Roll compaction molding device

Abstract

To stabilize a molding condition by suppressing leakage of a molding material from between a molding roll and a confinement plate.SOLUTION: A roll compaction molding device includes a pair of molding rolls arranged at intervals so as to align with the axial direction, a supply device that feeds material toward the pair of molding rolls, a first confinement plate that extends in the arrangement direction F-Rr of the pair of molding rolls and in the material feed direction U-D, and that contacts the pair of molding rolls from the upstream side U in the U-D direction, and a second confinement plate 50R that extends in the F-Rr direction and U-D direction, that contacts the pair of molding rolls from the upstream side U in the U-D direction, and that is disposed to oppose the first confinement plate with the material supply point of the supply device in between. The first confinement plate and the second confinement plate 50R each include an elastic portion 50B provided at the end that contacts the pair of molding rolls.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a roll compaction molding apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a dry granulator (roll compaction molding device) equipped with a conveying screw for conveying raw materials, a pair of upper and lower raw material compression rolls (molding rolls), and a pair of upper and lower seals and side seals (stop plates) that form a closed space surrounding the raw material biting portions of the pair of raw material compression rolls. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-000955 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a dry granulator (roll compaction molding device) such as that described in Patent Document 1, molding material may leak from the gap between the raw material compression roll (molding roll) and the side seal (stop plate). In a roll compaction molding device, if molding material leaks from between the molding roll and the stop plate, the molding pressure may decrease and molding conditions may become unstable. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The roll compaction molding device disclosed herein comprises a pair of forming rolls spaced apart so as to be aligned in the axial direction, a rotating device for rotating at least one of the pair of forming rolls, a supplying device for feeding a powdered or slurry-like material toward the pair of forming rolls, a first stop plate extending in the arranging direction of the pair of forming rolls and in the feeding direction of the material and contacting the pair of forming rolls from the upstream side in the feeding direction, and a second stop plate extending in the arranging direction and in the feeding direction and contacting the pair of forming rolls from the upstream side in the feeding direction and positioned opposite the first stop plate across the point where the material is supplied by the supplying device. The first stop plate and the second stop plate each have an elastic portion provided at an end that contacts the pair of forming rolls.

[0006] In the roll compaction molding device, the stopper plate contacts the forming roll at the elastic portion. The gap between the forming roll and the stopper plate is sealed by elastic deformation of the elastic portion. Therefore, the roll compaction molding device can prevent material from leaking from between the forming roll and the stopper plate. As a result, it is possible to prevent a decrease in molding pressure and perform stable molding. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of a roll compaction molding device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a roll compaction molding device. [Figure 3] This is a left side view of the right siding. [Figure 4] This is a right side view of the right septum. [Figure 5] This is a front view of the right siding. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] One embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, components and parts that perform the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships (length, width, thickness, etc.) in each drawing do not reflect the actual dimensional relationships. The directions of up, down, left, right, front, and rear are represented by arrows U, D, L, R, F, and Rr, respectively, in the drawings. Here, the directions of up, down, left, right, front, and rear are defined merely for the convenience of explanation and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified.

[0009] [Configuration of roll compaction molding equipment] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a roll compaction molding apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as the molding apparatus) 10. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the molding apparatus 10. However, FIG. 1 illustrates a state in which a front molding roll 21 and a front wall 60F (both of which will be described later) are removed. The molding apparatus 10 is an apparatus that compresses a powdered material 1 to form it into a sheet. Here, the material 1 contains ceramic powder and a binder. The binder is made of resin. In this embodiment, the material 1 is fired after molding to form a porous ceramic body. The material 1 further contains a pore-forming material that forms voids. However, the components of the material 1 are not particularly limited.

[0010] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the forming apparatus 10 includes a pair of forming rolls 21 and 22, a gap change mechanism 25 for the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22, a rotation device 30, a material supply device 40, a pair of stoppers 50L and 50R, a front wall 60F and a rear wall 60Rr, and a pressing mechanism 70. Each of the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 is cylindrical. The pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 compresses the material 1 with their respective outer peripheral surfaces 21a and 22a to form the material 1 into a sheet. The pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 are arranged with a predetermined gap between them and axially aligned. By supplying the material 1 into the gap between the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 and rotating the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22, the material 1 is compressed and formed into a sheet having a thickness corresponding to the gap between the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22.

