Pulverizing device

Abstract

To provide a pulverizing device which enables various usages and is excellent in versatility.SOLUTION: A pulverizing device includes: a casing having an inlet for loading a material containing fibers, and an outlet for discharging pulverized objects formed by pulverizing the material; a rotor which is housed in the casing, has blades, and rotates around a rotation axis to pulverize the material; and a first shutter member provided so as to open or close the inlet. The first shutter member has a storage space for storing the material, which is displaced relative to the inlet so as to create an open state in which the storage space communicates with the inlet and a closed state in which the storage space is isolated from the inlet.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a microfabrication apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, a fine grinding mill such as that described in Patent Document 1 is known. The fine grinding mill in Patent Document 1 has a casing with a raw material inlet and an outlet, a liner attached to the inner surface of the casing, and a rotor that rotates within the casing. Raw material introduced into the casing through the raw material inlet is finely ground as it passes between the rotating rotor and the liner, and the resulting finely ground material is discharged from the outlet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-276916 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the mill described in Patent Document 1 is configured to continuously feed raw materials and perform fine grinding, so when, for example, changing the type or amount of raw materials, or when changing conditions such as the speed or degree of fine grinding, it is necessary to temporarily stop the operation of the mill and change the settings of the mill. Moreover, changing the settings requires the mill to be stopped for a long period of time. As such, conventional mills are designed on the premise of continuous processing and are not suitable for batch processing, and are therefore limited in terms of their intended use, conditions of use, and raw material selection. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The micronizing device of the present invention includes a casing having an inlet into which a fiber-containing raw material is introduced and an outlet through which the micronized material obtained by micronizing the raw material is discharged; a rotor housed in the casing, having blades, and rotating about a rotation axis to pulverize the raw material; a first shutter member provided for opening and closing the insertion port, the first shutter member has a storage space for storing the raw material, The storage space is displaced relative to the input port so as to create an open state in which the storage space and the input port are in communication with each other, and a closed state in which the storage space and the input port are blocked from each other. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram (partial cross-sectional view) showing the configuration of a micropatterning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the state before the raw material is introduced into the micro-pulverization apparatus shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the state when raw material is introduced into the micronization apparatus shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state during the micro-finishing process in the micro-finishing apparatus shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the state when the pulverized material is being discharged in the pulverization device shown in FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a recovery unit provided in the micronization apparatus shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the first shutter member provided in the micropatterning device shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The micropatterning apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram (partial cross-sectional view) showing a schematic configuration of a micronization device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state before raw material is introduced into the micronization device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state when raw material is introduced into the micronization device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state during micronization processing in the micronization device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state when the micronized material is discharged in the micronization device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a recovery unit provided in the micronization device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the first shutter member provided in the micronization device shown in FIG. 1.

[0009] In the following, the upper side of Figures 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 may be referred to as "top" or "upper," and the lower side may be referred to as "bottom" or "lower." Also, the left side of Figures 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 may be referred to as "left" or "left side," and the right side may be referred to as "right" or "right side."

[0010] The micronization device 1 shown in Fig. 1 micronizes a supplied raw material and discharges the micronized material, and in this embodiment, the micronization device 1 is a device that performs a micronization process, i.e., a defibration process, on coarsely crushed pieces M obtained by roughly crushing a fiber-containing sheet, which is an example of a raw material, to generate defibrated material M1, which is an example of a micronized material. Note that the configuration is not limited to the above, and the micronization device 1 may also be a crushing device that coarsely crushes a supplied raw material to generate coarsely crushed pieces. In other words, the micronization process performed by the micronization device 1 includes a crushing process, a crushing process, a powdering process, etc. in addition to a defibration process.

[0011] Furthermore, in the pulverization device 1, the type, shape, composition, etc. of the pulverized material obtained are determined according to the device configuration of the device and the type, shape, composition, etc. of the raw material input. In this embodiment, the raw material is in the form of coarsely crushed pieces M, and the pulverized material is in the form of defibrated material M1, but the present invention is not limited to this. Below, the raw material will be described as coarsely crushed pieces M, and the pulverized material as defibrated material M1.

[0012] Examples of the coarsely crushed pieces M include scraps of paper, cloth (woven, nonwoven, or knitted), clothing, handkerchiefs, towels, bedding, curtains, carpets, and other cloth products, whether unused or used.

[0013] Examples of fibers contained in the coarsely crushed pieces M include natural fibers such as cellulose, cotton, wool, silk, and hemp; regenerated fibers such as rayon, polynosic, cupra, and lyocell; and synthetic fibers such as nylon, polyester, acrylic, vinylon, and polyurethane; and one or a combination of two or more of these fibers is used.

[0014] 1 and 2, the pulverization device 1 comprises a casing 2, a liner 3 arranged on the inner surface of the casing 2, a rotor 5 rotatably installed inside the casing 2, a rotation drive unit 6 that drives the rotor 5 to rotate, a first opening / closing unit 7, and a second opening / closing unit 8. The coarse fragments M are defibrated when they pass between the outer periphery of the rotating rotor 5 and the liner 3, and defibrated material M1 is generated.

