Powder feeding device

Abstract

To provide a powder supply device capable of preventing a bridge from being formed, and of adjusting a state of powder discharged from an opening.SOLUTION: A powder supply device includes a body part 2 having a storage space 2h for storing powder, and formed with, at a lower end thereof, an opening 2a for discharging the powder in the storage space 2h. The body part 2 comprises a force-applying mechanism for applying power to the powder in the storage space 2h. The force-applying mechanism comprises a vibration part 12 for applying vibration onto a plate-like member 11 that is arranged above the opening 2a in the storage space 2h of the body part 2 and extending in a vertical direction, and / or a plate-like member 11 that is provided on a wall face 2w of the body part 2, and / or the wall face 2w; and a gas supply part 15 provided on the plate-like member 11 and / or a wall face 2f, for supplying gas to the powder in the storage space 2h.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a powder supplying device, and more particularly to a powder supplying device that adjusts the supply state of various powders in a dry state, such as functional powders such as gas adsorbents, catalysts, and battery cathode materials, ores such as copper ore and nickel ore, fluorite powder, and wheat flour. [Background technology]

[0002] A hopper or the like is used as a device for storing dry powder and supplying the stored powder to the outside. A typical hopper or the like has an opening at the bottom end of a main body that stores the powder, and the inner surface of the bottom end is an inclined surface that slopes toward the opening. Therefore, when the opening is closed, the powder can be stored inside the main body, and when the opening is opened, the powder can be supplied to the outside through the opening.

[0003] The above-mentioned hoppers include those that discharge the powder to the outside by gravity alone, and those that have a conveying device installed at the opening position so that a fixed amount of powder can be supplied to the outside. In the case of the latter hopper, a conveyer such as a screw conveyer is used as the conveying device.

[0004] In a hopper that supplies a constant amount of powder to the outside by a conveying device, if the flow state of the powder inside the hopper is constant, the conveying device can continuously convey the constant amount of powder. However, if the flow state of the powder inside the hopper is not constant, the powder may bond together and form a bridge. In such a case, the flow state of the powder changes and the powder cannot be properly discharged from the opening. Therefore, technologies have been developed to prevent the formation of powder bridges inside the hopper (Patent Documents 1 to 3).

[0005] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which the inclination of the discharge side of a hopper (the side closer to the discharge outlet of the screw conveyor) is closer to vertical than the inclination of the opposite side (the side farther from the discharge outlet of the screw conveyor). Patent Document 1 also describes that the inclination of the discharge side of the hopper should be vertical or as close to vertical as possible to prevent bridging.

[0006] However, although the technique of Patent Document 1 may be able to prevent powder bridging, once bridging occurs, it is difficult to eliminate it.

[0007] On the other hand, Patent Documents 2 and 3 disclose techniques capable of eliminating bridging even if bridging occurs.

[0008] Patent Document 2 discloses a pipe with a funnel-shaped opening at the bottom inside a hopper, with the top end of the pipe suspended by a coil spring so that it can move up and down freely, and the bottom end of the pipe positioned directly above the opening of the hopper. Moreover, Patent Document 3 discloses a hopper having a cone-shaped part disposed near the opening thereof.

[0009] As in the technologies of Patent Documents 2 and 3, by arranging a pipe or a cone-shaped part with a funnel-shaped opening at the bottom near the opening of the hopper, even if a powder bridge is formed, it can be quickly destroyed by moving the pipe or cone-shaped part up and down or vibrating it. Moreover, these members become obstacles, making it difficult for a powder bridge to form in the hopper. Therefore, by adopting the technologies of Patent Documents 2 and 3, it is possible to prevent poor powder discharge caused by the formation of a powder bridge in the hopper. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-291651 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3352590 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-301387 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] However, the techniques of Patent Documents 2 and 3 are designed assuming that the hopper is cylindrical and the opening is also cylindrical, and it is difficult to appropriately prevent the formation of bridges when the hopper or opening is rectangular, etc.