[0011] In the following description, the axial direction of the forming rolls 21 and 22 is defined as the left-right direction of the forming apparatus 10, and the arrangement direction of the forming rolls 21 and 22 is defined as the front-rear direction of the forming apparatus 10. The axes 21x and 22x of the forming rolls 21 and 22 extend substantially horizontally in the left-right direction. The axis 21x of the forming roll 21 and the axis 22x of the forming roll 22 are aligned in the front-rear direction.

[0012] The gap changing mechanism 25 is configured to be able to move at least one of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 in the arrangement direction of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 (here, the front-to-rear direction). Here, the gap changing mechanism 25 translates the forming roll 22 in the front-to-rear direction. By moving the forming roll 22, the gap changing mechanism 25 can change the gap G1 between the forming rolls 21 and 22. This makes it possible to change the thickness of the formed sheet 2. The range of the gap G1, i.e., the settable thickness of the sheet 2, is preferably 0.1 mm or more and 1 mm or less. The range of the gap G1 is more preferably 0.1 mm or more and 0.2 mm or less. However, the gap G1 between the forming rolls 21 and 22 is not particularly limited.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 2 , the gap changing mechanism 25 includes a guide 26 that supports the rotation shaft of the forming roll 22 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. The gap changing mechanism 25 may include a drive unit that moves the forming roll 22 in the front-rear direction, a sensor that detects the position of the forming roll 22 in the front-rear direction, and a sensor (e.g., a load cell) that is provided between the forming roll 22 and the drive unit and that measures the thrust of the drive unit on the forming roll 22. The drive unit may include a ball screw and a motor that rotates the ball screw, and may be configured to move the forming roll 22 by rotating the ball screw. In this case, the position of the forming roll 22 may be controlled by controlling the rotation angle of the ball screw. However, the configuration of the gap changing mechanism 25 is not particularly limited. The gap changing mechanism 25 may include, for example, a hydraulic actuator that moves the forming roll 22. The movable forming roll may be the forming roll 21, or both the forming rolls 21 and 22.

[0014] The rotation device 30 rotates at least one of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22. In this embodiment, the rotation device 30 rotates both of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 in synchronization. However, the rotation device 30 may be configured to rotate only one of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22. In that case, the other forming roll rotates passively. The rotation device 30 includes a drive motor 31 and a transmission mechanism 32 that transmits the rotation of the drive motor 31 to the pair of forming rolls 21, 22. The transmission mechanism 32 includes, for example, a chain that is engaged with the drive motor 31 via a gear and is also engaged with the forming rolls 21, 22 via gears. However, the configuration of the transmission mechanism 32 is not limited thereto.

[0015] The supply device 40 feeds the material 1 toward the pair of forming rolls 21, 22. In this example, the supply device 40 is disposed above the pair of forming rolls 21, 22, and drops the material 1 onto the pair of forming rolls 21, 22. The supply device 40 may be configured separately from or integral with a mixer that mixes and stirs the material 1. Any known powder supply device can be used as the supply device 40, without any particular limitations. In this example, the direction in which the supply device 40 feeds the material 1 is downward.

[0016] The pair of stop plates 50L, 50R consists of a left stop plate 50L and a right stop plate 50R. The left stop plate 50L extends in the arrangement direction of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 and in the feed direction of the material 1. Here, the left stop plate 50L extends in the front-to-back direction and the up-and-down direction. The left stop plate 50L is configured in a flat plate shape. The left stop plate 50L contacts the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 from the upstream side in the feed direction of the material 1. Here, the left stop plate 50L is disposed above the pair of forming rolls 21, 22, and its lower end contacts the outer peripheral surfaces 21a, 22a of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22.