[0015] The defibrated material M1 is produced by untangling coarse fragments M made up of multiple fibers into individual fibers, and has a linear or band-like shape. The defibrated material M1 may also be present in a state where it is entangled with other defibrated materials to form clumps, that is, in a state where it forms so-called "lumps."

[0016] The pulverized material produced by the pulverization device 1 is not limited to the defibrated material M1, and may be coarse fragments smaller than the coarse fragments M, or a mixture of the coarse fragments and the defibrated material M1. In addition, the conditions of the obtained pulverized material, such as the amount, physical properties, characteristics, etc. of the defibrated material M1, can be set as desired. These can be selected and set by appropriately adjusting and setting the pulverization conditions of the pulverization device 1, such as the rotation speed of the rotor 5 (rotation speeds V1, V2, etc. described below), the duration of rotation of the rotor 5 per pulverization treatment (pulverization treatment time), the shape, number, and arrangement of the blades 52 provided on the rotor 5, the distance between the blades 52 and the liner 3, etc.

[0017] The pulverization device 1 can set the desired conditions of the obtained defibrated material M1, such as the degree of defibration, bulk density, specific gravity, etc., by appropriately selecting the conditions of the rotor 5, particularly the rotation speed and duration of rotation. Furthermore, the pulverization device 1 can obtain the desired amount of defibrated material M1 by appropriately setting the amount of coarse fragments M fed in one time. In other words, it has excellent quantitative capability.

[0018] The casing 2 has an inlet 21 through which the coarse fragments M are fed into the casing 2, and an outlet 22 through which the produced defibrated material M1 is discharged outside the casing 2. The casing 2 is a member having a disk-shaped top plate 201 and bottom plate 202, and a cylindrical side wall 203, and the space surrounded by these is the internal space S. The internal space S houses the liner 3 and the blades 52 of the rotor 5.

[0019] The inlet 21 is the portion through which the coarsely crushed pieces M are introduced into the casing 2, and is formed by a through-hole 712 provided in the top plate 201 of the casing 2. The inlet 21 is provided at a position eccentric to the center of the top plate 201, i.e., on the right side in Figures 1 and 2.

[0020] The insertion port 21 has a circular shape in a plan view. However, the shape is not limited to this configuration, and the insertion port 21 may have any other shape, such as a rectangle, an oval, a polygon such as a hexagon or an octagon, or a sector shape.

[0021] The discharge outlet 22 is a section that discharges the defibrated material M1 obtained by defibrating the coarse pieces M to the outside of the casing 2, and is formed by a through-hole 812 provided in the bottom plate 202 of the casing 2. The discharge outlet 22 is provided at a position eccentric to the center of the bottom plate 202, that is, on the left side in Figure 1. In this way, the feed inlet 21 and the discharge outlet 22 are provided on opposite sides of the central axis of the casing 2, that is, the rotation axis O of the rotor 5 described below.

[0022] The inlet 21 is provided in the upper part of the casing 2, and the outlet 22 is provided in the lower part of the casing 2. In other words, the inlet 21 is provided above the rotor 5, and the outlet 22 is provided below the rotor 5.

[0023] The positions of the inlet 21 and outlet 22, their relative positions, shapes, sizes, etc. are not limited to those shown in the figures.

[0024] The positions of the inlet 21 and the outlet 22 are offset by 180° in the circumferential direction of the casing 2. However, this is not limited to this configuration, and the positions of these may be offset by a different angle in the circumferential direction of the casing 2 or may be the same in the circumferential direction.

[0025] In this way, the pulverization device 1 is arranged so that the rotation axis O of the rotor 5, which will be described later, intersects with the horizontal direction, i.e., along the vertical direction, and so that the discharge port 22 is located below the input port 21. As a result, the coarse fragments M supplied from the input port 21 move toward the blades 52, i.e., downward, due to the action of gravity, and the defibrated material M1 generated through each blade 52 is discharged from the discharge port 22 due to the action of gravity, which makes the flow of the coarse fragments M and defibrated material M1 in the internal space S smoother and promotes the defibration process.

[0026] It should be noted that the configuration is not limited to the above, and the micro-fining device 1 may be installed with the rotation axis O tilted at a predetermined angle relative to the vertical direction, or with the rotation axis O aligned horizontally.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the liner 3 is a cylindrical member arranged on the entire inner surface of the cylindrical portion of the casing 2. The central axis of the liner 3 is coaxial with the rotation axis O of the rotor 5. The outer peripheral surface of the liner 3 is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the casing 2. The axial length of the liner 3 is long enough to encompass the blades 52, which will be described later. The liner 3 is made of a hard material such as metal.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 2, teeth 31 are formed on the inner periphery of the liner 3. The teeth 31 are provided along the circumferential direction of the liner 3 and have a plurality of protrusions 311 that protrude inward. The protrusions 311 also extend along the central axis of the liner 3, i.e., the left-right direction of the casing 2. Each protrusion 311 has the same protrusion height and has an apex 312 at its tip in the protruding direction.

[0029] When the coarsely crushed pieces M pass between the outer periphery of the rotating rotor 5 and the teeth 31, they collide with the teeth 31 and are defibrated, producing defibrated material M1.

[0030] The rotor 5 has a shaft member 51 and a plurality of blades 52 arranged radially around the shaft member 51. Each blade 52 is fixed to the shaft member 51 and arranged at equal angular intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotor 5.