[0012] Moreover, the technologies in Patent Documents 2 and 3 are intended to prevent the formation of powder bridges, and do not anticipate adjusting the powder flow state inside the hopper or near the opening, and do not disclose a method for adjusting the powder flow state to adjust the state of the powder discharged from the opening.

[0013] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVETION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a powder supplying device that can prevent the formation of bridges and adjust the state of the powder discharged from an opening. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The powder supplying device of the first invention has a storage space for storing powder, and includes a main body having an opening at a lower end for discharging the powder in the storage space. The main body is provided with a force application mechanism for applying force to the powder in the storage space. The force application mechanism includes a plate-shaped member extending in a vertical direction and disposed above the opening in the storage space of the main body. Material The plate-shaped portion Material A vibration unit that applies vibration ,before and a gas supply section that is provided on a wall surface that defines the opening and that supplies gas to the powder in the storage space. The powder supplying device of the second invention is The powder storage device includes a main body having a storage space for storing powder and an opening formed at a lower end for discharging the powder in the storage space. The main body is provided with a force application mechanism for applying a force to the powder in the storage space. The force application mechanism includes a vibration unit provided on a wall surface of the main body for applying vibration to the wall surface, and a gas supply unit provided on a plate-like member extending along the vertical direction and disposed above the opening in the storage space of the main body for supplying gas to the powder in the storage space. It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0015] First and second inventionsAccording to the present invention, the force applying mechanism applies vibration to the powder in the storage space of the main body and supplies gas to the powder, thereby preventing the formation of bridges. Moreover, by adjusting the vibration state and the amount of gas supplied, the state of the powder in the storage space can be made closer to uniform, and the flow state of the powder can be adjusted. 。 [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are schematic explanatory diagrams of a powder supplying device 1 of the present embodiment, in which (A) is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view, and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in (A). [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a powder supplying device 1 of the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a powder supplying device 1 according to another embodiment, where (A) is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view, and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in (A). [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a powder supplying device 1B of the present embodiment. [Diagram 5] 1A and 1B are schematic explanatory diagrams of a powder supplying device 1C of the present embodiment, in which (A) is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view, and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in (A). [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are schematic explanatory diagrams of a powder supplying device 1D of the present embodiment, in which (A) is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view, and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in (A). [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are schematic explanatory diagrams of a powder supplying device 1E of the present embodiment, in which (A) is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view, and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in (A). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] The powder supplying device of this embodiment is a device that temporarily stores powder and supplies it to the outside, and is characterized in that it is able to make the state of the stored powder closer to uniform.

[0018] The powder supplying device of the present embodiment can be applied to any facility. For example, it can be used as a device for storing and supplying powder in a facility that requires stable supply of powder to the next process. For example, the powder supplying device of the present embodiment can be applied to a case where functional powder raw materials are supplied to a reaction device or a next process in a functional material manufacturing factory, a case where ore is supplied to a smelting furnace in a smelting factory, a case where powder such as wheat flour is supplied to a next process in a manufacturing facility for various products, and the like.

[0019] The powder to be stored and supplied by the powder supplying device of this embodiment is not particularly limited. For example, powders having an average particle size of several μm to several hundreds μm, or powders having an average particle size of several μm to several tens of μm, etc. can be listed as the powder to be stored and supplied by the powder supplying device of this embodiment. The type of powder is also not particularly limited, and for example, functional particles, ores, fluorite, wheat flour, etc. can be listed as the powder to be stored and supplied by the powder supplying device of this embodiment. In particular, the powder supplying device of this embodiment is suitable as a device for storing and supplying powder supplied in a state where gas such as air exists between the powder particles.

[0020] <Powder supply device 1> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the powder supplying device 1 of this embodiment includes a main body 2 for storing powder, a conveying section 20 arranged below the main body 2, and a force application mechanism 10 for applying force to the powder in the main body 2.

