingly, which reduces the thickness and reduces the crushing allowance. This ensures that the second portion 602 has a sufficient thickness, thereby further ensuring the airtightness of the internal space of the storage tank 10.

[0062] Furthermore, the upper, lower, right, and left edges 553, 554 of the seal plate 55 are radially sandwiched between the outer surface of the inner sidewall 111 and the first portion 601 of the seal member 60 around the entire periphery of the inner opening 110. This allows for easy and inexpensive reduction of the step between the inner opening 110, the seal member 60, and the door 50. As a result, the resin pellets 9 are prevented from reaching the step, coming into contact with the seal member 60, scraping the seal member 60, and falling into the internal space of the storage tank body 100, resulting in contamination of the product. Furthermore, the resin pellets 9 are prevented from remaining in the step for a long time, causing excessive drying, resulting in deterioration of quality, and from being contaminated as foreign matter after the intended drying time has elapsed. Furthermore, the resin pellets 9 remaining in the step fall outside the storage tank 10 when the door 50 is opened and closed, preventing unnecessary cleaning work.

[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a metal seal plate 55 extending in the form of a thin plate is brought into contact with the metal storage tank body 100. This allows the seal plate 55 to slide more smoothly along the surface of the inner sidewall 111, and can be deformed to conform to the curved shape of the inner sidewall 111, compared to when the entire seal member 60 is brought into contact with the storage tank body 100. As a result, the inner opening 110 is covered more tightly, further reducing the step that occurs between the inner opening 110, the seal member 60, and the opening / closing door 50.

[0064] However, as described above, a part (for example, an upper edge) of the seal plate 55 may protrude from between the inner side wall portion 111 and the first part 601 of the seal member 60 when the opening / closing door 50 is closed. That is, in the present invention, it is sufficient that when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, at least a part of the seal plate 55 is sandwiched between the first part 601 and at least a part of the peripheral edge of the inner opening 110 on the outer surface of the inner side wall portion 111, so that the first part 601 is pressed via the seal plate 55 and recessed in the radial direction.

[0065] 2. Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that, hereinafter, only the structure of the seal member 60B and the state when the opening and closing door 50 is closed, which are different from the first embodiment, will be described. The same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment will be used for the same components as those in the first embodiment, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0066] FIG. 9 is a partial top view schematically illustrating a state in which the opening / closing door 50 according to the second embodiment is in the middle of being closed. Note that, in FIG. 9, as in FIGS. 7 and 8, the shapes of the components are simplified. As shown in FIG. 9, the sealing member 60B of this embodiment has a first portion 601B and a second portion 602B. The first portion 601B is a portion of the sealing member 60B that is located closer to the inner opening 110 of the side wall portion 11 of the storage tank 10. The second portion 602B is a portion that is adjacent to the first portion 601B but farther from the inner opening 110. Furthermore, the first portion 601B is positioned so as to contact the outer surface of the seal plate 55 when the opening / closing door 50 is closed. The second portion 602B is positioned so as not to contact the outer surface of the seal plate 55 when the opening / closing door 50 is closed.

[0067] 9, the radial thickness of the second portion 602B of this embodiment is greater than the radial thickness of the first portion 601B. More specifically, the radial position of the inner surface of the second portion 602B is located further radially inward than the radial position of the inner surface of the first portion 601B. That is, in the seal member 60B of this embodiment, the thickness of the seal member 60B changes along the boundary between the first portion 601B and the second portion 602B. As a result, a step portion 820B is provided along the boundary between the first portion 601B and the second portion 602B. Furthermore, the height Sh of the step portion 820B of this embodiment (the radial dimensional difference between the first portion 601B and the second portion 602B) is approximately the same as or slightly smaller than the radial thickness Th of the seal plate 55.