[0031] The shaft member 51 has an elongated shape and is installed so as to extend vertically and penetrate through the top plate 201 and the bottom plate 202 of the casing 2. The central axis of the shaft member 51 coincides with the rotation axis O. The shaft member 51 is rotatably supported by the top plate 201 and the bottom plate 202 via bearings (not shown), and a pulley 53 is fixed to the lower end of the shaft member 51 protruding outside the casing 2, as shown in FIG.

[0032] 2, in this embodiment, there are four blades 52. Each blade 52 is plate-shaped, and each main surface is arranged in a direction along the radial direction of the casing 2 and the rotor 5. The number of blades 52 is not limited to four. The blades 52 are made of a hard material such as metal.

[0033] 1, the rotation drive unit 6 has a motor 61 as a drive source, a pulley 62, an endless belt 63, and an encoder 64. The pulley 62 is fixed to the lower end of an output shaft 611 of the motor 61. The pulley 62 may belong to the rotation drive unit 6.

[0034] The endless belt 63 is wound around the pulley 62 and the pulley 53, and transmits the rotational force of the output shaft 611 of the motor 61 to the shaft member 51. As a result, when the motor 61 is driven to rotate, the shaft member 51 rotates in a predetermined direction via the pulley 62, the endless belt 63, and the pulley 53, and the rotor 5 rotates in the same direction. By this operation, the coarse fragments M introduced into the internal space S can be pulverized.

[0035] The type of motor 61 is not particularly limited, and examples include a DC motor, an AC motor, a three-phase AC motor, and a servo motor, among which an appropriate motor can be selected for use. The motor 61 may be one that can select forward or reverse rotation, or one that rotates in only one direction. The motor 61 is connected to the control unit 91 via a power supply unit 93, and the control unit 91 controls the energization conditions.

[0036] An encoder 64 that detects the rotation speed of the motor 61 is connected to the motor 61. The encoder 64 is operated by power supplied from a power supply unit 93. The encoder 64 is configured, for example, by an optical or magnetic rotary encoder, and the encoder 64 detects the rotation speed of the motor 61 and transmits the detected value to the control unit 91 as an electrical signal.

[0037] As will be described later, the control unit 91 controls the opening and closing timing of the first shutter member 71 and the second shutter member 81 based on the rotation state of the rotor 5, that is, the detection value of the encoder 64 corresponding to the rotation speed of the motor 61.

[0038] The coarsely crushed pieces M introduced into the internal space S from the inlet 21 fall due to gravity and pass between the rotating blades 52 and the liner 3. At this time, they are defibrated, i.e., refined, and then pass between the rotating blades 52 and the liner 3, where they are further defibrated into finer pieces.

[0039] In this embodiment, each blade 52 has the same shape and size. However, this is not limiting, and at least one of the blades 52 may have a different shape or size from the others.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 1, the first opening / closing unit 7 opens and closes the insertion slot 21, and includes a first shutter member 71 and a first drive unit 72 that drives the first shutter member 71 to open and close.

[0041] The first shutter member 71 is provided above the top plate 201 of the casing 2. The first shutter member 71 is configured as a plate-like or block-like member that is circular in plan view, and rotates around a rotation axis O1 that coincides with the rotation axis O.

[0042] The first shutter member 71 has a storage space S1 that temporarily stores the coarsely crushed pieces M. The first shutter member 71 is displaceable so as to be able to assume an open state in which the storage space S1 and the input port 21 are in communication with each other, and a closed state in which the storage space S1 and the input port 21 are blocked from each other. In this embodiment, the first shutter member 71 rotates around the rotation axis O1, and the position of the storage space S1 relative to the input port 21 becomes a desired position, as described below, thereby enabling the first shutter member 71 to assume the open state and the closed state. Note that, in order to achieve the open state and the closed state, it is sufficient that the positions of the storage space S1 and the input port 21 are displaced relative to each other. Therefore, instead of rotating the first shutter member 71 to move the position of the storage space S1, a mechanism for moving the input port 21 may be provided.

[0043] The first shutter member 71 has an insertion hole 711 provided in the center thereof, through which the shaft member 710 is inserted, and a through hole 712 provided eccentrically from the center.

[0044] Through-hole 712 penetrates first shutter member 71 in the thickness direction, i.e., in the direction along rotation axis O. A storage space S1 is formed inside through-hole 712. Through-hole 712 is circular in a plan view of first shutter member 71, and has a smaller opening area than insertion port 21.

[0045] By operation of the first drive unit 72, the first shutter member 71 is displaced between a state in which the drop-in port 21 and the storage space S1 overlap when viewed from above, i.e., an open state in which the storage space S1 and the drop-in port 21 are connected (shown in Figures 1 and 2.4), and a state in which the drop-in port 21 and the storage space S1 are misaligned and do not overlap when viewed from above (hereinafter simply referred to as the "misaligned state"), i.e., an open state in which the storage space S1 and the drop-in port 21 are blocked off (shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6).