[0017] The right septum 50R also extends in the arrangement direction of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 (front-to-back direction here) and in the feed direction of the material 1 (up-down direction here). The right septum 50R is also configured as a flat plate. The right septum 50R contacts the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 from the upstream side in the feed direction of the material 1. In this case, the right septum 50R is disposed above the pair of forming rolls 21, 22, and its lower end contacts the outer peripheral surfaces 21a, 22a of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22. As shown in FIG. 1 , the right septum 50R is disposed opposite the left septum 50L across the supply point (drop point) P1 of the material 1 by the supply device 40. The left septum 50L and the right septum 50R are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The left septum 50L and the right septum 50R are configured symmetrically and arranged approximately parallel to each other.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 2, the front wall 60F and the rear wall 60Rr are disposed above the pair of forming rolls 21, 22. The front wall 60F and the rear wall 60Rr are disposed opposite each other in the arrangement direction (front-rear direction here) of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22, sandwiching a supply point (dropping point) P1 of the material 1 therebetween. The front wall 60F and the rear wall 60Rr extend in the axial direction (left-right direction here) of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 and in the feed direction (up-down direction here), respectively. A pair of stop plates 50L, 50R are attached to the front wall 60F and the rear wall 60Rr.

[0019] The front wall 60F and the rear wall 60Rr define the front-to-rear boundary (the direction in which the forming rolls 21 and 22 are arranged) of the space into which the material 1 is introduced. The pair of stoppers 50L and 50R define the left-to-right boundary (the axial direction of the forming rolls 21 and 22) of the space into which the material 1 is introduced. The pair of stoppers 50L and 50R prevent the material 1 from scattering to the left or right. The pair of stoppers 50L and 50R also determine the width of the sheet 2 to be formed. The pair of stoppers 50L and 50R are configured to be movable left and right between the front wall 60F and the rear wall 60Rr. By moving the pair of stoppers 50L and 50R left and right, the distance between the left stopper 50L and the right stopper 50R can be changed. This allows the width of the sheet 2 to be formed to be changed. Details of the pair of stoppers 50L and 50R will be described later.

[0020] The pressing mechanism 70 presses the left and right seals 50L and 50R downstream in the feed direction of the material 1, downward in this case. The pressing mechanism 70 thereby presses the left and right seals 50L and 50R against the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22. The pressing mechanism 70 includes a left pressing mechanism 70L that presses the left seal 50L downward and a right pressing mechanism 70R that presses the right seal 50R downward. As shown in FIG. 1 , the right pressing mechanism 70R includes a shaft 71, a linear bushing 72 that is fitted onto the shaft 71 and attached to the right side of the right seal 50R, a shaft holder 73 that supports the shaft 71, a set collar 74 that is fixed to the shaft 71, and a spring 75.

[0021] The shaft 71 is disposed to the right of the right stop plate 50R. The shaft 71 is supported by a shaft holder 73 and extends vertically. The linear bushing 72 is fitted onto the shaft 71 so as to be slidable vertically. This allows the right stop plate 50R and the linear bushing 72 to move vertically along the shaft 71. The set collar 74 is fixed to a portion of the shaft 71 above the linear bushing 72. The set collar 74 is a plate-shaped member with an outer diameter larger than that of the shaft 71 and the spring 75. A spring 75 is fitted in a compressed state to a portion of the shaft 71 between the linear bushing 72 and the set collar 74. The right pressing mechanism 70R presses the right stop plate 50R against the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 by the restoring force of the spring 75. The left pressing mechanism 70L is configured symmetrically to the right pressing mechanism 70R. However, the configuration of the pressing mechanism 70 is not particularly limited. The pressing mechanism 70 may press the left and right stoppers 50L and 50R against the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 using, for example, an air cylinder.

[0022] In the forming device 10, the material 1 dropped at the supply point P1 by the supply device 40 is rolled by a pair of rotating forming rolls 21, 22. By this rolling, the material 1 is continuously formed into a sheet 2 having a thickness corresponding to the gap between the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 and a width corresponding to the distance between the pair of stoppers 50L, 50R.

[0023] [Configuration of the Sekiban] The following describes the configuration of the right septum 50R. The configuration of the left septum 50L is the same as that of the right septum 50R, so a description thereof will be omitted. Note that when describing the components of the left septum 50L, the same reference numerals as those of the right septum 50R are used.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a left side view of the right stopper 50R. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the right stopper 50R. FIG. 5 is a front view of the right stopper 50R. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the right stopper 50R includes an inner plate 51, an outer plate 52, and an elastic plate 53. The inner plate 51 is a flat member extending in the arrangement direction of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 (front-rear direction here) and in the feed direction of the material 1 (up-down direction here). The inner plate 51 is formed from a material that is not easily elastically deformed and has a fixed shape. The inner plate 51 is made of, for example, stainless steel. However, the material of the inner plate 51 is not limited.