[0021] <Main body 2> 1 and 2, the main body 2 is a hollow member having a storage space 2h therein. The main body 2 is provided at its lower end with an opening 2a for discharging the powder in the storage space 2h to the outside. Although not shown, the main body 2 is adapted to supply powder into the storage space 2h from a supply unit provided at its upper portion.

[0022] The main body 2 has two opposing inclined walls 2f, 2f that are inclined toward each other toward their lower ends. An opening 2a is formed between the lower edges 2s of the two opposing inclined walls 2f, 2f. Therefore, the opening 2a has a generally rectangular shape that is long along the lower edges 2s of the inclined walls 2f, 2f (FIG. 1(B)).

[0023] The opposing inclined walls 2f, 2f are formed symmetrically with respect to a center line CL (see FIG. 1(A)) in the width direction of the main body 2. That is, the opposing inclined walls 2f, 2f are provided so that the inclination angles θ2, θ3 with respect to the horizontal direction are the same. The inclination angles θ2, θ3 are appropriately set depending on the type of powder contained in the containing space 2h and the powder characteristics (powder grain characteristics and fluidity) determined by the density, particle size, moisture content, and surface condition, and are generally about 50 to 90 degrees, and preferably about 50 to 80 degrees.

[0024] It is preferable that the inclination angles θ2 and θ3 of the inclined walls 2f, 2f are the same. For example, it is preferable that the difference between the inclination angles θ2 and θ3 is within ±5 degrees.

[0025] The above-mentioned inclined walls 2f, 2f and a pair of wall surfaces sandwiching the inclined walls 2f, 2f correspond to "wall surfaces forming an opening in the claims." In the following description, the vibration unit 12 and the gas supply unit 15 of the force application mechanism 10 are provided on the inclined walls 2f, 2f, but the vibration unit 12 and the gas supply unit 15 of the force application mechanism 10 may be provided on a pair of wall surfaces sandwiching the inclined walls 2f, 2f.

[0026] <Forcing mechanism 10> 1 and 2, a force application mechanism 10 that applies force to the powder in the main body 2 is provided in the accommodation space 2h of the main body 2. This force application mechanism 10 includes a vibration unit 12 that applies vibration to the powder in the main body 2, and a gas supply unit 15 that supplies gas to the powder. In other words, the force application mechanism 10 is capable of simultaneously vibrating and supplying gas to the powder in the main body 2. Details of the force application mechanism 10 will be described later.

[0027] <Transport unit 20> As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a conveying unit 20 is disposed below the opening 2a of the main body 2 (note that the detailed structure of the conveying unit 20 is omitted in the figures). The conveying unit 20 is a device for conveying the powder in the main body 2 to the next process or the like. The conveying unit 20 is not particularly limited as long as it has the function of continuously conveying a constant amount of powder in the main body 2 at a time. For example, a known powder conveying device such as a screw conveyor, a belt conveyor, or a chain conveyor can be used as the conveying unit 20.

[0028] With the above-mentioned configuration, by operating the conveying unit 20, the powder in the storage space 2h of the main body 2 can be discharged from the opening 2a, and the powder can be conveyed to the outside by the conveying unit 20. Then, by applying vibration from the force application mechanism 10 to the powder, even if bridges have occurred in the powder in the storage space 2h of the main body 2, the bridges can be broken.

[0029] Furthermore, by supplying gas while applying vibrations to the powder inside the main body 2 using the force application mechanism 10, the movement of the powder can be promoted, thereby preventing the formation of bridges in the powder inside the containing space 2h.

[0030] Furthermore, compared to when only vibration is applied or when only gas is supplied, the synergistic effect of vibration and gas supply can effectively promote the movement of the powder, making it possible to make the state of the powder within the storage space 2h more uniform.

[0031] Incidentally, "the powder state is uniform within the storage space 2h" means that there is little difference due to position in the powder properties (powder grain properties and fluidity) determined by the density, particle size, moisture content, and surface condition. In the following, it may simply be said that "the powder state is uniform."