[0046] When the first shutter member 71 is closed, it is possible to prevent the coarsely crushed pieces M from passing through the inlet 21. For example, a user can supply a desired amount of coarsely crushed pieces M to the storage space S1 and temporarily store them therein. Furthermore, before the coarsely crushed pieces M are introduced into the casing 2, the motor 61 is controlled to position the blade 52 so that it does not block the inlet 21. This allows the coarsely crushed pieces M to be introduced into the casing 2 more smoothly. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, when the first shutter member 71 is open, the storage space S1 and the internal space S are connected via the inlet 21. When the first shutter member 71 is changed from the closed state to the open state while coarsely crushed pieces M are stored in the storage space S1, the coarsely crushed pieces M in the storage space S1 fall, pass through the inlet 21, and reach the internal space S. In other words, the coarsely crushed pieces M can be introduced into the internal space S through the inlet 21.

[0047] The first drive unit 72 has a motor 721 and a gear 722 connected to the output shaft of the motor 721. The motor 721 is capable of selecting either forward or reverse rotation. The gear 722 is located to the side of the first shutter member 71, and its outer circumferential surface is disposed in contact with the side surface of the first shutter member 71. Although not shown, a toothed portion is provided on the side surface of the first shutter member 71, and meshes with the teeth of the gear 722. As a result, the rotational force of the motor 721 is transmitted to the first shutter member 71 via the gear 722.

[0048] Rotation of the output shaft of motor 721 causes gear 722 to rotate in a predetermined direction. When gear 722 rotates, first shutter member 71 rotates in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of gear 722. The first shutter member 71 rotates at a reduced speed relative to the rotation speed of gear 722. As a result, the first shutter member 71 rotates in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction around rotation axis O1. This rotation causes storage space S1 to move relative to insertion slot 21, making it possible to switch between a state in which insertion slot 21 and storage space S1 overlap and a state in which insertion slot 21 and storage space S1 are misaligned. In other words, insertion slot 21 can be switched between an open state and a closed state.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 1, the second opening / closing unit 8 opens and closes the discharge port 22, and includes a second shutter member 81 and a second drive unit 82 that drives the second shutter member 81 to open and close.

[0050] The second shutter member 81 is provided below the bottom plate 202 of the casing 2. The second shutter member 81 is configured as a plate-like member that is circular in a plan view. The second shutter member 81 is displaceable to switch between an open state of the exhaust port 22 and a closed state of the exhaust port 22. In this embodiment, the second shutter member 81 switches between the open state and the closed state by rotating around the rotation axis O or the rotation axis O1.

[0051] The second shutter member 81 has an insertion hole 811 provided in the center thereof, through which the shaft member 51 is inserted, and a through-hole 812 provided eccentrically from the center. Although not shown, the second shutter member 81 has a bearing within the insertion hole 811, and rotates independently of the shaft member 51.

[0052] Through-hole 812 penetrates second shutter member 81 in the thickness direction, i.e., in the direction along rotation axis O. Through-hole 812 is circular in a plan view of second shutter member 81, and has a larger opening area than outlet 22.

[0053] By operation of the second drive unit 82, the second shutter member 81 is displaced between a state in which the discharge outlet 22 and the through hole 812 overlap when viewed from above, i.e., an open state in which the discharge outlet 22 and the through hole 812 are connected (see Figure 6), and a state in which the discharge outlet 22 and the through hole 812 are misaligned and not overlapping when viewed from above (misaligned state), i.e., an open state in which the discharge outlet 22 and the through hole 812 are blocked (see Figures 3, 4, and 5).

[0054] 3 to 5, when the second shutter member 81 is in the closed state, it is possible to restrict the defibrated material M1 from passing through the discharge port 22. On the other hand, when the second shutter member 81 is in the open state, as shown in FIG. 6, the defibrated material M1 in the internal space S can fall and pass through the discharge port 22.

[0055] The second drive unit 82 has a motor 821 and a gear 822 connected to the output shaft of the motor 821. The motor 821 is capable of selecting either forward or reverse rotation. The gear 822 is located to the side of the second shutter member 81, and its outer circumferential surface is disposed in contact with the side surface of the second shutter member 81. Although not shown, a toothed portion is provided on the side surface of the second shutter member 81, which meshes with the teeth of the gear 822. As a result, the rotational force of the motor 821 is transmitted to the second shutter member 81 via the gear 822.

[0056] Rotation of the output shaft of the motor 821 causes the gear 822 to rotate in a predetermined direction. When the gear 822 rotates, the second shutter member 81 rotates in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the gear 822. The second shutter member 81 rotates at a reduced speed relative to the rotation speed of the gear 822. As a result, the second shutter member 81 rotates in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction around the rotation axis O1. This rotation causes the through-hole 812 to move relative to the discharge port 22, and it is possible to switch between a state in which the discharge port 22 and the through-hole 812 are overlapped and a state in which the discharge port 22 and the through-hole 812 are misaligned. In other words, it is possible to switch the discharge port 22 between an open state and a closed state.

[0057] The types of motors 721 and 821 are not particularly limited, and examples include those listed in the description of motor 61. The types of motors 721 and 821 may be the same as or different from motor 61. Furthermore, the types of motors 721 and 821 may be the same as or different from motor 61.

[0058] Furthermore, the first driving section 72 and the second driving section 82 may each have a reducer, an encoder, etc., which are not shown.

