Mitochondrial quantitative feeder device

Abstract

To provide a quantifying feeder device capable of stirring as in a conventional manner even with easily attachable raw material.SOLUTION: A quantifying feeder device of powder / granular material comprises a bottomed cylindrical storage container 2 into which the powder / granular material is fed from an upper opening 1; a main axis 11 rotated by a drive part 8, that is protruded into the storage container 2; a stirring member 3 that synchronously rotates, whose lower end is attached to the main axis 11; and a quantifying parts 4, 5, 6 for quantifying the fed powder / granular material, that are located below the stirring member 3. The stirring member 3 comprises at least two kinds of a first stirring member 31 and a second stirring member 32. The first stirring member 31 extends along a bottom face of the storage container 2. The second stirring member 32 extending to an upper portion than the first stirring member 31 is higher in flexibility than the first stirring member 31.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a metering feeder device for metering the supply of granules.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, metering the supply of powdery and granular materials (powders, granules, or mixtures of powders and granules) in a micro range has been a very difficult task because it is affected by the physical properties of the powdery and granular materials, such as differences in specific gravity, particles, particle size, and adhesion and cohesion caused by moisture and static electricity.

[0003] In response to such problems, the applicant has developed a metering feeder device for powdery and granular materials as shown in Patent Document 1. This metering feeder device has a container for storing powdery and granular materials with an inlet for the powdery and granular materials to be object opened upward. A drive unit is provided below this container, and this drive unit has a stirring shaft with its upper end protruding into the container. A substantially L-shaped round bar-shaped stirring rod is attached to the stirring shaft protruding into the container.

[0004] In this metering feeder device, the stirring rod rotates synchronously with the stirring shaft so that the phenomenon of bridging and adhesion of the powdery and granular materials does not occur in the container.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, when the raw material to be metered and supplied is likely to adhere to the inner surface of the container, such as paper clay, there is a problem that the stirring rod gradually bends from the root while repeatedly peeling off the powdery and granular materials adhering to the bottom surface by its own weight with the rotating stirring rod.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a metering feeder device that can be stirred in the conventional manner even with raw materials that are likely to adhere.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following features

[0009] [1] A bottomed cylindrical storage container into which powder or granular material is introduced from an upper opening, a main shaft that protrudes into the storage container and is rotated by a drive unit, a stirring member whose lower end is attached to the main shaft and rotates synchronously, and a metering unit that is located below the stirring member and meters the supplied powder or granular material. The stirring member includes at least two types of a first stirring member and a second stirring member. The first stirring member extends along the bottom surface of the storage container. The second stirring member extends above the first stirring member and is a metering feeder device for powder or granular material that is more flexible than the first stirring member.

[0010] [2] The stirring member is L-shaped, extending from the main shaft toward the peripheral wall of the storage container and then along the peripheral wall. The second stirring member is attached to the main shaft above the first stirring member. The metering feeder device according to [1].

[0011] [3] In a plan view, the second stirring member is attached at a position circumferentially away from a position overlapping the first stirring member. The distance between the second stirring member and the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the storage container is smaller than the distance between the first stirring member and the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the storage container. The metering feeder device according to [1] or [2].

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, a powder and granular material metering feeder device according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "this embodiment") will be described.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the overall configuration of the powder and granular material metering feeder device according to this embodiment. This powder and granular material metering feeder device includes a powder and granular material storage container 2 with an opening 1 for powder and granular materials, a disk frame 10 where a metering unit for metering powder and granular materials is installed, and a motor (corresponding to the "driving unit" of the present invention) 8 for driving the metering unit of the powder and granular materials. The storage container 2, the disk frame 10, and the motor 8 are installed on a gantry 9.

[0015] In FIG. 1, the storage container 2 has a straight cylindrical shape for the purpose of preventing bridging. Note that the storage container 2 may have a conical shape in which the diameter becomes smaller downward. Further, if necessary, the height of the storage container 2 can be increased significantly (vertically) by attaching a cylindrical member with the same diameter on top.

[0016] In this embodiment, the storage container 2 has an inner diameter (diameter) of about 70 mm and a height of 150 mm. Although not shown, in reality, the height is 300 mm, which is twice as high, by stacking and attaching a cylindrical member with the same diameter on top.