[0068] 9, when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, the inner surface 551 of the seal plate 55 comes into contact with the outer surface of the inner sidewall portion 111 before the seal member 60B does. As a result, the seal plate 55 is pressed and displaced in the radial and left-right directions to conform to the curved shape of the inner sidewall portion 111. The seal plate 55 also fits into the stepped portion 820B of the seal member 60B, comes into contact with the first portion 601B, and presses the first portion 601B radially outward. As a result, the first portion 601B is pressed radially via the seal plate 55 and is recessed radially outward.

[0069] Furthermore, similarly to the first embodiment, when the opening / closing door 50 is completely closed, the second portion 602B comes into contact with the inner sidewall portion 111. That is, the seal member 60B has an annular first portion 601B that comes into contact with the seal plate 55, and an annular second portion 602B that is adjacent to the first portion 601B and comes into contact with the outer surface of the inner sidewall portion 111 around the entire periphery of the seal plate 55 at a position farther from the inner opening 110. This ensures that the internal space of the storage tank 10 is tightly sealed.

[0070] As described above, in the seal member 60B, a step portion 820B is provided along the boundary between the first portion 601B and the second portion 602B. Therefore, even if the first portion 601B of the seal member 60B is pressed via the seal plate 55 and recessed in the radial direction when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, the second portion 602B is pulled accordingly, and the thickness thereof is reduced, which prevents a reduction in the crushing allowance. This ensures that the thickness of the second portion 602B is sufficient, thereby further ensuring the airtightness of the internal space of the storage tank 10.

[0071] 3. Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that, hereinafter, only the structure of the seal member 60C and the state when the opening and closing door 50 is closed, which are different from the first and second embodiments, will be described. The same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment will be used for the same components as those in the first embodiment, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0072] 10 and 11 are partial top views each showing a schematic view of the state in which the opening / closing door 50 is closed. In FIGS. 10 and 11, the shapes of the components are shown in a simplified form, as in FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 10 shows the state immediately before the opening 110 of the side wall 11 is closed by the opening / closing door 50. FIG. 11 shows the state after the opening 110 of the side wall 11 has been closed by the opening / closing door 50.

[0073] 10 and 11, the seal member 60C of this embodiment has a first portion 601C and a second portion 602C. The first portion 601C is a portion of the seal member 60C that is located closer to the inner opening 110 of the side wall portion 11 of the storage tank 10. The second portion 602C is a portion that is adjacent to the first portion 601C and located farther from the inner opening 110. The first portion 601C is positioned so that it contacts the outer surface of the seal plate 55 when the opening and closing door 50 is closed. The second portion 602C is positioned so that it does not contact the outer surface of the seal plate 55 when the opening and closing door 50 is closed.

[0074] 10 and 11, the first portion 601C and the second portion 602C of this embodiment are formed from different materials. That is, it can be seen that the seal member 60C of this embodiment has a slit 810C provided along the entire boundary between the first portion 601C and the second portion 602C. In this embodiment, the material used for the first portion 601C is harder than the material used for the second portion 602C. In this embodiment, the radial position of the inner surface of the second portion 602C is approximately the same as the radial position of the inner surface of the first portion 601C. However, the hardness of the materials used for the first portion 601C and the second portion 602C may be the same, or the hardness of the material used for the second portion 602C may be higher than the hardness of the material used for the first portion 601C, and the radial positions of the inner surfaces may be the same.

[0075] As in the first embodiment, when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, the inner surface 551 of the seal plate 55 comes into contact with the outer surface of the inner side wall portion 111 before the seal member 60C does. As a result, the seal plate 55 is pressed and displaced in the radial and left-right directions to conform to the curved shape of the inner side wall portion 111. Furthermore, a first portion 601C of the seal member 60C located radially outward of the seal plate 55 is pressed radially via the seal plate 55 and is recessed radially outward.

