Volumetric metering units for granular and powdered materials

Abstract

A volumetric metering unit for metering and dispensing granular and / or powdered materials includes a housing having a chamber, an inlet opening, and an outlet opening. The metering unit further includes a rotary distribution drum including a shaft having axially opposed first and second ends and a drive unit rotatably connected or connectable to the second end of the shaft for rotating the drum. A connecting means is also provided, configured to rotatably connect the second end of the shaft to the drive unit. The connecting means is configured to be engageable and disengageable by movement along the drum's rotational axis. The metering unit further includes a flange element supporting the shaft. The flange element is attached to the first wall of the chamber via a bayonet-type connecting means.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a volumetric metering unit for granular and / or powdered materials, and more particularly to a volumetric metering unit for machines dispensing such materials. [Background technology]

[0002] This type of volumetric distributor is widely used in agricultural seed drills to dispense granular materials such as seeds, fertilizers, and / or additives such as disinfectants or insecticides in relation to the seeds during the sowing process. These distributors are also known as granulators or microgranulators, especially when used to distribute additives. In addition to their preferred applications, they are also used in all areas where volumetric delivery of products is required.

[0003] An example of a volumetric dispenser constructed in accordance with the prior art is described in WO 2004015378 A1 in the name of the same applicant, which comprises a box-shaped structure in which a dispensing drum is rotatably supported.

[0004] The first problem arises from the difficulty of cleaning or replacing the distribution drum. Replacement is particularly necessary so that another drum suitable for the material to be distributed can be attached to the distributor. This requires removing the transmission means that rotates the drum, opening the appropriate ports in the distributor, removing the existing drum, and introducing the desired drum. All these steps require a high degree of dexterity. In fact, known structures have the disadvantage of comprising a large number of components that need to be assembled in the correct order and manner using connecting means, screws, flanges, and other elements. Such a strategy is inappropriate for agricultural machinery applications, since in these cases a large number of operations need to be carried out in the field, which requires the removal and handling of multiple components, which may result in their loss or misassembly.

[0005] The second problem relates to the high risk posed to workers when handling drums. Seeds, fertilizers, and additives distributed on the ground often have a certain degree of toxicity due to their own components and associated chemicals. Seeds are typically treated with tanning agents or fungicides that are harmful to contact or inhalation. Fertilizers and additives may also release harmful, or at least irritating, dusts, or dusts that themselves contain harmful components. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid direct contact with such materials. While the use of protective gloves is one solution, it is not always optimal, as it makes handling these small mechanical components difficult and reduces work efficiency.

[0006] German Patent Application No. 102007034997A1 describes another example of a volumetric dispenser constructed according to the prior art. This dispenser includes a housing for a hollow drum. The hollow drum is axially mounted on a drive shaft that is axially removably mounted in the housing. Therefore, to remove the drum from the housing, it is necessary to remove the drum from the shaft. This has the disadvantage that the presence of powder between the drum and the shaft can cause the drum to become stuck in the housing.

[0007] Another example of a known volumetric dispenser is described in German Patent Application No. 102020002763A1.

[0008] Also, in another technical field, particularly with regard to rotary medical valves, US Pat. No. 4,602,727 describes an example of a connection system between a rotor and a drive shaft. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] The problem addressed by the present invention is therefore to provide a volumetric metering unit for granular and / or powdered materials that is structurally and functionally configured to at least partially overcome one or more of the drawbacks described with reference to the prior art mentioned above.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a volumetric metering unit for granular and / or powdered materials in which the rotor can be more easily removed and possibly replaced, typically by removing a limited number of connections and parts.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a volumetric metering unit for granular and / or powdered materials in which the risk of an operator coming into contact with the material within the metering unit is significantly reduced.

[0012] It is also an object of the present invention to provide the art with a volumetric metering unit for granular and / or powdery materials, which has a simple and rational design, is relatively low cost and allows for an improvement over conventional technical solutions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The above-mentioned problems are solved by the present invention and the above-mentioned objects are at least partly solved by a volumetric metering unit for metering and dispensing granular and / or powdered material, the volumetric metering unit comprising a housing.