[0032] In the above example, the powder supplying device 1 of the present embodiment is provided with the conveying unit 20, but the powder supplying device 1 of the present embodiment does not necessarily have to include the conveying unit 20. For example, when the powder is discharged from the opening 2a by gravity, the powder supplying device 1 of the present embodiment can be configured with only the main body unit 2 without providing the conveying unit 20 as described above.

[0033] <Forcing mechanism 10> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the force application mechanism 10 of the powder supplying device 1 of this embodiment has a plate-shaped member 11, a vibration unit 12 that applies vibrations to the plate-shaped member 11, and a gas supply unit 15 provided on the plate-shaped member 11.

[0034] <Plate-shaped member 11> 1 and 2, the plate-like member 11 is a plate-like member extending along the vertical direction disposed above the opening 2a. Specifically, the surface of the plate-like member 11 is provided parallel to the vertical direction and the direction along the lower end edge 2s of the inclined wall 2f (i.e., the longitudinal direction of the storage space 2h of the main body 2). The plate-like member 11 is disposed on a middle line CL in the width direction of the main body 2. Note that "the surface of the plate-like member 11 and the longitudinal direction of the storage space 2h of the main body 2 are parallel" as used herein includes both the case where they are disposed completely parallel and the case where they are slightly inclined.

[0035] <Vibration unit 12> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vibration unit 12 includes a pair of vibration shafts 13, 13 and a vibration exciter .

[0036] <A pair of excitation shafts 13, 13> A pair of excitation shafts 13, 13 of the excitation unit 12 are attached to the plate-like member 11. The pair of excitation shafts 13, 13 are attached to both surfaces of the plate-like member 11. For example, the pair of excitation shafts 13, 13 are attached to each surface of the plate-like member 11 so that the axial directions of the pair of excitation shafts 13, 13 are parallel to the normal directions of each surface of the plate-like member 11. The pair of excitation shafts 13, 13 have their tips penetrating the side wall 2w of the main body 2 and positioned outside the main body 2.

[0037] <Vibrator 14> 1, a vibrator 14 for vibrating a pair of vibration shafts 13, 13 is provided outside the main body 2. The vibrator 14 may be one that applies impact or vibration to the pair of vibration shafts 13, 13 at a predetermined cycle.

[0038] The vibrator 14 may have the following configuration. For example, a motor or the like having an eccentric shaft may be connected to the pair of excitation shafts 13, 13, and the motor may be driven to apply vibration to the pair of excitation shafts 13, 13. Also, a cam or the like may be attached to the main shaft of the motor, so that when the main shaft of the motor rotates, the cam or the like comes into contact with the pair of excitation shafts 13, 13. Then, when the cam or the like comes into contact with the pair of excitation shafts 13, 13, an impact may be applied to the pair of excitation shafts 13, 13.

[0039] It is not essential to provide the vibrator 14. For example, an impact may be applied to the pair of vibration shafts 13, 13 by an operator striking the pair of vibration shafts 13, 13 with a hammer.

[0040] With this configuration, when vibrations are generated in the pair of vibration shafts 13, 13 by applying an impact or the like using the vibration unit 14, the vibrations are transmitted to the plate-like member 11, causing the plate-like member 11 to vibrate. Then, the vibrations of the plate-like member 11 can be applied to the powder in the storage space 2h of the main body 2.

[0041] <About excitation axis 13> In the above example, the pair of vibration shafts 13, 13 are provided on both surfaces of the plate-like member 11, but the vibration shaft 13 may be provided on only one surface.

[0042] 1 and 2 show a case where one excitation shaft 13 is provided on each surface of the plate-like member 11. However, the number of excitation shafts 13 provided on each surface of the plate-like member 11 is not particularly limited, and multiple (two or more) shafts may be provided. The number of excitation shafts 13 provided on each surface of the plate-like member 11 is also not particularly limited, and the number of excitation shafts 13 provided on both surfaces may be the same or different. Also, a single vibration axis 13 may be provided so as to penetrate the plate-like member 11 .

