Powder container

Abstract

To provide a powder container that can prevent powder from leaking out. [Solution] In the container body 12 of the container 10, a filter assembly 40 is placed at the opening 20 and covered by a lid 14, and the filter assembly 40 obstructs the passage of powder particles inside the container body 12. In addition, the filter assembly 40 has a gasket 52 on the lower side and a gasket 50 on the upper side, and when the opening 20 is closed by the lid 14, the gaskets 50 and 52 are compressed and tightly seal the container body 12. As a result, even when the lid 14 is removed from the container body 12, it is possible to suppress the leakage of fine particles inside the container body 12, and it is possible to suppress the fine particles that leak out from the container body 12 from causing powder damage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a powder container.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a container rotary type mixing dryer in which a filter part is provided at a connection part between the peripheral surface of a container into which a processing part such as powder or granules is supplied and a suction pipe that sucks and decompresses the gas inside the container. The container of the container rotary type mixing dryer has a suction port that can be opened and closed by a lid part closed in an airtight state by the lid part, and a suction pipe is connected to the lid part so that the suction tip part does not protrude into the container.

[0003] Further, a filter part is provided on the inner surface side of the lid part so as to cover the suction tip surface of the suction pipe, and an ejection pipe for ejecting gas to the filter part is provided from the outside to the inside of the container.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, powder obstacles such as obstacles caused by an increase in the concentration of powder (especially solid fine particles having flammability) in the air or obstacles caused by the components of the powder may occur. For example, when the airtight state inside the container is released by removing the lid part for maintenance of the piping connected to the container in which the powder is stored, the powder inside the container leaks out, resulting in an environmental state in which a powder obstacle occurs. Therefore, there is room for improvement in suppressing the leakage of powder during maintenance of the piping connected to the container.

[0006] This invention was made in view of the above facts, and aims to provide a powder container that can suppress leakage of internal powder during maintenance such as maintenance of connected piping. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A powder container according to a first embodiment for achieving the above objective includes: a container body for containing fine powder; a lid portion that can open and close the opening of the container body and airtightly closes when the opening of the container body is closed; a pipe whose one end is connected to the lid portion and opens to the inner surface of the container body of the lid portion, and which is capable of sucking gas inside the container body to reduce pressure; a filter member capable of preventing the passage of the fine powder attached to an annular frame, the frame portion being placed on an annular projection that protrudes from the inner circumferential surface of the container body at the opening of the container body, and the filter portion being positioned at the opening and covered by the lid portion; and sealing members positioned between the frame portion and the projection portion, and between the frame portion and the lid portion, respectively, to airtightly close the space between the projection portion and the lid portion and the frame portion.

[0008] In the powder container according to the first embodiment, a lid is provided at the opening of the container body in which the fine powder is contained, and the lid seals the opening of the container body airtight by closing it. In addition, one end of a pipe is connected to the lid, and the pipe opens to the inner surface of the container body of the lid, allowing for the reduction of pressure by sucking gas from inside the container body.

[0009] Here, the container body has a filter section equipped with a filter member capable of preventing the passage of fine powder within a frame. The filter section is placed inside the opening of the container body, resting on a protruding portion that extends in an annular shape from the inner circumferential surface of the opening, and is covered by a lid. Furthermore, sealing members are placed between the frame and the protruding portion of the filter section, and between the frame and the protruding portion, and between the frame and the lid, respectively, to airtightly seal these spaces.

[0010] As a result, when the gas inside the container is drawn out through the piping, the filter prevents fine powder from being drawn into the piping, thus improving the maintainability of the piping and other components. Furthermore, since sealing members are placed between the protruding part inside the container body and the frame of the filter member, and between the lid and the frame of the filter member, fine powder will not leak out of the container body when the lid is removed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to an aspect of the present invention, even if the lid that seals the container body is removed and the opening is opened, it is possible to suppress the leakage of fine powder from inside the container body. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the container according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic of the filter assembly. [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing the schematic of the filter assembly. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The container 10, which serves as both a powder container and a drying container according to this embodiment, is used to contain fine particles as fine powder, a slurry in which fine particles (fine powder) are mixed, or a substrate on which fine particles are supported by coating with the slurry, etc., as the object to be contained and the object to be processed (hereinafter referred to as the object to be processed). The container 10 is also used for necessary processing such as drying of the object to be processed contained within.

[0014] Examples of materials to be processed within container 10 include thriller, which is a mixture of active material used in secondary batteries such as lithium-ion batteries as fine particles, and substrates coated with thriller to form electrodes. Container 10 can be used for drying the materials to be processed.