[0076] 11, when the opening / closing door 50 is completely closed, the second portion 602C of the seal member 60C contacts the inner sidewall portion 111 above the upper edge portion of the seal plate 55, below the lower edge portion, to the right of the right edge portion 553, and to the left of the left edge portion 554. That is, the seal member 60C has an annular first portion 601C that contacts the seal plate 55, and an annular second portion 602C that is adjacent to the first portion 601C and contacts the outer surface of the inner sidewall portion 111 around the entire circumference of the seal plate 55 at a position farther from the inner opening 110. This ensures that the internal space of the storage tank 10 is tightly sealed.

[0077] As described above, in the seal member 60C of this embodiment, the first portion 601C and the second portion 602C are formed from separate members and are not connected to each other. Therefore, even if the first portion 601C of the seal member 60C is pressed via the seal plate 55 and recessed in the radial direction when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, the second portion 602C is pulled accordingly, which reduces its thickness and prevents a reduction in the crushing allowance. This ensures that the second portion 602C has a sufficient thickness, thereby further ensuring the hermeticity of the internal space of the storage tank 10.

[0078] Furthermore, the hardness of the first portion 601C in this embodiment is higher than the hardness of the second portion 602C. Therefore, when the first portion 601C is pressed radially via the seal plate 55 during closing of the opening / closing door 50, the surface pressure applied to the contact points between the first portion 601C and the seal plate 55 and the contact points between the seal plate 55 and the inner side wall portion 111 is increased, making it less likely that gaps will form in these areas. As a result, it is possible to further prevent the resin pellets 9 from getting between the seal plate 55 and the inner side wall portion 111 during closing of the opening / closing door 50. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the thickness of the first portion 601C may be thinner than the thickness of the second portion 602C.

[0079] 4. Fourth Embodiment Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that, hereinafter, only the structure of the seal member 60D and the state when the opening and closing door 50 is closed, which are different from the first to third embodiments, will be described. The same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment will be used for the same components as those in the first to third embodiments, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0080] FIG. 12 is a partial top view schematically illustrating the state in which the opening / closing door 50 according to the fourth embodiment is being closed. Note that, in FIG. 12, as in FIGS. 7 and 8, the shapes of the components are simplified. As shown in FIG. 12, the sealing member 60D of this embodiment has a first portion 601D and a second portion 602D. The first portion 601D is a portion of the sealing member 60D that is located closer to the inner opening 110 of the side wall portion 11 of the storage tank 10. The second portion 602D is a portion that is adjacent to the first portion 601D but farther from the inner opening 110. Furthermore, the first portion 601D is positioned so as to contact the outer surface of the seal plate 55 when the opening / closing door 50 is closed. The second portion 602D is positioned so as not to contact the outer surface of the seal plate 55 when the opening / closing door 50 is closed.

[0081] 12, the first portion 601D and the second portion 602D of this embodiment are formed from different materials. That is, it can be seen that the sealing member 60D of this embodiment has a slit 810D provided along the entire boundary between the first portion 601D and the second portion 602D. In this embodiment, the material used for the first portion 601D has a higher hardness than the material used for the second portion 602D. However, the hardness of the materials used for the first portion 601D and the second portion 602D may be the same, or the hardness of the material used for the second portion 602D may be higher than the hardness of the material used for the first portion 601D.

[0082] 12, the inner surface of second portion 602D of the present embodiment bulges radially inward. That is, in the present embodiment, the shape of a cross section obtained when first portion 601D is cut perpendicular to the extension direction of sealing member 60D (vertical direction in FIG. 12) is different from the shape of a cross section obtained when second portion 602D is cut perpendicular to the extension direction of sealing member 60D (vertical direction in FIG. 12).

[0083] Furthermore, because the inner surface of the second portion 602D of this embodiment bulges radially inward, the radial position of this inner surface is located further radially inward than the radial position of the inner surface of the first portion 601D. That is, the radial position of the inner surface of the second portion 602D of the present invention may be the same as the radial position of the inner surface of the first portion 601D as in the first or third embodiment, or may be located further radially inward than the radial position of the inner surface of the first portion 601D as in the second or this embodiment. Note that the maximum difference Pd between the radial positions of the inner surfaces of the second portion 602D and the first portion 601D is approximately the same as the radial thickness Th of the seal plate 55 or slightly smaller than the thickness Th.