[0059] The motors 721 and 821 are connected to the control unit 91 via a power supply unit 93, and the control unit 91 controls the energization conditions.

[0060] The micro-fining device 1 has a control device 9 that controls the driving of the motor 61, the first driving unit 72, and the second driving unit 82, respectively.

[0061] The control device 9 includes a control unit 91 and a storage unit 92 . The control unit 91 has at least one processor and executes various programs stored in the storage unit 92. The processor may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 91 also has various functions, such as controlling the operation of each part of the device related to the micropatterning process.

[0062] For example, programs related to the microfabrication process and the like are stored in the storage unit 92. The control unit 91 reads out and executes the various programs stored in the storage unit 92, thereby executing a sequence such as controlling the operation of the first drive unit 72 and the second drive unit 82, as will be described later. The control device 9 may also include a communication unit such as an I / O interface.

[0063] The control device 9 may be built into the micropatterning device 1, or may be provided in an external device such as an external computer. The control unit 91 and the storage unit 92 may be integrated into one unit, for example, or the control unit 91 may be built into the micropatterning device 1 and the storage unit 92 may be provided in an external device such as an external computer, or the storage unit 92 may be built into the micropatterning device 1 and the control unit 91 may be provided in an external device such as an external computer.

[0064] The external device and each part of the micropatterning device 1 may communicate with each other via a network such as the Internet.

[0065] Next, the sequence control regarding the operation of the first driving unit 72 and the second driving unit 82 performed by the control unit 91 will be described.

[0066] First, the sequence control when the raw material, coarsely crushed pieces M, are introduced into the casing 2 will be described.

[0067] 3, before the pulverization process is performed, the first shutter member 71 and the second shutter member 81 are closed. This prevents foreign matter from entering the casing 2. In this state, the coarsely crushed fragments M can be stored in the storage space S1 of the first shutter member 71.

[0068] The volume of the storage space S1 is a volume equivalent to the input amount for one batch-type micronization process (hereinafter simply referred to as "one micronization process"). However, the volume of the storage space S1 is not limited to this, and may be larger or smaller than the input amount for one micronization process.

[0069] When the volume of the storage space S1 is smaller than the input amount for one cycle of pulverization treatment, the amount for one cycle of pulverization treatment is ensured by inputting the coarsely crushed pieces M from the storage space S1 multiple times.

[0070] Furthermore, when the volume of the storage space S1 is smaller than the input amount for one round of micronization processing, for example, a plurality of storage spaces S1 can be provided along the circumferential direction of the first shutter member 71, and the first shutter member 71 can be displaced so that each storage space S1 sequentially communicates with the input port 21, thereby ensuring the amount for one round of micronization processing. In such a configuration, for example, as shown in Fig. 8, through holes 712A, 712B, 712C, 712D, 712E, and 712F can be provided along the circumferential direction of the first shutter member 71, and by rotating the first shutter member 71, the through holes 712A, 712B, 712C, 712D, 712E, and 712F can be sequentially connected to the input port 21, ensuring the amount for one round of micronization processing.

[0071] In addition, multiple storage spaces S1 each having a volume equivalent to the input amount for one round of pulverization processing can be provided along the circumferential direction of the first shutter member 71, and the input amount of coarsely crushed fragments M can be stored in each storage space S1.Each time a round of pulverization processing is performed, the first shutter member 71 can be rotated a predetermined angle to sequentially connect each storage space S1 to the input port 21, and the coarsely crushed fragments M can be input.

[0072] The amount of coarsely crushed fragments M added for one round of pulverization treatment corresponds to the volume of the internal space S and is not particularly limited, but is preferably, for example, 0.1 g or more and 100 g or less, and more preferably 2 g or more and 20 g or less. The amount of defibrated material M1 obtained in one operation is approximately equal to the amount of coarsely crushed pieces M added in one operation.

[0073] Next, as shown in Figure 4, the control unit 91 controls the operation of the first drive unit 72 and the second drive unit 82 so as to open the first shutter member 71 and close the second shutter member 81 when the coarse fragments M are fed into the casing 2. This allows a predetermined amount of coarse fragments M to be fed into the internal space S of the casing 2, and also allows the fed coarse fragments M to be defibrated sufficiently, i.e., neither too much nor too little.

[0074] As described above, when the volume of the storage space S1 is smaller than the input amount for one round of pulverization processing, the input amount for one round of pulverization processing to the internal space S is secured by multiple times feeding the coarse fragments M into the storage space S1 and supplying the coarse fragments M from the storage space S1 to the internal space S. In other words, the input amount for one round of pulverization processing is secured by multiple times supplying the coarse fragments M to the storage space S1 and switching the first shutter member 71 between the closed state and the open state.

[0075] It is preferable that the rotor 5 is stopped when the coarsely crushed pieces M are fed into the casing 2. This allows the coarsely crushed pieces M to smoothly move to the depths of the casing 2, i.e., to the lower part of the internal space S. This eliminates the risk of the coarsely crushed pieces M becoming trapped above the blades 52 inside the casing 2.