[0043] <Vibration Method> Furthermore, there is no particular limitation on the configuration of the vibration unit 12, so long as vibration can be applied to the plate-like member 11 from outside the main body 2. For example, when the plate-like member 11 is suspended within the accommodation space 2h of the main body 2, vibration may be applied to the plate-like member 11 by exciting a member (11s in FIG. 2) that suspends the plate-like member 11. In this case, a vibration axis 13 may be provided and vibration may be applied to the plate-like member 11 from the vibration axis 13 as well.

[0044] However, if vibration is applied to the plate-like member 11 via the vibration shaft 13, the vibration applied to the inside of the powder can be made stronger, making it easier to make the state of the powder in the containing space 2h more uniform.

[0045] In particular, as described above, if the other end of the vibration axis 13 is disposed outside the main body 2, there is no need to dispose a device (such as the vibrator 14) that applies vibration to the vibration axis 13 inside the accommodation space 2h. This makes it possible to prevent the structure of the main body 2 from becoming complicated even if the force application mechanism 10 is provided in the main body 2.

[0046] The vibration unit 12 may also be provided on the wall surface 2w of the main body 2. In other words, vibration may be applied to the plate-like member 11 via the vibration shaft 13, and the vibration unit 12 may also be provided on the wall surface 2w of the main body 2 so that vibration is applied from both the plate-like member 11 and the wall surface 2w. In this case, vibration can be applied to both the powder in the center of the storage space 2h and in the vicinity of the inclined surface 2f, making it easier to adjust the flow state of the powder in the storage space 2h and to prevent bridge formation.

[0047] <Gas supply unit 15> 1 and 2, the lower side of the plate-like member 11 is provided with a plurality of gas supply units 15 that supply gas to the powder in the storage space 2h of the main body 2. The plurality of gas supply units 15 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the storage space 2h of the main body 2. The plurality of gas supply units 15 are provided with gas outlets 15a that are connected to the outside. The plurality of gas supply units 15 are connected to a gas supply device that supplies gas such as an inert gas such as nitrogen or air by piping 15p (see FIG. 2).

[0048] With this configuration, by supplying gas from the gas supply device to the gas supply unit 15 through the piping 15p, the gas can be supplied to the powder from the gas outlet 15a of the gas supply unit 15.

[0049] In addition, by adjusting the amount of gas supplied to the powder in the storage space 2h, the flow state of the powder can be adjusted, so that the state of the powder in the storage space 2h can be made closer to uniform. For example, by increasing the amount of gas supplied to the powder in the storage space 2h, the powder becomes easier to flow, and conversely, by decreasing the amount of gas supplied to the powder, the powder becomes less likely to flow. In addition, the flow state of the powder changes depending on the strength and timing of the vibration applied by the vibration unit 12. Therefore, by adjusting the amount of gas supplied in accordance with the state of the powder in the storage space 2h and the strength and timing of the vibration applied by the vibration unit 12, the flow state of the powder in the storage space 2h can be adjusted.

[0050] The gas supply device may be, but is not limited to, a compressor, a cylinder, etc. If there is no need to supply high-pressure gas, a general air blower such as a blower or a fan may be used.

[0051] <How to adjust the gas supply> The method of adjusting the amount of gas supplied to the powder in the storage space 2h is not particularly limited. For example, the amount of gas supplied to the powder in the storage space 2h can be adjusted by changing the size of the gas outlet 15a. In this case, it is necessary to stop the operation and replace the gas supply unit 15 itself.

[0052] In addition, the amount of gas supplied to pipe 15p itself may be adjusted by adjusting the operation of a gas supply device that supplies gas, or the amount of gas supplied to pipe 15p may be adjusted by providing a mechanism for adjusting the flow rate (e.g., a valve) in pipe 15p.