[0084] As in the above embodiment, when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, the inner surface 551 of the seal plate 55 comes into contact with the outer surface of the inner side wall portion 111 before the seal member 60D does. As a result, the seal plate 55 is pressed and displaced in the radial and left-right directions to conform to the curved shape of the inner side wall portion 111. Furthermore, the first portion 601D of the seal member 60D, which is located radially outward of the seal plate 55, is pressed radially via the seal plate 55 and is recessed radially outward.

[0085] Furthermore, similarly to the above embodiment, when the opening / closing door 50 is completely closed, the second portion 602D of the seal member 60D contacts the inner sidewall portion 111 above the upper edge portion of the seal plate 55, below the lower edge portion, to the right of the right edge portion 553, and to the left of the left edge portion 554. That is, the seal member 60D has an annular first portion 601D that contacts the seal plate 55, and an annular second portion 602D that is adjacent to the first portion 601D and contacts the outer surface of the inner sidewall portion 111 around the entire circumference of the seal plate 55 at a position farther from the inner opening 110. This ensures the airtightness of the internal space of the storage tank 10.

[0086] As described above, in the seal member 60D of this embodiment, the first portion 601D and the second portion 602D are formed from separate members and are not connected to each other. Therefore, even if the first portion 601D of the seal member 60D is pressed via the seal plate 55 and recessed in the radial direction when the opening / closing door 50 is closed, the second portion 602D is pulled accordingly, and the thickness thereof is reduced, which prevents a reduction in the crushing allowance. This ensures that the second portion 602D has a sufficient thickness, thereby further ensuring the hermeticity of the internal space of the storage tank 10.

[0087] Furthermore, the inner surface of the second portion 602D of the present embodiment bulges radially inward. This allows the second portion 602D of the sealing member 60D and the inner side wall portion 111 to contact more reliably when the opening / closing door 50 is closed. This also increases the surface pressure at the contact point, further reducing the gap. As a result, the internal space of the storage tank 10 can be more securely sealed.

[0088] <5. Variations> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the seal plate is slightly larger than the inner opening of the inner sidewall and slightly smaller than the area surrounded by the seal member. When the door is closed, the seal plate's upper, lower, right, and left edges are configured to be radially sandwiched between the outer surface of the inner sidewall and the seal member along the entire periphery of the opening in the inner sidewall. However, the seal plate's edges do not necessarily need to be radially sandwiched between the outer surface of the inner sidewall and the seal member along the entire periphery of the opening in the sidewall. As described above, the resin pellets fall from the inlet at the top of the storage tank and accumulate inside the storage tank body. Therefore, if a seal plate were not provided, the resin pellets would accumulate most near the lower edge of the opening, among the steps that occur between the opening in the inner sidewall, the seal member, and the door. Therefore, it is sufficient to reduce the step near the lower edge of the opening. In other words, in this case, it is sufficient that, when the opening / closing door is closed, at least the lower edge of the seal plate is radially sandwiched between the lower edge of the opening on the outer surface of the side wall and the seal member. Furthermore, if the shape of the storage tank or the position of the inlet is changed, the seal member and seal plate can be positioned according to the changed resin pellet introduction direction and the location where the pellets are likely to accumulate. In other words, the present invention is sufficient that, when the opening / closing door is closed, at least a portion of the seal plate is sandwiched between the edge of the opening on the outer surface of the side wall and the seal member. Furthermore, the area of ​​the seal plate other than the vicinity of the lower edge may be larger than the area surrounded by the seal member. For example, the upper edge of the seal plate may extend above the seal member.