[0014] Preferably, the housing includes a chamber, an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and opposing first and second walls, defining a flow direction for the granular and / or powder material between the inlet and outlet openings.

[0015] Preferably, the metering unit comprises a rotary distribution drum rotatably supported within the housing about an axis of rotation. Preferably, the drum includes a shaft having axially opposed first and second ends, the first and second ends supported by the first and second walls, respectively.

[0016] Preferably, the metering unit comprises a drive unit rotatably connected or rotatably connectable to the second end of the shaft for rotating the drum.

[0017] Preferably, the metering unit comprises connection means configured to rotatably connect the second end of the shaft to the drive unit, the connection means preferably configured to be engageable by movement along the axis of rotation via a seat formed in the first wall of the chamber in a direction towards the second wall and to be disengageable by movement away from the second wall.

[0018] Preferably, the metering unit comprises a flange element supporting a rolling element rotatably supporting a first end of a shaft attached to the first wall of the chamber.

[0019] Preferably, the flange element is connected to the first wall via a bayonet-style connection means configured to selectively open and close the seat by combined rotation about the axis of rotation and translation along the axis of rotation of the flange element.

[0020] It is noted that the metering unit according to this first aspect allows for easy removal and subsequent relocation of the rotor in the associated housing with a simple rotational-translational movement without disassembling the drive unit.

[0021] Furthermore, this particular connection means allows the rotor to be unblocked without disassembling the components, thus reducing the risk of components falling on site and limiting the manual handling required by personnel in any case.

[0022] Furthermore, the drum can be unblocked by rotation, and the arrangement adopted allows this to be done by acting on the flange element independently of the shaft and therefore independently of the connection means to the drive unit.

[0023] In this way, the drive unit does not have to be rotated to remove the characteristic drum, which also contributes to the drive unit not necessarily having to be disassembled to remove the drum.

[0024] Thus, the complexity of the operation is generally reduced and, as a result, the risk of coming into contact with the material in the metering unit is reduced.

[0025] In addition to the above-mentioned features, the present invention may have one or more of the following preferred features.

[0026] Preferably, the drive unit is located distally relative to the first wall of the chamber and proximal relative to the second wall of the chamber.

[0027] Thus, operation can be facilitated without placing components of the drive unit out of the extraction area.

[0028] In some embodiments, the connecting means comprises a movable part formed on the second end of the shaft and a fixed part formed on the drive unit, Preferably, the connecting means is configured to engage and disengage by moving the movable part along the axis of rotation relative to the fixed part.

[0029] Preferably, the connecting means comprises a portion bifurcating into two tines formed on the second end of the shaft or on the drive unit, and a connecting pin formed on the drive unit or the second end of the shaft, the tines being configured to receive the connecting pin between them.

[0030] With this configuration, the connection means of the present invention can be realized simply and reliably.

[0031] It should be noted that in some embodiments, the bifurcated portion defines the movable portion and the contact pin defines the fixed portion, or vice versa.

[0032] Preferably, the connecting means is configured to be engageable by movement of the drum and shaft along the axis of rotation through the seat in a direction towards the second wall, and to be disengageable by movement of the drum and shaft away from the second wall.

[0033] Preferably, the drive unit comprises a hollow shaft on which the connecting pin is formed.

[0034] Preferably, the drive unit comprises a pulley to which the hollow shaft is rotatably connected, the pulley being configured to transmit the rotary motion to the further rotating element via a transmission belt.

[0035] This feature ensures high connection stability and ease of assembly without the need to remove components of the drive unit.

[0036] Additionally, the present invention advantageously allows for removal of the drum without removing the power transmission belt from the pulley.

[0037] Preferably, the seat is configured to allow passage of the drum towards and away from the housing, thereby ensuring good accessibility in the housing.