[0053] <Installation location of gas supply unit 15> Further, the position where gas outlet 15a is provided in gas supply unit 15 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to provide gas outlet 15a on the lower surface of gas supply unit 15. If gas outlet 15a is formed in such a position, it is possible to make it difficult for powder to enter gas supply unit 15 from gas outlet 15a, so that gas can be stably supplied to powder from gas outlet 15a.

[0054] In particular, by providing a cover member or the like to the gas outlet 15a, the possibility of powder entering the gas supply unit 15 from the gas outlet 15a can be reduced. For example, a sheet-like cover member is provided to cover the gas outlet 15a, and part of this cover member is fixed to the gas supply unit 15 while the other part is designed to be removable from the gas supply unit 15. Then, when gas is ejected from the gas outlet 15a, the cover member floats up from the gas supply unit 15, so that gas can be supplied to the powder. On the other hand, when gas is not being ejected, the gas outlet 15a can be covered by the cover member, so that powder can be prevented from entering the gas supply unit 15 from the gas outlet 15a.

[0055] Also, it is desirable to provide the gas supply unit 15 symmetrically with respect to the vertical plane CL. In this case, when gas is blown out from the gas outlet 15a of the gas supply unit 15, the amount of gas supplied to the powder in the storage space 2h can be made closer to uniform. Then, by supplying gas to the powder from the gas outlet 15a, the state of the powder in the storage space 2h can be made closer to uniform. Note that "the amount of gas supplied to the powder" being "uniform" means that there is little difference depending on the position in the amount of gas supplied to the powder in the storage space 2h.

[0056] The vertical position of the gas supply section 15 is not particularly limited, but if it is placed at the bottom of the storage space 2h, that is, near the opening 2a of the storage space 2h, the state of the powder near the opening 2a of the storage space 2h can be appropriately adjusted, so that the powder can be stably discharged from the opening 2a.

[0057] <Powder supplying device 1B according to another embodiment of the present invention> In the above example, the gas supply unit 15 is provided on the plate-like member 11, but as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the gas supply unit 15 may be provided on the inclined surface 2f of the main body 2. In this case, gas can be supplied to the powder near the inclined surface 2f. In addition, since the pipe 15p for supplying gas to the gas supply unit 15 can be provided on the outer surface of the inclined surface 2f of the main body 2 (see Figures 1(A) and 4), the structure inside the storage space 2h can be prevented from becoming complicated.

[0058] The gas supply unit 15 may be provided on both the inclined surface 2f and the plate-like member 11. In this case, gas can be supplied to both the powder in the center of the storage space 2h and the powder in the vicinity of the inclined surface 2f, making it easier to adjust the flow state of the powder in the storage space 2h.

[0059] <Powder supplying device 1C according to another embodiment of the present invention> In the above-mentioned example, the case where the vibration unit 12 applies vibration to the plate-like member 11 via the vibration shaft 13 has been described. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, the vibration unit 12 may apply vibration to the outer surface (wall surface 2w) of the main body 2. In this case, when the gas supply unit 15 is provided on the inclined surface 2f of the main body 2 as in the above-mentioned powder supplying device 1B, it is not necessary to provide the plate-like member 11 (see FIG. 5). This simplifies the structure inside the accommodation space 2h of the main body 2, so that even if the force application mechanism 10 is provided in the main body 2, the structure of the main body 2 can be prevented from becoming complicated.

[0060] <Powder supplying devices 1D and 1E according to other embodiments of the present invention> In the above-described example, a plurality of gas supply units 15 are provided, and gas is supplied to the plurality of gas supply units 15 through piping 15p. However, the gas supply unit 15 itself may be formed of piping.