[0025] The outer plate 52 is a flat plate-like member extending in the arrangement direction of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 (front-rear direction here) and in the feed direction of the material 1 (up-down direction here), and is arranged to face the inner plate 51. The outer plate 52 is arranged to the right of the inner plate 51. The outer plate 52 is formed, for example, from the same material as the inner plate 51, and has a fixed shape.

[0026] The elastic plate 53 is made of an elastic material. For example, the elastic plate 53 is made of rubber. For example, silicone rubber, which has excellent flexibility and durability, can be suitably used as the material of the elastic plate 53. The elastic plate 53 is also a flat member extending in the arrangement direction of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 (here, the front-rear direction) and the feed direction of the material 1 (here, the up-down direction). The elastic plate 53 is fixed by being sandwiched between the inner plate 51 and the outer plate 52. The right stop plate 50R is provided with a plurality of bolts 54 that fasten the inner plate 51 and the outer plate 52. The thickness of the elastic plate 53 is, for example, 0.3 mm or more and 2 mm or less.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 3, the inner plate 51 has a pair of curved portions 51a that are curved to respectively fit along the outer peripheral surfaces 21a, 22a of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22. The pair of curved portions 51a constitute the lower end 51D of the inner plate 51 (the downstream end in the feed direction of the material 1). The pair of curved portions 51a are connected to form an apex 51b that protrudes downward (toward the downstream side in the feed direction of the material 1). The apex 51b and its surrounding area are the portions that fit into the gap between the forming rolls 21 and 22.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 4, the outer plate 52 also has a pair of curved portions 52a that are curved to respectively fit along the outer peripheral surfaces 21a, 22a of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22. The pair of curved portions 52a form the lower end 52D of the outer plate 52 (the downstream end in the feed direction of the material 1). The pair of curved portions 51a are connected to form an apex 52b that protrudes downward (toward the downstream side in the feed direction of the material 1). When viewed from the left to right, the outer plate 52 has roughly the same shape as the inner plate 51. The apex 52b and its surrounding area are also parts that fit into the gap between the forming rolls 21 and 22.

[0029] The elastic plate 53 also has a pair of curved portions 53a that curve along the outer peripheral surfaces 21a, 22a of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22, respectively. The pair of curved portions 53a constitute a part of the lower end (downstream end in the feed direction of the material 1) 53D of the elastic plate 53. The lower end 53D of the elastic plate 53, excluding a straight portion 53b described below, extends downward (downstream) beyond the lower ends (downstream ends) 51D, 52D of the inner plate 51 and the outer plate 52. The elastic plate 53 protrudes downward from the inner plate 51 and the outer plate 52. The lower portion of the curved portion 53a of the elastic plate 53 is a portion that fits into the gap between the forming rolls 21, 22 and is disposed between the pair of forming rolls 21, 22.

[0030] The portion of the elastic plate 53 that is disposed between the forming rolls 21 and 22, in this case the lower part of the curved portion 53a, is configured to contact the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 even when the gap G1 between the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 is changed within a predetermined range. The lower part of the curved portion 53a is configured to come into contact with and be crushed by the outer circumferential surface 21a of the forming roll 21 and the outer circumferential surface 22a of the forming roll 22 when the gap G1 between the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 during the formation of the sheet 2 is set from the minimum to the maximum possible value.

[0031] In this embodiment, the pair of curved portions 53a of the elastic plate 53 are cut approximately horizontally just before they intersect to form an apex. This approximately horizontally cut portion constitutes a straight portion 53b. The elastic plate 53 is missing around the apex 51b of the inner plate 51 and the apex 52b of the outer plate 52. However, the entire lower end 53D of the elastic plate 53 may extend below the lower ends 51D, 52D of the inner plate 51 and the outer plate 52.