[0076] Next, the sequence control during the pulverization process of the coarse fragments M will be described. As shown in Figure 5, during the pulverization process of the coarse fragments M, the operation of the first drive unit 72 and the second drive unit 82 is controlled so that both the first shutter member 71 and the second shutter member 81 are closed. This makes it possible to prevent the coarse fragments M or defibrated material M1 from accidentally flying out from the inlet 21 and the outlet 22 during the pulverization process of the coarse fragments M. It is also possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the internal space S.

[0077] As mentioned above, the rotation speed V1 of the rotor 5 during the pulverization treatment is one factor that determines the conditions of the obtained pulverized material, for example, the degree of defibration, bulk density, specific gravity, etc. of the defibrated material M1. In addition to the rotation speed V1, the same applies to the duration of rotation of the rotor 5 for one round of pulverization treatment (pulverization treatment time).

[0078] The rotation speed V1 of the rotor 5 during the pulverization treatment is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1,000 rpm or more and 10,000 rpm or less, and more preferably 3,000 rpm or more and 5,000 rpm or less, which allows the pulverization treatment to be carried out satisfactorily.

[0079] The time for the micronization treatment is not particularly limited, but is preferably from 5 to 180 seconds, and more preferably from 10 to 60 seconds, which allows the micronization treatment to be carried out satisfactorily, i.e., without excess or deficiency.

[0080] Next, the sequence control when discharging the defibrated material M1, which is the finer material of the coarse fragments M, will be described.

[0081] 6, when discharging the defibrated material M1 outside the casing 2, the operation of the first drive unit 72 and the second drive unit 82 is controlled to close the first shutter member 71 and open the second shutter member 81. This allows the defibrated material M1 generated by the pulverization process to be discharged from the discharge port 22.

[0082] When discharging the defibrated material M1, both the first shutter member 71 and the second shutter member 81 may be in the open state.

[0083] When discharging the defibrated material M1 outside the casing 2, the rotor 5 preferably rotates at a relatively slow speed, that is, at a rotational speed slower than the rotational speed V1 of the rotor 5 during the pulverization treatment. This can promote the discharge of the defibrated material M1 inside the internal space S.

[0084] The rotation speed V2 of the rotor 5 when discharging the defibrated material M1 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 rpm or more and 30 rpm or less, and more preferably 10 rpm or more and 20 rpm or less, which can promote the discharge of the defibrated material M1.

[0085] V2 / V1 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.0001 or more and 0.03 or less, and more preferably 0.002 or more and 0.01 or less. This allows a good balance between being able to carry out the pulverization treatment well and promoting the discharge of the defibrated material M1.

[0086] In this way, in the pulverization device 1, when a predetermined amount, particularly a predetermined fixed amount of coarsely crushed fragments M, is supplied, the first shutter member 71 closes the input port 21 and performs the pulverization process by restricting the supply of any further coarsely crushed fragments M. In other words, a fixed amount (the input amount for one pulverization process) of coarsely crushed fragments M is subjected to the pulverization process (defibration process) over a predetermined time, and a fixed amount of defibrated material M1 is obtained.

[0087] In other words, unlike conventional continuous-type pulverization devices, so-called batch-type processing can be performed, in which the coarsely crushed fragments M are intermittently supplied, the pulverization process is performed, and the defibrated material M1 is discharged. This allows for a variety of processes, such as changing the type of raw material, conditions, etc., or changing the pulverization process conditions each time a single pulverization process is completed, thereby enabling a wide variety of pulverized materials to be obtained in desired amounts at desired times. In particular, with the simple configuration of opening and closing the inlet 21 by displacing (rotating in this embodiment) the first shutter member 71 while the coarsely crushed fragments M are stored in the storage space S1, the coarsely crushed fragments M can be easily and accurately introduced into the casing 2. Furthermore, by appropriately setting the number and volume of the storage spaces S1, the amount of coarsely crushed fragments M introduced into the storage space S1, etc., the pulverization process can be performed with excellent quantitative accuracy, and in particular, the desired amount of pulverized material can be obtained while easily and appropriately ensuring the amount introduced for one pulverization process.

[0088] As described above, the micronization apparatus 1 has a wide range of options for use, the type of raw material to be micronized, the conditions, etc., and the conditions for the obtained micronized product, making it highly versatile. Furthermore, it is possible to perform micronization treatment with excellent quantitative accuracy by batch processing.

[0089] As shown in Fig. 7, the defibrated material M1 discharged from the discharge outlet 22 is collected in the collection unit 4. The collection unit 4 includes a container 41 provided below the discharge outlet 22, and a bag body 42 housed in the container 41 and having an opening 421. The bag body 42 is placed in the container 41 with the opening 421 facing towards the discharge outlet 22 side.

[0090] The defibrated material M1 discharged from the discharge port 22 falls into and is stored in the bag 42 through the opening 421. In such a collection section 4, by sealing the opening 421 of the bag 42 containing the defibrated material M1, the defibrated material M1 can be used as, for example, a liquid absorbent packaged in the bag 42.

[0091] The collection unit 4 is not limited to the configuration shown in the figure. For example, the opening 421 of the bag body 42 may be connected to the discharge outlet 22 via a connecting member (not shown). The defibrated material M1 may also be collected in a container of a form other than the bag body 42.

[0092] Furthermore, the pulverization device may have a transport section that transports the discharged defibrated material M1 to the next process, instead of the collection section 4 as configured in the figure. Examples of this transport section include a transfer pipe for the defibrated material, a conveyor, etc.