[0038] Preferably, the flange element has a hole through which the flange element is axially mounted on the shaft at an axially intermediate position between the first end of the shaft and the blade of the drum. The first end of the shaft has a slot, preferably annular, protruding axially from the hole toward the outside of the chamber away from the flange element. The slot can be grasped to axially move the drum, together with the flange element, away from the second end of the chamber.

[0039] This allows the slots to be used to grip the drum with a tool that can engage the appropriate slot.

[0040] Preferably, the bayonet connection means comprises at least one through slot formed in the flange element, the through slot having a widened portion configured to allow passage of a block element supported on the first wall and a narrowed portion configured to prevent passage of the block element.

[0041] These features provide a stable solution, which is particularly suitable for agricultural applications where components need to withstand high stresses.

[0042] Preferably, the through slot has the form of a circumferential arc concentric with the axis of rotation.

[0043] To obtain the connection, a rotational movement about a rotation axis is performed, which allows a simple construction solution to be realized while preserving the stability of the structure.

[0044] Preferably, the connecting means comprises a plurality of through slots unevenly distributed about the axis of rotation, at least one through slot having a pair of widened portions.

[0045] In this way, the connection can be made asymmetrical, and thus the flange elements can be suitable for connection in two different positions, for example one on the right side of the distributor and the other on the left side, by rotating one in a clockwise direction and the other in a counterclockwise direction.

[0046] Preferably, the metering unit comprises a calibration port for calibrating the material flow.

[0047] Preferably, the metering unit comprises at least one movable wall supported within the housing for selectively directing the flow of material towards the outlet opening or the calibration port.

[0048] Preferably, the metering unit comprises a lever suitable for controlling the movement of the movable wall.

[0049] It should be noted that the simplified removal system of the present invention is particularly well suited when a calibration port is present: indeed, accessibility in the housing is simplified so that the calibration port can also be easily reached, for example for cleaning or maintenance.

[0050] In particular, such a feature is particularly advantageous when movable elements, such as the walls mentioned above, are present within the housing.

[0051] According to another aspect, the present invention relates to an agricultural distribution machine, more particularly to a sprayer and / or a seed sower, comprising at least one volumetric metering unit having one or more of the above-mentioned features and at least one hopper, the hopper including a lower portion having a feed opening to which the inlet opening of the volumetric metering unit is attached.

[0052] According to yet another aspect, the present invention relates to a kit including a volumetric metering unit having at least one rotary dispensing drum rotatably supported within a housing about an axis of rotation, the drum including a shaft having axially opposed first and second ends, the first end of the shaft having a slot, one or more of the features described above, and a calibration tool configured to engage within the slot.

[0053] Preferably, the calibration tool comprises a mounting device for the calibration port of the metering unit and a collection means for calibration material fixed to the mounting device. Preferably, the mounting device comprises an engagement member arranged to releasably engage in a slot in the shaft of the drum to facilitate movement thereof.

[0054] Preferably, the collection means for the calibration material comprises a calibration bag having an opening, the calibration bag being fixed to the mounting device in a position such that when the tool is mounted on the calibration port the calibration bag is located in a position fed by material dropping from the calibration port.

[0055] Preferably, the calibration tool comprises a handle fixed to the mounting device.

[0056] Preferably, the handle is fixed to the mounting device on the side opposite the engagement member.

[0057] Preferably, the mounting device comprises a pair of spaced apart walls, a cross member extending between the walls, and first engagement means provided on the wall opposite the collection means, the first engagement means being connectable to a corresponding first counter-engagement means provided on the calibration port.

[0058] Preferably, the engagement member comprises second engagement means on the cross member, the second engagement means being connectable to corresponding second engagement counter means provided on the distribution drum.

[0059] Preferably, the second engagement means comprises a recess formed in the cross member.

[0060] Preferably, the recess is open towards the collecting means.