[0061] For example, as in the powder supplying device 1D of this embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the gas supplying unit 15 is disposed on the side surface (both surfaces or one surface) of the plate-like member 11 so that its axial direction is horizontal and parallel to the longitudinal direction of the storage space 2h of the main body 2. In the case of such a gas supplying unit 15, one end (the upper end in FIG. 6(B)) is closed, and a gas outlet 15a is formed on the side surface. Then, by supplying gas from a pipe 15p connected to the other end (the lower end in FIG. 6(B)) of the gas supplying unit 15, the gas can be supplied to the powder from the gas outlet 15a. In this case, the position where the gas outlet 15a is provided in the gas supplying unit 15 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to provide it on the lower surface of the gas supplying unit 15.

[0062] Also, as in the powder supplying device 1E of this embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the gas supplying unit 15 may be disposed on the inclined surface 2f (one or both) of the main body 2 so that its axial direction is horizontal and parallel to the longitudinal direction of the storage space 2h of the main body 2. In this case, one end (the lower end in FIG. 7(B)) of the gas supplying unit 15 is closed, and the gas outlet 15a is formed on the side surface. Then, by supplying gas from the pipe 15p connected to the other end (the upper end in FIG. 7(B)) of the gas supplying unit 15, the gas can be supplied to the powder from the gas outlet 15a. In this case, the position where the gas outlet 15a is provided in the gas supplying unit 15 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to provide it on the lower surface of the gas supplying unit 15.

[0063] Note that "the axial direction of gas supply unit 15 is horizontal" as used here includes both the case where the axial direction of gas supply unit 15 is positioned completely horizontally and the case where the axial direction of gas supply unit 15 is slightly inclined relative to the horizontal. In addition, the phrase "the axial direction of the gas supply part 15 is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the accommodation space 2h" herein includes both the case where the two are arranged completely parallel to each other and the case where they are slightly inclined.

[0064] Even in the case of the gas supply part 15 in the form of a pipe, if a cover member or the like is provided on the gas outlet 15a, the possibility of powder entering the gas supply part 15 from the gas outlet 15a can be reduced.

[0065] When a plurality of piping-like gas supply parts 15 are provided, it is also preferable to provide the plurality of gas supply parts 15 symmetrically with respect to the vertical plane CL.

[0066] When a piping-like gas supply unit 15 is provided, its vertical position is not particularly limited. If it is disposed at the bottom of the storage space 2h, that is, near the opening 2a of the storage space 2h, the state of the powder near the opening 2a of the storage space 2h can be appropriately adjusted, so that the powder can be stably discharged from the opening 2a.

[0067] The number of pipe-like gas supply parts 15 to be provided is not particularly limited, and may be 2 or more, not limited to 1. In this case, when a plurality of gas supply parts 15 are provided, it is preferable that the gas supply parts 15 are arranged parallel to each other, but they may be arranged so as to intersect each other.

[0068] <Regarding the plate-like member 11> When the force application mechanism 10 has a plate-shaped member 11, the plate-shaped member 11 may be arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the storage space 2h of the main body portion 2 as described above, or its surface may be attached with an inclination relative to the longitudinal direction of the storage space 2h of the main body portion 2.

[0069] Furthermore, the plate-like member 11 does not necessarily have to be disposed on the middle line CL in the width direction of the main body 2, and may be disposed biased toward one of the inclined walls 2f. However, by disposing the plate-like member 11 on the middle line CL in the width direction of the main body 2, it is possible to obtain an advantage that it becomes easier to apply vibrations uniformly to the powder in the storage space 2h.

[0070] The plate-like member 11 is not limited to a plate-like member, and may be any member having a thickness smaller than the length in the vertical direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 1(A)) or in the direction along the lower edge 2s of the inclined wall 2f (the vertical direction in FIG. 1(B)). By using a plate-like member as the plate-like member 11, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the volume of the storage space 2h of the main body 2. The plate-like member 11 may be formed, for example, of a flat plate having a flat surface. In this case, it is desirable to provide the surface so that it is parallel to the vertical direction and the lower edge 2s of the inclined wall 2f. In addition to the flat plate described above, a corrugated plate or a plate-like member having protrusions or the like on the surface may also be used as the plate-like member 11.