[0093] As described above, the pulverization device 1 includes a casing 2 having an inlet 21 into which coarsely crushed pieces M, an example of a fiber-containing raw material, are input, and an outlet 22 from which defibrated material M1, an example of a pulverized material obtained by pulverizing the coarsely crushed pieces M, is discharged. The rotor 5 is housed within the casing 2, has blades 52, and rotates about a rotation axis O to pulverize the coarsely crushed pieces M. The first shutter member 71 is provided for opening and closing the inlet 21. The first shutter member 71 has a storage space S1 for storing the coarsely crushed pieces M, and the storage space S1 is displaced relative to the inlet 21 so as to create an open state in which the storage space S1 and the inlet 21 are connected, and a closed state in which the storage space S1 and the inlet 21 are disconnected. This allows the pulverization device 1 to perform batch processing and quantitatively obtain pulverized material. The pulverization device 1 also has a wide range of options for use, the type of raw material to be pulverized, and the conditions for the resulting pulverized material, making it highly versatile. In particular, the simple structure of opening and closing the feed opening 21 while the coarsely crushed pieces M are stored in the storage space S1 allows the coarsely crushed pieces M to be fed into the casing 2 easily and accurately.

[0094] Furthermore, the micronization apparatus 1 can perform micronization with excellent quantitative accuracy by appropriately setting the number of storage spaces S1 to be installed, the volume, etc. thereof.

[0095] In the above embodiment, the liner 3 is included, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the liner 3 may be omitted.

[0096] Furthermore, a plurality of insertion ports 21 may be formed in the top panel 201, for example, along the circumferential direction around the rotation axis O1. In this case, the first shutter member 71 can be configured to rotate around the rotation axis O1, and the storage space S1 can be sequentially connected to each insertion port 21 to open them.

[0097] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the configuration includes the collection unit 4, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the collection unit 4 may be omitted.

[0098] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the second opening / closing section 8 is provided, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the second opening / closing section 8 may be omitted.

[0099] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the position of the storage space S1 can be displaced to take on an open state in which the storage space S1 and the drop inlet 21 are connected, and a closed state in which the storage space S1 and the drop inlet 21 are blocked off; however, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, two first shutter members 71 may be stacked on top of each other, and the upper first shutter member 71 having the storage space S1 does not displace, but the position of the lower first shutter member 71 having the through hole 712 is displaced, thereby taking on a state in which the storage space S1 and the drop inlet 21 are connected, and a closed state in which the storage space S1 and the drop inlet 21 are blocked off.

[0100] The first shutter member 71 is displaced between an open state and a closed state by rotating about a rotation axis O1 that is coaxial with or parallel to the rotation axis O. This allows the first shutter member 71 to be displaced between the open state and the closed state easily and accurately.

[0101] Furthermore, the rotation axis O1 of the first shutter member 71 may be offset from the rotation axis O, or may be in a direction that intersects with the rotation axis O.

[0102] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the first shutter member 71 has a rotary shutter structure, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be a rotary type that rotates about a vertical axis or a rotary type that rotates about a horizontal axis. Furthermore, the first shutter member 71 is not limited to a rotary type, and may be, for example, a so-called slide shutter structure in which a plate-like or block-like first shutter member having the same storage space S1 as described above moves left and right or front and rear in FIG. 1 to open and close the drop opening 21. The same applies to the second shutter member 81.

[0103] The first shutter member 71 has a through-hole 712 that penetrates in the direction along the rotation axis O, and a storage space S1 is formed inside the through-hole 712. This makes it possible to easily and accurately feed the coarsely crushed pieces M in the storage space S1 into the casing 2.

[0104] The axis of through hole 712 does not have to be parallel to rotation axis O. Furthermore, the inner diameter of through hole 712 does not have to be constant along its longitudinal direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 1), and for example, the inner diameter of through hole 712 may have a portion where it decreases or increases toward internal space S.

[0105] The storage space S1 has a capacity to store the coarsely crushed pieces M, which are raw materials for one round of pulverization processing. This allows the coarsely crushed pieces M to be supplied in an accurate amount corresponding to one round of pulverization processing. In other words, this contributes to improving the quantitative accuracy of the pulverization processing by batch processing.

[0106] The volume of the storage space S1 may be smaller or larger than the volume required for one batch-type micronization process.

[0107] The micronization device 1 includes a first opening / closing unit 7 having a first shutter member 71 and a first drive unit 72 that drives the first shutter member 71 to open and close, and a control unit 91 that controls the drive of the first drive unit 72. This allows the opening and closing of the inlet 21 to be performed easily and accurately. This contributes to improving the quantitation of the obtained micronized material, i.e., the reproducibility of the quantitative supply and the accuracy of the quantitative supply, particularly in batch processing.

[0108] The micronization device 1 includes a motor 61 that rotates the rotor 5, and the control unit 91 controls the driving of the motor 61. This allows the micronization process to be performed satisfactorily. As a result, a micronized material meeting the desired conditions can be easily obtained.

[0109] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and the first drive unit 72 may be omitted, and the first shutter member 71 and the second shutter member 81 may be opened and closed manually by the user.