[0015] The materials to be treated include fine particles containing flammable or combustible volatile components, slurries containing flammable volatile components, and substrates on which these are supported. Furthermore, the materials to be treated include at least fine particles, turbid slurries containing fine particles, or various substrates on which these are supported.

[0016] Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the container 10. As shown in Figure 1, the container 10 comprises a container body 12 and a lid 14. In the drawing, the direction of the axis (centerline) C of the container body 12 is indicated by arrow S. The container body 12 has its axis in the direction of arrow S, and one direction of the axis is upward. In the following description, the direction around the axis of the container body 12 will be referred to as the circumferential direction, and the direction intersecting the axis of the container body 12 will be referred to as the radial direction.

[0017] The container body 12 has a cylindrical peripheral wall 16, one side of which is closed in the axial direction by a substantially disc-shaped bottom plate 18, and the other side of the peripheral wall 16 in the axial direction is an opening 20 that is substantially circular in shape, so the container body 12 as a whole has a substantially cylindrical shape with a bottom.

[0018] The lid 14 is roughly disc-shaped, and its diameter is larger than that of the container body 12, so as to be large enough to close the opening 20 of the container body 12. The lid 14 is positioned opposite the opening 20 of the container body 12, and its axis is aligned with the axis of the container body 12. The opening 20 of the container body 12 can be opened and closed by the lid 14, and the lid 14 is positioned in a closed position to close the opening 20 of the container body 12, and is attached to the container body 12 under pressure, thereby enabling airtightness of the container body 12.

[0019] The lid body 14 is provided with an exhaust portion 22. The exhaust portion 22 includes a pipe 24 whose one end is connected to a decompression means, a negative pressure supply means, a suction means, etc. (not shown in the figure; hereinafter referred to as a suction means). The pipe 24 has its other end connected to the lid body 14, and the pipe 24 is opened on the surface of the lid body 14 on the side of the container body 12. Further, a connector (quick connector) 26 is attached to the end of the pipe 24 on the side opposite to the lid body 14, and a valve (ball valve) 28 is attached between the lid body 14 and the connector 26.

[0020] Couplings 30 are attached to each of the inlet side and the outlet side of this valve 28. A pipe 24A on the lid body 14 side of the valve 28 is screwed and connected to one of the couplings 30. Also, a pipe 24B on the connector 26 side of the valve 28 is screwed and connected to the other coupling 30. Further, the pipe 24B is screwed to a coupling 32 to which the side opposite to the valve 28 is attached to the connector 26. Thus, in the exhaust portion 22, the inside of the container body 12 and the connector 26 are made communicable via the pipe 24 (pipe 24A, valve 28, and pipe 24B).

[0021] The valve 28 enables the opening and closing of the flow path between the pipes 24 (between the pipe 24A and the pipe 24B) and the adjustment of the opening area of the flow path by rotating the handle 28A. Also, the connector 26 is made detachable for pipes (both not shown in the figure) whose one end is connected to the suction means. When this pipe is connected, the connector 26 communicates the suction means with the pipe 24, and when this pipe is removed, the pipe 24 is tightly blocked.

[0022] Thus, in the container 10, when the valve 28 is opened with the suction means connected to the connector 26, the gas inside the container body 12 can be sucked out through the pipe 24 to be decompressed, and when the valve 28 is closed, the airtightness (decompression state) can be maintained.

[0023] On the other hand, the container 10 is equipped with a filter assembly 40 as a filter section, and the filter assembly 40 is attached to the opening 20 of the container body 12. Figure 2 shows a schematic of the filter assembly 40 in a radial cross-sectional view, and Figure 3 shows a schematic of the filter assembly 40 in an axial plan view.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, an annular projection 34 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the container body 12. The projection 34 protrudes radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the container body 12, and the projection 34 is formed around the entire circumference of the inner circumferential surface of the container body 12.

[0025] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the filter assembly 40 includes an annular frame 42. The outer diameter of the frame 42 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the opening 20 of the container body 12, and the frame 42 is inserted into the opening 20 of the container body 12 and attached to the container body 12. At this time, the filter assembly 40 is positioned inside the opening 20, in contact with the protrusion 34 inside the container body 12.

[0026] The filter assembly 40 has multiple filters (filter media) arranged as filter members within a frame 42, and the filter assembly 40 is configured to obtain the required particle capture rate for the fine particles contained in the container body 12.

[0027] As an example, a ULPA (Ultra Low Penetration Air) filter 44 is used as a filter in the filter assembly 40. In addition, the filter assembly 40 has a medium-efficiency filter 46 and an expanded metal filter (or mesh filter) 48 arranged between the ULPA filter 44. Therefore, the expanded metal filter 48, medium-efficiency filter 46, ULPA filter 44, medium-efficiency filter 46, and expanded metal filter 48 stacked in this order in the filter assembly 40.