[0061] Preferably, the wall has a cam-like profile that projects beyond the cross member opposite the handle.

[0062] Therefore, the same advantages as described above in relation to the first aspect may be achieved by an agricultural machine and kit configured as described above.

[0063] Further preferred aspects are defined in the appended claims and the following description.

[0064] In this specification and the appended claims, and in the context of this invention generally, many terms and expressions have the meanings set forth in the following definitions, unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0065] In particular, it should be noted that the term "bayonet connection" refers to both an actual bayonet connection and to other types of connections, where the connection is effected by a mechanical connection that results in relative movement between the two components, including both rotation and translation, preferably along an axis parallel to the axis along which rotation occurs.

[0066] These movements may occur in any order and partially or completely simultaneously. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0067] The features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the detailed description of a number of exemplary embodiments, illustrated by way of non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a volumetric metering unit of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the measuring unit of FIG. 1 taken along a horizontal plane. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the metering unit of FIG. 1 in a horizontal plane. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a volumetric metering unit of the present invention taken along a vertical plane; [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view of a rotating drum and associated flange elements that are components of a volumetric metering unit of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram of an agricultural machine equipped with a volumetric weighing unit of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0068] Referring to Figure 6, a dispenser for granular materials, which may be used for seeding and for dispensing fertilisers, disinfectants and the like, is indicated generally by the reference numeral 200.

[0069] The dispenser 200 comprises one or more hoppers for containing the material to be sprayed, a fan for supplying an air flow under pressure to the air injector, at least one volumetric metering unit 100 for supplying metered material in the hopper to the air flow generated by the fan, and a distributor for distributing the mixed flow of air and the material to be conveyed towards the distribution pipe.

[0070] 1 and 2, the volumetric metering unit 100 essentially comprises a housing 1. In the housing 1 a rotary distribution drum 2 is accommodated rotatably about an axis of rotation X.

[0071] As shown in detail in Figures 3 and 4, the housing 1 includes a chamber 10, an inlet opening 11 and an outlet opening 12. Between the inlet opening 11 and the outlet opening 12, a flow direction F is defined for the granular and / or powdered material.

[0072] Furthermore, a first wall 13 and a second wall 14 are provided opposite each other, which define a space in which the rotary distribution drum 2 can be received.

[0073] Advantageously, the rotary distribution drum 2 comprises a shaft 20 having axially opposite first and second ends 21, 22. The first end 21 is supported on the first wall 13 and the second end 22 is supported on the second wall 14.

[0074] Rotation of the drum 2 is effected by a suitable drive unit 3 rotatably connected to the second end 22 of the shaft, for example by a gear system 30 or a step-down system.

[0075] Thus, by rotation of the drum 2, granular and / or powdery material can be metered and transported in flow direction F from the inlet opening 11 to the outlet opening 12. For this purpose, the drum 2 has blades 8, by means of which the material can be metered depending on its formation and the rotation speed of the drum 2 itself.

[0076] A calibration port 16 may also be provided for calibrating the material flow. The material flow may be advantageously redirected by a movable wall 7 supported within the housing 1 to selectively direct the flow towards the outlet opening 12 or the calibration port 16.

[0077] Advantageously, and as shown, the drive unit 3 is in a distal position relative to a first wall 13 of the chamber and in a proximal position relative to a second wall 14 of the chamber.

[0078] In some embodiments, the drive unit 3 comprises a pulley configured to transmit the rotational motion via a transmission belt 31 to an additional rotating element of the distributor.

[0079] The rotation between the drive unit 3 and the drum 2 is transmitted by suitable connection means 4, which are shown in more detail in the exemplary embodiment of FIG.

[0080] In particular, the connection means 4 is configured to rotatably connect the second end 22 of the shaft 20 to the drive unit 3 .

[0081] Preferably, the connection means 4 comprises a portion bifurcating into two protrusions 42 and a connection pin 41 formed respectively on the second end 22 of the shaft 20 and on the drive unit 3 in the relevant region of the hollow shaft 33 which can be advantageously connected to the pulley 32 itself.