[0032] Hereinafter, the fixed portion including the inner plate 51, the outer plate 52, and the portion of the elastic plate 53 sandwiched between the inner plate 51 and the outer plate 52 will be referred to as the main body portion 50A. The portion including the lower end 53D of the elastic plate 53 and extending downstream beyond the lower ends 51D and 52D of the inner plate 51 and the outer plate 52 will be referred to as the elastic portion 50B. The elastic portion 50B is softer and more elastic than the main body portion 50A. The configuration of the right stopper 50R is not limited to the above, but the elastic portion 50B is provided at the lower end of the right stopper 50R and has elasticity. The elastic portion 50B extends downward from the lower end of the main body portion 50A. When the right stopper 50R is pressed downward by the pressing mechanism 70, the elastic portion 50B abuts against the outer peripheral surfaces 21a and 22a of the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22. The width W1 of the elastic portion 50B along the lower ends 51D, 52D of the main body 50A is preferably 0.1 mm or more and 1 mm or less. The width W1 of the elastic portion 50B is more preferably 0.3 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less. The hardness of the elastic portion 50B is preferably shore 50 or more and 70 or less.

[0033] In this embodiment, the right stopper 50R moves vertically with the support of the pressing mechanism 70. Therefore, even if the gap G1 between the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 is changed, the elastic portion 50B can be compressed and contact the outer peripheral surface 21a of the forming roll 21 and the outer peripheral surface 22a of the forming roll 22. However, when the adjustment range of the gap G1 is large, it is preferable that the width W1 of the elastic portion 50B is also large. If the width of the right stopper 50R is widened when the gap G1 is wide, only the tip of the right stopper 50R tends to contact the outer peripheral surface 21a of the forming roll 21 and the outer peripheral surface 22a of the forming roll 22 when the gap G1 is narrowed. If the width of the right stopper 50R is narrowed when the gap G1 is narrowed, only the upper part of the curved portion 53a of the elastic plate 53 tends to contact the outer peripheral surface 21a of the forming roll 21 and the outer peripheral surface 22a of the forming roll 22 when the gap G1 is widened. Increasing the width W1 of the elastic portion 50B increases the crushing allowance of the elastic portion 50B, thereby preventing such compliance problems. However, if the width W1 of the elastic portion 50B is large, the elastic portion 50B may deform due to the pressure of the material 1, making it difficult to maintain a seal. Therefore, when the width W1 of the elastic portion 50B is large, it is preferable to form the elastic plate 53 from a hard rubber.

[0034] [Effects of the roll compaction molding device] The following describes the effects that can be achieved by the molding device 10 according to this embodiment.

[0035] The forming apparatus 10 according to this embodiment includes a pair of forming rolls 21, 22 spaced apart so that their axes are aligned, a rotation device 30 that rotates at least one of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22, a supply device 40 that sends material 1 toward the pair of forming rolls 21, 22, a left stopper 50L that extends in the arrangement direction of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 and in the feed direction of the material 1 and contacts the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 from the upstream side of the feed direction, and a right stopper 50R that extends in the arrangement direction of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 and in the feed direction of the material 1 and contacts the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 from the upstream side of the feed direction and is positioned opposite the left stopper 50L across a supply point P1 of the material 1 by the supply device 40. The left stopper 50L and the right stopper 50R each include an elastic portion 50B provided at an end that contacts the pair of forming rolls 21, 22.

[0036] In the molding apparatus 10, the left and right stoppers 50L and 50R contact the molding rolls 21 and 22, respectively, at the elastic portions 50B. The gap between the molding rolls 21 and 22 and the stoppers 50L and 50R is sealed by the elastic deformation of the elastic portions 50B. Therefore, the molding apparatus 10 according to this embodiment can prevent the material 1 from leaking between the molding rolls 21 and 22 and the stoppers 50L and 50R. In conventional roll compaction molding apparatuses, molding material sometimes leaks between the molding rolls and the stoppers. Such leakage can reduce the molding pressure and cause unstable molding conditions. In contrast, the molding apparatus 10 according to this embodiment can prevent the material 1 from leaking between the molding rolls 21 and 22 and the stoppers 50L and 50R. As a result, the reduction in molding pressure can be suppressed, enabling stable molding.