[0071] Furthermore, the number of plate-like members 11 is not limited to one, and multiple (e.g., two or more) may be provided. When multiple plate-like members 11 are provided, it is desirable to arrange the multiple plate-like members 11 symmetrically with respect to the center line CL in the width direction of the main body 2. This makes it easier to apply vibrations uniformly to the powder in the storage space 2h. In this case, when the vibration shaft 13 is provided, the vibration shaft 13 may be provided so as to penetrate all the plate-like members 11, or the vibration shaft 13 may be connected to the outermost plate-like member 11 (i.e., the plate-like member 11 closest to the inclined wall 2f) and this plate-like member 11 may be connected to the other plate-like members 11 by an axis member, a plate material, or the like.

[0072] Furthermore, when a plurality of plate-like members 11 are provided, the distance between adjacent plate-like members 11 and the distance between adjacent plate-like members 11 and the inclined wall 2f may be equal, or the distance may vary depending on the position.

[0073] Furthermore, the plurality of plate-like members 11 may all be the same plate-like members 11, or different plate-like members 11 (for example, flat plates and corrugated plates, etc.) may be arranged depending on the position.

[0074] <Regarding the conveying unit 20> The conveying section 20 is not particularly limited as long as it has a function of continuously conveying a constant amount of powder in the main body 2. For example, a known powder conveying device such as a screw conveyor, a belt conveyor, or a chain conveyor can be used as the conveying section 20. In particular, if a screw conveyor is used to convey the powder along the direction in which the opening 2a of the main body 2 extends, the variation in the amount of powder discharged from the opening 2a of the main body 2 can be suppressed. For example, if a screw conveyor with an equal ratio pitch is used, the difference in the amount of powder discharged from the opening 2a of the main body 2 depending on the position of the opening 2a can be reduced. Then, the amount of powder supplied to the conveying section 20 from the opening 2a of the main body 2, in other words, the amount of powder discharged from the opening 2a of the main body 2 can be stabilized.

[0075] Moreover, the powder supplying device 1 of this embodiment does not necessarily have to include the conveying unit 20. For example, when the powder is discharged from the opening 2a by gravity, the powder supplying device 1 of this embodiment can be configured only by the main body unit 2 without providing the conveying unit 20 as described above. [Industrial Applicability]

[0076] The powder supplying device of the present invention is suitable as a device for storing and supplying powder in equipment that requires a stable supply of powder to the next process. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1 Powder feeding device 2 Main unit 2a aperture 2h Containment Space 2f slope wall 2s Lower edge of inclined wall 2f 10 Force applying mechanism 11 Plate-shaped member 12. Vibration section 13 Excitation axis 14 Shaker 15 Gas supply section 15a Gas outlet 20 Conveyor section

Claims

1. The powder container has a storage space for storing powder, and a main body portion having an opening at a lower end for discharging the powder in the storage space. The main body portion is a force application mechanism for applying force to the powder in the storage space is provided; The force application mechanism includes: a vibration unit provided on a plate-like member extending along a vertical direction and disposed above an opening in the accommodation space of the main body, the vibration unit applying vibration to the plate-like member; a gas supply unit that is provided on a wall surface that defines the opening and that supplies gas to the powder in the storage space. A powder supplying device characterized by:

2. A powder container having a storage space for storing powder and a main body having an opening at a lower end for discharging the powder in the storage space, The main body portion is a force application mechanism for applying force to the powder in the storage space is provided; The force application mechanism includes: a vibration unit provided on a wall surface of the main body unit to apply vibration to the wall surface; a gas supply unit that is provided on a plate-shaped member extending along a vertical direction and disposed above an opening in the storage space of the main body and supplies gas to the powder in the storage space. A powder supplying device characterized by:

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