[0082] Advantageously, the connecting pin 41 and the protrusion 42 formed on the hollow shaft 33 hold the pin 41 therebetween when the end 22 of the shaft is inserted into the hollow shaft 33 .

[0083] In this way, the connection means 4 is configured so that it can be engaged and disengaged by movement along the axis X without removing the pin 41, thereby allowing the drum 2 to pass towards and away from the second wall 14 through the seat 15 formed in the first wall 13 of the chamber 20. Preferably, therefore, the connection means 4 is configured so that it can be engaged and disengaged by movement of the corresponding shaft 20 and drum 15 along the axis X.

[0084] Preferably, therefore, the seat 15 is configured to allow passage of the drum in directions away from and towards the housing.

[0085] It should be noted that in any case the pin and protrusion may be in the reverse position and alternative embodiments to those described above may be provided in which the connection is always effected by movement along axis X, although the components are different.

[0086] On the opposite side of the connection means there is provided a flange element 5 which supports a rolling element 50. The first end 21 of the shaft 20 is rotatably supported by the rolling element 50.

[0087] Advantageously, the flange element 5 is attached to the first wall 13 of the chamber 10 by a bayonet-type connection means 6 configured to selectively open and close the seat 15 by a combined rotational movement about the axis of rotation X and a translational movement along the axis of rotation X of the flange element 5.

[0088] Preferably, the flange element 5 has a hole 50 through which the flange element 5 is axially mounted on the shaft 20 at an axially intermediate position between the first end 21 of the shaft and the blade 8 of the drum. The first end 21 of the shaft has a slot 23, preferably annular, that projects axially from the hole 50 towards the outside of the chamber away from the flange element. The slot 23 can be grasped to axially move the drum together with the flange element away from the second end of the chamber.

[0089] In some embodiments, the bayonet connection means comprises at least one through slot 51 formed in the flange element. The through slot has a widened portion 52 configured to allow passage of a block element 54 supported on the first wall 13, and a narrowed portion 53 configured to prevent passage of the block element 54.

[0090] For example, the blocking element 54 may be formed by a nut including a washer or wing nut or other element having dimensions such that it can pass through the widened portion 52 but not through the narrowed portion 53.

[0091] In this way, the connection can be made by tightening the nut / wing nut to obtain a more stable blocking action by combining translational and rotational movements.

[0092] It should also be noted that the slot 51 may advantageously have the form of a circumferential arc concentric with the axis of rotation X.

[0093] According to another embodiment, as shown in more detail in Figure 6, the connection means 5 has a plurality of through slots 51 unevenly distributed about the axis of rotation X. At least one through slot 51 has a pair of widened portions 52.

[0094] This allows the same component to be used to connect at different locations, for example, as shown in Figure 6, a first widening portion may be used to secure a flange element to a first metering unit, and a second widening portion may be used to secure a second metering unit.

[0095] The invention thereby solves the above-mentioned problems while at the same time offering several advantages: indeed, the metering unit of the invention allows for easy removal of the rotating drum, both to exchange it, for example to provide a different blade, and to inspect and maintain the housing.

[0096] Furthermore, the connection produced by the flange element has proven to be particularly versatile and practical to use.