[0028] The expanded metal filter 48 suppresses abrasion damage to the ULPA filter 44 and the medium performance filter 46, and the medium performance filter 46 suppresses abrasion damage to the ULPA filter 44 by the expanded metal filter 48.

[0029] Each of the ULPA filter 44, the medium-performance filter 46, and the expanded metal filter 48 is attached by having its peripheral edge fitted into the frame 42 and being bonded with an adhesive or the like.

[0030] Furthermore, the filter assembly 40 has a gasket 50 positioned on one axial side (upper side) as a sealing member, and a gasket 52 positioned on the other axial side. The gaskets 50 and 52 are made of silicone sponge or the like, and are formed in an annular shape with an inner diameter that is the same as or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the frame 42, and an outer diameter that is the same as or slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the frame 42. In addition, the outer diameter of the gasket 52 is larger than the inner diameter of the protrusion 34 inside the container body 12.

[0031] The filter assembly 40 is positioned with the gasket 52 on the bottom and fitted into the opening 20 of the container body 12, with the gasket 50 on top, so that at least a portion (the upper part) of the gasket 52 protrudes from the opening 20. In the filter assembly 40, the gaskets 50 and 52 are compressed when the lid 14 is pressed against the container body 12. The container 10 may also have a handle attached to the lid 14, which makes the container 10 portable.

[0032] In the container 10 configured in this way, the filter assembly 40 is attached to the opening 20 with the object to be processed contained inside the container body 12, and then closed by the lid 14. At this time, the lid 14 is pressed against the container body 12 when it is attached to the container 10, which compresses the gaskets 50 and 52.

[0033] Various configurations can be applied to attach such a lid 14 to the container body 12. For example, a flange portion may be provided that protrudes radially outward from the peripheral wall 16 at the periphery of the opening 20 of the container body 12, and this flange portion and the peripheral edge of the lid 14 may be fastened and secured using bolts and nuts.

[0034] Alternatively, a clamp may be provided between the lid 14 and the peripheral wall 16 of the container body 12, and the lid 14 may be attached to the container body 12 while being pressurized by the clamp. Furthermore, various configurations can be applied that allow the lid 14 to be attached to the container body 12 while being pressurized, and these are not the only options.

[0035] In container 10, the lid 14 is pressed and attached toward the container body 12, compressing the gasket 52 between the frame 42 and the protruding portion 34. As a result, in container 10, the space between the inner surface of the opening 20 and the outer surface of the frame 42 of the filter assembly 40 is airtight with respect to the inside of the container body 12 by the gasket 52. Also, in container 10, when the container body 12 is closed with the lid 14, the lid 14 is pressed and attached toward the container body 12. As a result, the gasket 50 is compressed in container 10, and the space between the lid 14 and the filter assembly 40 is airtight with respect to the periphery of the container body 12 by the gasket 50.

[0036] Furthermore, in container 10, the object to be processed is housed inside the container body 12. In this case, the object to be processed may be housed inside the container body 12 through the opening 20 before the filter assembly 40 is installed, but it is preferable, for example, for the object to be processed to be housed inside from the bottom plate 18 side.

[0037] In this case, for example, the bottom plate 18 may be removed from the peripheral wall 16, the material to be processed may be placed inside the container body 12, and then the bottom plate 18 may be reattached. Also, if the material to be processed is fine particles or a slurry containing fine particles, a supply port (or supply piping) may be provided in the bottom plate 18, and after the material to be processed is placed inside the container body 12, the supply port (or supply piping) may be tightly closed.

[0038] In container 10, drying can be performed on the object to be processed by applying heat treatment to the object inside the container body 12 while simultaneously reducing the pressure. For the heat treatment in the drying process, various drying methods can be applied, such as hot plate (heating using a heater), hot air drying, or drying using light such as infrared rays. In addition, when drying the object to be processed, it is also possible to use a stirring means to agitate the gas inside the container body 12.

[0039] Furthermore, in the container 10, an exhaust port 22 is installed on the lid 14. By connecting a suction means to the connector 26 of the exhaust port 22 and opening the valve 28 while the suction means is activated, gas inside the container body 12 is drawn out, and the pressure inside the container body 12 is reduced. As a result, in the container 10, the gas generated by the heating of the object to be processed is discharged through the piping 24, thereby promoting the drying of the object to be processed.