[0090] In the above-described embodiment and modified examples, the side wall portion has a substantially cylindrical three-dimensional shape. Furthermore, the cross section of the opening / closing door and the cross section of the seal plate each have an arc shape that follows the curvature of the side wall portion. However, the side wall portion may also have a rectangular cylindrical shape. Furthermore, the cross section of the opening / closing door and the cross section of the seal plate each may have a rectangular shape that follows the curvature of the side wall portion. Furthermore, the shape of the opening in the side wall portion does not have to be rectangular as disclosed in the above-described embodiment and modified examples. In this case, the shape of the seal plate may be changed to match the shape of the opening.

[0091] In the above-described embodiment and modified examples, dry hot air is supplied to dry the resin pellets stored inside the storage tank. However, instead of dry hot air, other inert gases such as nitrogen gas or argon gas may be supplied. Alternatively, normal hot air that only heats the resin pellets without drying them may be supplied into the storage tank to heat the resin pellets and evaporate the moisture contained in the resin pellets, thereby drying the resin pellets. Furthermore, the internal space of the storage tank may be depressurized to evaporate the moisture contained in the resin pellets, thereby drying the resin pellets.

[0092] In the above-described embodiment and modified examples, the transport blower and the drying blower are used as the air force generating source. However, instead of these, for example, compressed air or a gas cylinder may be used to generate the airflow.

[0093] Furthermore, the detailed configuration of the powder / granular material processing apparatus may differ from the configuration shown in Fig. 1 of the present application. For example, the arrangement order of the devices provided along the airflow circulation path may differ from that shown in the figure, and some devices, such as the moisture adsorption unit, may be omitted. Furthermore, the airflow circulation path does not necessarily have to be a path that returns the airflow from the storage tank to the storage tank, as long as the storage tank is located along the airflow circulation path.

[0094] Furthermore, the storage tank disclosed in the above embodiments and modifications is a drying hopper that dries powder or granular material in its internal space and supplies it to a subsequent device. However, the storage tank of the present invention may also be a device that performs a process other than drying on powder or granular material in its internal space and then supplies it to a subsequent device. Furthermore, the storage tank of the present invention may also be a container that simply stores or preserves powder or granular material in its internal space and performs some kind of process on it. In other words, the "storage tank" in the above embodiments and modifications should be read as a "powder or granular material processing container," and the "storage tank main body" in the above embodiments and modifications should be read as a "processing container main body."

[0095] The powder and granular material processing apparatus of the present invention may also process powder and granular material other than resin pellets. For example, instead of resin pellets, the processing object may be powder and granular material used in various fields such as pharmaceuticals, chemical products, food, and building materials.

[0096] Furthermore, the elements appearing in the above-described embodiments and modifications may be combined as appropriate within the scope of not causing any contradiction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 1. Powder and granular material processing equipment 8 center axis 9 Resin pellets 10 Storage tank (powder and granular material processing container) 11 Side wall 12 Bottom 13 Top plate 14 Inlet 15 Outlet 16 Suction port 17 Air outlet 20 Material supply mechanism 21 Supply hopper 22 Supply pipe 23 Supply Tank 24 Conveyor Blower 30 Airflow circulation mechanism 31 Air circulation path 32 filters 33 Cooler 34 Drying blower 35 Moisture adsorption unit 36 Heating section 40 Control Unit 50 Opening and Closing Doors 51 Hinge 52 Engagement portion 53 Through hole 54 Peephole 55 Seal plate 56 Support member 60, 60B, 60C, 60D sealing material 100 Storage tank body (processing vessel body) 110 (side wall) inner opening 111 (side wall) inner side wall 112 (side wall) outer side wall 120 (Side wall) outer opening 501 (door) inner panel 502 (Opening door) outer panel 601, 601B, 601C, 601D (Sealing material) Part 1 602, 602B, 602C, 602D (of sealing member) Part 2 810, 810C, 810D Break 820B step