Claims

1. A volumetric metering unit (100) for metering and dispensing granular and / or powdered materials, comprising: a housing (1) including a chamber (10), an inlet opening (11), an outlet opening (12), and a first wall (13) and a second wall (14) opposite to each other, wherein a flow direction of the granular material and / or the powder material is defined between the inlet opening (11) and the outlet opening (12); a rotating distribution drum (2) rotatably supported within the housing (1) about a rotation axis (X), the distribution drum (2) comprising a shaft (20) having a first end (21) and a second end (22) axially opposite to each other, the first end (21) and the second end (22) being supported by the first wall and the second wall, respectively; a drive unit (3) rotatably connected or connectable to the second end (22) of the shaft for rotating the distribution drum (2); a connecting means (4) configured to rotatably connect the second end (22) of the shaft (20) to the drive unit (3), the connecting means (4) configured to be engaged by movement towards the second wall (14) along the rotation axis (X) via a seat (15) formed in the first wall (13) of the chamber (20) and to be disengaged by movement away from the second wall (14); a flange element (5) supporting a rolling element (50) for rotatably supporting the first end (21) of the shaft (20), the flange element (5) being attached to the first wall (13) of the chamber (10) via a bayonet-type connection means (6) configured to selectively open and close the seat (15) by a combined rotation about the axis of rotation (X) and a translation of the flange element (5) along the axis of rotation (X); A volumetric metering unit (100) comprising:

2. 2. A volumetric metering unit (100) according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit (3) is located distally relative to the first wall (13) of the chamber and proximally relative to the second wall (14) of the chamber.

3. 3. A volumetric metering unit (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the connection means (4) comprises a portion branching into two protrusions (42) formed on the second end of the shaft or on the drive unit, and a connection pin (41) formed on the drive unit or on the second end of the shaft, the protrusions being configured to receive the connection pin between them.

4. 4. A volumetric metering unit (100) according to claim 3, wherein the drive unit comprises a hollow shaft (33), and the connecting pin (41) is formed on the hollow shaft (33).

5. 5. The volumetric metering unit (100) according to claim 4, wherein the drive unit comprises a pulley to which the hollow shaft (33) is rotatably connected, the pulley being configured to transmit rotational motion to an additional rotating element via a transmission belt.

6. A volumetric metering unit (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the seat (15) is configured to allow passage of the distribution drum towards and away from the housing.

7. 7. The volumetric metering unit according to claim 1, wherein the flange element (5) has a hole (50) through which the flange element (5) is axially mounted on the shaft (20) at an axially intermediate position between the first end (21) of the shaft and the blade (8) of the distribution drum, and the first end (21) of the shaft has a slot (23), preferably annular, protruding axially from the hole (50) towards the outside of the chamber so as to move away from the flange element, the slot (23) being grippable to axially move the distribution drum together with the flange element away from the second end of the chamber.

8. 8. The volumetric metering unit (100) according to claim 7, wherein the bayonet connection means (6) has at least one through slot (51) formed in the flange element, the through slot having a widened portion (52) configured to allow passage of a block element (54) supported on the first wall (13), and a narrowed portion (53) configured to prevent passage of the block element (54).

9. 9. A volumetric metering unit (100) according to claim 8, wherein said through slot (51) has the form of a circumferential arc concentric with said axis of rotation (X).

10. 10. A volumetric metering unit (100) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the connecting means (5) has a plurality of the through slots (51) unevenly distributed around the rotation axis (X), and at least one of the through slots (51) has a pair of the widened portions (52).

11. 11. A volumetric metering unit (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising a calibration port (16) for calibrating a material flow, and at least one movable wall (7) supported within the housing (1) for selectively directing the material flow towards the outlet opening (12) or the calibration port (16).

12. The volumetric metering unit (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the connecting means (4) comprises a movable part formed on the second end (22) of the shaft and a fixed part formed on the drive unit (3), and the connecting means (4) is configured to be able to engage and disengage by moving the movable part along the rotation axis (X) relative to the fixed part.

13. The volumetric metering unit (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the connecting means (4) is configured to be engageable by movement of the distribution drum (2) and the shaft (20) in a direction towards the second wall (14) along the rotation axis (X) via the seat (15), and to be disengageable by movement of the distribution drum (2) and the shaft (20) in a direction away from the second wall (14).

14. An agricultural distribution machine, more particularly a spreader and / or a seed sowing machine, comprising at least one volumetric metering unit according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and at least one hopper, said hopper comprising a lower part with a feed opening to which an inlet opening of said volumetric metering unit is attached.

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