[0037] Furthermore, this forming apparatus 10 can reduce the amount of material 1 leaking between the forming rolls 21, 22 and the stoppers 50L, 50R. According to the inventors' experiment, when the left and right stoppers were not provided with elastic portions, approximately 5% of the input amount of material 1 leaked between the forming rolls 21, 22 and the stoppers. Without elastic portions in the stoppers, the stoppers could not contact the forming rolls 21, 22, creating a small gap between them. Material 1 leaks through this gap. In contrast, providing the elastic portions 50B in the stoppers 50L, 50R allows the stoppers 50L, 50R to contact the pair of forming rolls 21, 22. Furthermore, the elastic portions 50B collapse, sealing the contact areas between the stoppers 50L, 50R and the forming rolls 21, 22. When the elastic portions 50B were provided on the left and right stoppers 50L and 50R, the amount of material 1 leaking between the forming rolls 21 and 22 and the stoppers 50L and 50R was reduced to 1% or less of the input amount.

[0038] In this embodiment, the left and right stoppers 50L and 50R each include a definite body portion 50A. The elastic portion 50B extends downward (downstream) from the lower end of the body portion 50A (the downstream end in the feed direction of the material 1). With this configuration, the definite body portion 50A applies a pressure force that presses the stoppers 50L and 50R toward the forming rolls 21 and 22 to the elastic portion 50B, causing the elastic portion 50B to elastically deform. This ensures a more reliable seal between the forming rolls 21 and 22 and the stoppers 50L and 50R.

[0039] In this embodiment, the main body 50A includes an inner plate 51 extending in the arrangement direction of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 and in the feed direction of the material 1, and an outer plate 52 extending in the arrangement direction of the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 and in the feed direction of the material 1 and disposed opposite the inner plate 51. The left and right stop plates 50L and 50R each include an elastic plate 53 made of an elastic material and fixed by being sandwiched between the inner plate 51 and the outer plate 52. A portion of the downstream end 53D of the elastic plate 53 (more specifically, the portion excluding the straight portion 53b) extends downstream beyond the downstream ends 51D, 52D of the inner plate 51 and the outer plate 52, thereby forming the elastic portion 50B. With this configuration, sandwiching the elastic plate 53 between the inner plate 51 and the outer plate 52 realizes a stronger elastic portion 50B.

[0040] According to the present inventors' findings, the time until the elastic plate 53 becomes unusable is longer when the elastic plate 53 is sandwiched between the inner plate 51 and the outer plate 52 than when the elastic plate 53 is attached to the main body portion 50A with an adhesive. As the pair of forming rolls 21, 22 rotate, a force is applied to the elastic plate 53 to peel it off from the main body portion 50A. In a configuration in which the elastic plate 53 is attached to the main body portion 50A with an adhesive, the applied force causes the elastic plate 50B to fall off from the main body portion 50A in a relatively short time. In contrast, the configuration in which the elastic plate 53 is sandwiched between the inner plate 51 and the outer plate 52 allows the elastic plate 50B to withstand the peeling force and be retained.

[0041] In this embodiment, the lower end 51D of the inner plate 51, which constitutes a portion of the downstream end of the main body 50A, includes a pair of curved portions 51a that curve along the outer peripheral surfaces of the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22. The pair of curved portions 51a are connected to form a vertex 51b that protrudes downward (toward the downstream side in the feed direction of the material 1). The lower end 52D of the outer plate 52, which constitutes another portion of the downstream end of the main body 50A, also includes a pair of curved portions 52a that curve along the outer peripheral surfaces of the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22. The pair of curved portions 52a are connected to form a vertex 52b that protrudes downward (toward the downstream side in the feed direction of the material 1). The elastic portion 50B is missing around the vertices 51b and 52b. This configuration prevents the elastic portion 50B from being caught in the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22. The vertices 51b and 52b are located in the gap between the forming rolls 21 and 22. At the positions where vertices 51b and 52b are located, rotating forming rolls 21 and 22 will entrap material 1. If elastic portion 50B is located at such a position, elastic portion 50B may be entangled between forming rolls 21 and 22 and may fall off or be torn off. In this embodiment, elastic portion 50B is not provided around vertices 51b and 52b, thereby preventing such entrapment of elastic portion 50B.