[0040] In this configuration, a filter assembly 40 is attached to the opening 20 of the container body 12, and the gas drawn into the piping 24 passes through the filter assembly 40. Therefore, even if fine particles are generated as the material to be processed is dried, the ULPA filter 44 and other components in the filter assembly 40 prevent the passage of these fine particles. As a result, the container 10 prevents fine particles from being drawn into the piping 24.

[0041] Furthermore, the piping 24 is equipped with a connector 26 and a valve 28. Therefore, in the container 10, the container body 12 can be carried by closing the valve 28 and disconnecting it from the suction means via the connector 26. At this time, the closing of the valve 28 prevents gas from leaking out of the piping 24 (24A).

[0042] Furthermore, in container 10, maintenance (e.g., cleaning) of the piping 24 is possible by removing the lid 14 from the container body 12. At this time, the filter assembly 40 is attached to the opening 20 of the container body 12, a gasket 50 is provided between the lid 14 and the filter assembly 40, and a gasket 52 is provided between the filter assembly 40 and the protruding portion 34 of the container body 12.

[0043] Therefore, in container 10, even if the lid 14 is removed from the container body 12, the fine particles inside the container body 12 will not leak out. In addition, the filter assembly 40 prevents fine particles from being sucked into the piping 24 (24A) of the lid 14. As a result, in container 10, even if the lid 14 is removed from the container body 12, leakage of fine particles contained inside the container body 12 is suppressed, and any leaked fine particles will not cause powder damage.

[0044] In other words, when static electricity is generated in an environment where the concentration of fine particles in the air is high, static electricity can trigger powder damage, but container 10 can prevent such powder damage. Therefore, container 10 can improve safety when handling fine particles.

[0045] In the embodiment described above, the gasket 52 was brought into contact with the annular projection 34. However, the gasket 52 only needs to be in surface contact with projections protruding from the container body 12 at at least three points in the circumferential direction of the container body 12.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, gaskets 50 and 52 are used to ensure airtightness of the container body 12 when the filter assembly 40 is attached. However, O-rings may also be used as sealing members. In this case, grooves for O-ring installation can be formed between the frame 42 of the filter assembly 40 and the protruding portion 34 of the container body 12, and between the frame 42 and the lid 14, and O-rings can be fitted into each groove and compressed by the lid 14.

[0047] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the filter assembly 40 is inserted into the opening 20 of the container body 12. However, the filter assembly 40 may also be installed by pressing the frame 42 into the opening 20 of the container body 12 or by fitting it in. In this case, the outer diameter of the frame 42 of the filter assembly 40 should be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the inner diameter of the opening 20 of the container body 12. This prevents the filter assembly 40 from coming loose or floating up from the opening 20 of the container body 12 when the lid 14 is removed, and prevents fine powder adhering to the filter assembly 40 from leaking out due to the filter assembly 40 coming loose or floating up from the opening 20.

[0048] Furthermore, various configurations can be applied to attach the filter assembly 40 to the opening 20 of the container body 12, as long as the configuration can prevent the filter assembly 40 from floating up when the lid 14 is removed from the container body 12.

[0049] For example, male threads may be formed on the outer circumference of the frame 42 of the filter assembly 40, and female threads may be engraved on the inner circumference of the opening 20 of the container body 12, so that the filter assembly 40 can be screwed into the container body 12 and fitted into the opening 20. In this case, the gasket 52 is compressed by the filter assembly 40. This prevents the filter assembly 40 from coming off or floating up when the lid 14 is removed from the container body 12, and more effectively prevents fine powder from leaking out of the container body 12. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 10. Containers (powder containers) 12 Container body 14. Lid (lid part) 20 openings 22 Exhaust section 24 (24A, 24B) piping 34 Protrusion 40. Filter Assembly (Filter Section) 42 Frame 44 ULPA filter (filter component) 46. ​​Medium-performance filters (filter components) 48. Expanded metal filter (filter component) 50, 52 Gasket (sealing material)

Claims

[Claim 1] A container body in which fine powder is contained, The opening of the container body is made openable and closable, and when the opening of the container body is closed, it is airtightly sealed, and the lid portion is... A pipe is connected at one end to the lid and opens to the inner surface of the container body of the lid, allowing for the suction and depressurization of gas inside the container body, A filter member capable of preventing the passage of the fine powder is attached to an annular frame, and the frame is placed on an annular projection that protrudes from the inner circumferential surface of the container body at the opening of the container body, and the filter portion is positioned at the opening and covered by the lid, A sealing member is provided, which is positioned between the frame and the protruding portion, and between the frame and the lid, respectively, to airtightly close the space between the protruding portion and the lid and the frame. A powder container containing [the substance].

Images