[0110] The micronization device 1 is provided with a second opening / closing unit 8 having a second shutter member 81 provided at the discharge port 22 for opening and closing the discharge port 22, and a second drive unit 82 for driving the second shutter member 81 to open and close, and a control unit 91 controls the drive of the second drive unit 82. This allows the discharge port 22, along with the input port 21, to be opened and closed easily and accurately, allowing the discharge of the micronized material to be performed more smoothly and accurately. This contributes to improving the quantitation of the obtained micronized material, particularly in batch processing.

[0111] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and the second drive unit 82 may be omitted, and the first shutter member 71 and the second shutter member 81 may be opened and closed manually by the user.

[0112] When discharging the defibrated material M1, which is a pulverized material, the control unit 91 controls the motor 61 to rotate at a slower speed than during the pulverization process of the raw material, the coarse fragments M. This facilitates the discharge of the defibrated material M1, contributing to the smooth recovery of the defibrated material M1.

[0113] The motor 61 may be stopped when discharging the defibrated material M1. Also, the motor 61 may be rotated at a rotation speed V2, for example, in the opposite direction to that during the pulverization process.

[0114] Furthermore, the control unit 91 controls the driving of the motor 61 so that, when the rotor 5 stops, the blades 52 are positioned so as not to block the insertion port 21. In other words, the control unit 91 stops the rotor 5 at a position where the blades 52 do not overlap the insertion port 21 when viewed from above.

[0115] The memory unit 92 stores the encoder value of the encoder 64, which corresponds to the rotational position of the motor 61 at which the blade 52 does not block the feeding port 21. When the rotor 5 stops, the control unit 91 controls the driving of the motor 61 based on the encoder value sent from the encoder 64 so that the rotor 5 stops at that position. This allows the next batch of coarsely crushed pieces M to be fed into the casing 2 more smoothly.

[0116] In this way, the control unit 91 controls the driving of the motor 61 so that, when the rotor 5 is stopped, the blades 52 are positioned so as not to block the feed opening 21. This allows the coarsely crushed pieces M to be fed into the casing 2 more smoothly.

[0117] It is also possible to provide another sensor that detects the position of the blade 52 without using the encoder value of the encoder 64, and control the driving of the motor 61 based on the detected value of the sensor.

[0118] Although the microfabrication device of the present invention has been described above with reference to the illustrated embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and each component of the microfabrication device can be replaced with any component that can perform the same function. In addition, any component may be added to the microfabrication device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 1...micronization device, 2...casing, 3...liner, 4...recovery section, 5...rotor, 6...rotation drive section, 7...first opening / closing section, 8...second opening / closing section, 9...control device, 21...feed inlet, 22...discharge outlet, 31...teeth, 41...container, 42...bag body, 51...shaft member, 52...blade, 53...pulley, 61...motor, 62...pulley, 63...endless belt, 64...encoder, 71...first shutter member, 72...first drive section, 81...second shutter member, 82...second Drive unit, 91...control unit, 92...storage unit, 93...power supply unit, 201...top plate, 202...bottom plate, 203...side wall, 311...protrusion, 312...top, 421...opening, 611...output shaft, 710...shaft member, 711...insertion hole, 712...through hole, 721...motor, 722...gear, 810...shaft member, 811...insertion hole, 812...through hole, 821...motor, 822...gear, M...coarsely crushed pieces, M1...defibrated material, O...rotation shaft, O1...rotation shaft, S...internal space, S1...storage space

Claims

1. A casing having an inlet into which a fiber-containing raw material is introduced and an outlet through which a pulverized material obtained by pulverizing the raw material is discharged; a rotor housed in the casing, having blades, and rotating about a rotation axis to pulverize the raw material; a first shutter member provided for opening and closing the insertion port, the first shutter member has a storage space for storing the raw material, A micronization device characterized in that the storage space is displaced relative to the input port so as to create an open state in which the storage space and the input port are connected, and a closed state in which the storage space and the input port are blocked.

2. 2. The micro-finishing device according to claim 1, wherein the first shutter member is displaced between the open state and the closed state by rotating about an axis that is coaxial with or parallel to the rotation axis.

3. the first shutter member has a through-hole that penetrates in a direction along the rotation axis, The micro-fining device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the storage space is formed inside the through-hole.

4. 3. The micronization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage space has a volume sufficient to store the raw material for one micronization treatment.

5. a first opening / closing unit having the first shutter member and a first drive unit that drives the first shutter member to open and close; The micropatterning apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a control unit that controls the driving of the first driving unit.

6. a motor that drives the rotor to rotate; The micropatterning apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the control unit controls the driving of the motor.

7. 7. The micronizing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control unit controls the motor to rotate at a slower speed when discharging the micronized material than when micronizing the raw material.

8. The micronization apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the control unit controls the driving of the motor so that the blade is positioned so as not to block the inlet when the rotor is stopped.

9. a second opening / closing unit including a second shutter member provided at the discharge port and configured to open and close the discharge port, and a second drive unit configured to drive the second shutter member to open and close; The micropatterning apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the control unit controls the driving of the second driving unit.

10. 2. The micronization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotation axis is arranged along a direction intersecting with a horizontal direction, and the outlet is positioned below the inlet.

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