[0042] The width W1 of the elastic portion 50B along the lower ends 51D, 52D of the main body 50A is preferably 0.1 mm or more and 1 mm or less. According to the inventors' findings, if the width W1 of the elastic portion 50B is within this range, a seal can be formed between the forming rolls 21, 22 and the stoppers 50L, 50R, and the seal can be maintained even with the pressure of the material 1. If the length of the elastic portion 50B is too short, the elastic portion 50B will not compress enough, and the seal between the forming rolls 21, 22 and the stoppers 50L, 50R will not be sufficient. If the length of the elastic portion 50B is too long, the elastic portion 50B will deform outward under the pressure of the material 1, making it difficult to maintain a seal between the forming rolls 21, 22 and the stoppers 50L, 50R.

[0043] In this embodiment, the forming apparatus 10 includes a gap change mechanism 25 that can change the gap G1 between the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 by moving at least one of the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 in the juxtaposition direction of the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22. The elastic portion 50B includes a portion (here, the lower portion of the curved portion 53a) disposed between the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22. This portion is configured to contact the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 even when the gap G1 between the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 is changed within a predetermined range. With this configuration, even when the gap G1 between the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22 is changed to change the thickness of the sheet 2, the lower portion of the curved portion 53a continues to contact and be crushed by the pair of forming rolls 21 and 22. This allows the seal between the forming rolls 21 and 22 and the stoppers 50L and 50R to be maintained. Furthermore, with this configuration, for example, even when the rotation of the forming rolls 21 and 22 is slightly unstable, the elastic portion 50B can follow the rotational fluctuation of the forming rolls 21 and 22.

[0044] In this embodiment, the forming device 10 is equipped with a pressing mechanism 70 that presses the left and right stop plates 50L and 50R downstream in the feed direction of the material 1. This configuration allows the elastic portion 50B to be sufficiently elastically deformed, thereby ensuring a more reliable seal between the forming rolls 21, 22 and the stop plates 50L, 50R.

[0045] [Other embodiments] Although the present invention has been described in detail above using specific embodiments, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and alterations of the above-described embodiments.

[0046] For example, in this embodiment, the stoppers 50L, 50R each have a main body portion 50A having a fixed shape. However, the stoppers may not have a fixed portion and may be composed only of an elastic portion having elasticity. The rigidity of the stoppers may be obtained, for example, by a frame structure. The roll compaction molding device does not need to have a pressing mechanism that presses the pair of stoppers against the pair of molding rolls. In that case, the pair of stoppers may be pressed against the pair of molding rolls by their own weight.

[0047] In this embodiment, the material 1 is a powder material. However, the material may be a slurry material. In this case, the material may be a slurry in which the powder material is dispersed in a dispersion medium.

[0048] This specification includes the following items 1 to 7. The following items 1 to 7 are not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0049] Section 1: a pair of forming rolls arranged at a distance from each other so that their axial directions are aligned; a rotating device that rotates at least one of the pair of forming rolls; a supply device for feeding a powder or slurry material toward the pair of forming rolls; A first stopper plate extending in the arrangement direction of the pair of forming rolls and the feed direction of the material and contacting the pair of forming rolls from the upstream side of the feed direction; a second stop plate extending in the arranging direction and the feeding direction, contacting the pair of forming rolls from the upstream side in the feeding direction, and disposed opposite the first stop plate across a supply point of the material by the supply device; The first stop plate and the second stop plate each have an elastic portion provided at an end portion on the downstream side in the feeding direction and having elasticity. Roll compaction molding equipment.

[0050] Section 2: The first and second dams each have a body portion having a fixed shape, The elastic portion extends downstream from a downstream end of the main body portion in the feed direction. Item 1. The roll compaction molding apparatus according to item 1.

[0051] Section 3: The main body portion is a first member extending in the arrangement direction and the feed direction; a second member extending in the alignment direction and the feed direction and disposed to face the first member, the first and second stop plates each include an elastic plate made of an elastic material and fixed by being sandwiched between the first member and the second member; a downstream end of the elastic plate in the feed direction extends downstream of downstream ends of the first member and the second member, and constitutes the elastic portion; Item 3. The roll compaction molding device according to item 2.