Claims

1. A powder / granular material processing container that stores powder / granular material in an internal space, a processing vessel body; an opening provided in a sidewall of the processing vessel body; an opening / closing door that can close the opening from the outer surface side of the side wall portion; a deformable seal member that is sandwiched between the opening and closing door and a peripheral edge of the opening on the outer surface of the side wall portion when the opening and closing door is closed; a seal plate at least a portion of which is located between the side wall portion and the seal member and which extends in a plate shape along the opening and closing door; and The sealing member is a first portion located closer to the opening; a second portion adjacent to the first portion and located farther from the opening; and When the opening / closing door is closed, at least a portion of the seal plate is sandwiched between at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the opening on the outer surface of the side wall portion and the first portion, whereby the first portion is pressed via the seal plate and recessed in the radial direction, A powder or granular material processing vessel, wherein a slit is provided along at least a portion of the boundary between the first portion and the second portion.

2. A powder / granular material processing container that stores powder / granular material in an internal space, a processing vessel body; an opening provided in a sidewall of the processing vessel body; an opening / closing door that can close the opening from the outer surface side of the side wall portion; a deformable seal member that is sandwiched between the opening and closing door and a peripheral edge of the opening on the outer surface of the side wall portion when the opening and closing door is closed; a seal plate at least a portion of which is located between the side wall portion and the seal member and which extends in a plate shape along the opening and closing door; and The sealing member is a first portion located closer to the opening; a second portion adjacent to the first portion and located farther from the opening; and When the opening / closing door is closed, at least a portion of the seal plate is sandwiched between at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the opening on the outer surface of the side wall portion and the first portion, whereby the first portion is pressed via the seal plate and recessed in the radial direction, A powder or granular material processing container, wherein the radial thickness of the second part is greater than the radial thickness of the first part, and a step part is formed by changing the thickness of the sealing member along the boundary between the first part and the second part.

3. The powder / granular material processing vessel according to claim 1 or 2, The first section and the second section are formed from the same material.

4. The powder / granular material processing vessel according to claim 1 or 2, The first section and the second section are formed from separate members.

5. The powder / granular material processing vessel according to claim 4, A powder or granular material processing vessel, wherein the hardness of the first portion is higher than the hardness of the second portion.

6. The powder / granular material processing vessel according to claim 4, A powder or granular material processing vessel, wherein the radial position of the inner surface of the second portion is the same as or more radially inward than the radial position of the inner surface of the first portion.

7. The powder / granular material processing vessel according to claim 1 or 2, A powder or granular material processing container, wherein the cross-sectional shape when the first part is cut perpendicular to the extension direction of the sealing member and the cross-sectional shape when the second part is cut perpendicular to the extension direction of the sealing member are both rectangular.

8. The powder / granular material processing vessel according to claim 1 or 2, A powder or granular material processing container, wherein the cross-sectional shape when the first portion is cut perpendicular to the extension direction of the sealing member and the cross-sectional shape when the second portion is cut perpendicular to the extension direction of the sealing member are different from each other.

9. The powder / granular material processing vessel according to claim 1 or 2, The inner surface of the second portion has a bulge radially inward.

10. The powder / granular material processing vessel according to claim 1 or 2, A powder and granular material processing container for resin pellets, which are the raw material for resin molded products.

11. The powder / granular material processing vessel according to claim 1 or 2, The powder / granular material processing vessel is a drying hopper that dries powder / granular material in its internal space and supplies it to subsequent equipment.

12. A powder / granular material processing vessel according to claim 11; a suction port communicating with the internal space of the powder / granular material processing container; an outlet for introducing gas into the internal space of the powder / granular material processing container; A pipe connecting the suction port and the blowout port; an airflow generating means for generating an airflow in the piping from the suction port to the air outlet; a heating unit that heats the gas flowing through the pipe; a discharge pipe for discharging the powder or granular material downward from the powder or granular material processing container; A drying device having

Images