[0052] Section 4: a downstream end of the main body portion including a pair of curved portions curved to respectively follow the outer peripheral surfaces of the pair of forming rolls; the pair of curved portions are connected to form a vertex that is convex toward the downstream side in the feed direction, The elastic portion is missing around the apex. Item 2 or 3. The roll compaction molding apparatus according to item 2 or 3.

[0053] Section 5: The width of the elastic portion along the downstream end of the main body portion is 0.1 mm or more and 1 mm or less. Item 5. A roll compaction molding device according to any one of Items 2 to 4.

[0054] Item 6: Further provided is a gap change mechanism that can change the gap between the pair of forming rolls by moving at least one of the pair of forming rolls in the alignment direction of the pair of forming rolls, the elastic portion includes a portion disposed between the pair of forming rolls, A portion of the elastic portion disposed between the pair of forming rolls is configured to be in contact with the pair of forming rolls even when the distance between the pair of forming rolls is changed within a predetermined range. Item 6. A roll compaction molding device according to any one of Items 1 to 5.

[0055] Section 7: The feeding device further includes a pressing mechanism that presses the first stop plate and the second stop plate toward the downstream side in the feeding direction. Item 7. A roll compaction molding device according to any one of Items 1 to 6. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1 material 2 seats 10. Roll compaction molding device 21, 22 Forming roll 25 Gap change mechanism (spacing change mechanism) 30 Rotating Device 40 Feeding device 50L Left siding (first siding) 50R Right Seki Board (Second Seki Board) 50A main body 50B Elastic part 51 Inner plate (first member) 51a Curved section 51b Vertex 52 Outer panel (second member) 53 Elastic Plate 53a Curved section 70 Pressing mechanism

Claims

1. a pair of forming rolls arranged at a distance from each other so that their axial directions are aligned; a rotating device that rotates at least one of the pair of forming rolls; a supply device for feeding a powder or slurry material toward the pair of forming rolls; a first stopper plate extending in the arrangement direction of the pair of forming rolls and the feed direction of the material and contacting the pair of forming rolls from the upstream side of the feed direction; a second stop plate extending in the arranging direction and the feeding direction, contacting the pair of forming rolls from the upstream side in the feeding direction, and disposed opposite the first stop plate across a supply point of the material by the supply device; The first and second stop plates each have an elastic portion provided at an end portion that contacts the pair of forming rolls. Roll compaction molding equipment.

2. The first and second dams each have a body portion having a fixed shape, The elastic portion extends downstream from a downstream end of the main body portion in the feed direction. The roll compaction molding device according to claim 1 .

3. The main body portion is a first member extending in the alignment direction and the feed direction; a second member extending in the alignment direction and the feed direction and disposed to face the first member, the first and second stop plates each include an elastic plate made of an elastic material and fixed by being sandwiched between the first member and the second member; At least a part of a downstream end of the elastic plate in the feed direction extends downstream of downstream ends of the first member and the second member, and constitutes the elastic portion. The roll compaction molding device according to claim 2.

4. a downstream end of the main body portion including a pair of curved portions curved to respectively follow the outer peripheral surfaces of the pair of forming rolls; the pair of curved portions are connected to form a vertex that is convex toward the downstream side in the feed direction, The elastic portion is missing around the apex. The roll compaction molding device according to claim 2.

5. The width of the elastic portion along the downstream end of the main body portion is 0.1 mm or more and 1 mm or less. The roll compaction molding device according to claim 2.

6. Further provided is a gap change mechanism that can change the gap between the pair of forming rolls by moving at least one of the pair of forming rolls in the alignment direction of the pair of forming rolls, the elastic portion includes a portion disposed between the pair of forming rolls, A portion of the elastic portion disposed between the pair of forming rolls is configured to be in contact with the pair of forming rolls even when the distance between the pair of forming rolls is changed within a predetermined range. The roll compaction molding device according to claim 1 .

7. The feeding device further includes a pressing mechanism that presses the first stop plate and the second stop plate toward the downstream side in the feeding direction. The roll compaction molding device according to claim 1 .

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