[0017] A main shaft 11 that protrudes upward coaxially with the storage container 2 is attached to the disk frame 10. The main shaft 11 is configured to be connected to the output shaft of the motor 8 via a speed reducer and rotate.

[0018] On the upper end side of the main shaft 11 (the part protruding into the storage container 2), a stirring rod (corresponding to the "stirring member" of the present invention) 3 is attached. The stirring rod 3 is a round bar with a circular cross-section and is bent in a substantially L shape. By rotating synchronously with the main shaft 11, the stirring rod 3 functions so that the granular material in the storage container 2 does not adhere to the bridge or the inner surface of the storage container 2.

[0019] In the present embodiment, two stirring rods 3 are attached symmetrically with respect to the main shaft. In FIG. 1, a thick and short first stirring rod 31 is provided on the left side and a thin and long second stirring rod 32 is provided on the right side.

[0020] On the lower end side of the main shaft 11, a supply means 4 for sending and supplying a fixed amount of granular material to a supply plate 5 described later is attached, and the supply means 4 rotates synchronously with the main shaft 11.

[0021] Below the stirring rod 3, a semi-circular partition plate 12 is provided with a slight gap from the inner surface of the storage container 2. The partition plate 12 separates the inside of the storage container 2 as a partition wall from the supply means 4 for the granular material installed below it. The partition plate 12 functions to keep the powder pressure supplied to the supply means 4 constant and to enable more accurate quantitative supply by minimizing fluctuations in the supply amount associated with changes in the remaining amount of the material inside the storage container 2.

[0022] The metering section has a supply means 4, a supply plate 5, and a forced discharge plate 6. The supply plate 5 and the forced discharge plate 6 are installed at the same height, and the supply means 4 is arranged at a position one step higher than that. The supply plate 5 and the forced discharge plate 6 are housed in a common housing portion 21 having a shape along the outer periphery of the supply plate 5 and the forced discharge plate 6. The supply means 4, the supply plate 5, and the forced discharge plate 6 are all configured to rotate.

[0023] The supply means 4 has a plurality of blade bodies provided at equal intervals with respect to the center of the main shaft 11. The supply means 4 is arranged such that a part thereof overlaps with the periphery of the supply disk 5 in a plan view, and the tips of the blade bodies of the supply means 4 are arranged in sliding contact with the upper surface of the supply disk 5. By rotating, the supply means 4 promotes the fall of the granular material from the storage container 2 disposed above the supply means 4 and feeds the granular material into the metering grooves formed in the supply disk 5.

[0024] The supply disk 5 is constituted by a gear-shaped disk having teeth formed at equal intervals on its periphery. The supply disk 5 has metering grooves continuously formed at equal pitches on its periphery. The granular material sent by the blade bodies of the supply means 4 is sequentially sent into the metering grooves, which are the recesses of the supply disk 5, and these recesses (metering grooves) are filled with the granular material.

[0025] The forced discharge disk 6 is constituted by a gear-shaped disk having teeth formed at equal intervals on its periphery. The forced discharge disk 6 also has protruding teeth formed at equal pitches on its periphery. The protruding teeth are configured to mesh with the metering grooves of the supply disk 5.

[0026] At a position corresponding to the meshing portion of the metering groove and the protruding teeth, a hole is formed in the bottom of the storage portion 21. A discharge chute 7 is connected below the hole. That is, the discharge chute 7 is arranged at the meshing portion of the metering groove and the protruding teeth. When the protruding teeth mesh with the metering groove, the granular material remaining in the metering groove is forcibly discharged through the hole to the discharge chute 7.

[0027] The supply means 4 and the supply disk 5 are driven by a motor 8. The forced discharge disk 6 rotates synchronously with the supply disk 5 by meshing the metering grooves of the supply disk 5 with its protruding teeth. The supply means 4, the supply disk 5, and the forced discharge disk 6 can be made of metal.

[0028] Next, the features of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the main shaft 11 and the stirring rod 3 according to the present embodiment, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the stirring rod 3 according to the present embodiment as viewed obliquely from above, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the process of attaching the stirring rod 3 according to the present embodiment to the main shaft 11. In the present embodiment, although there are differences in thickness and length between the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32, there is no structural difference. Therefore, in FIGS. 2 and 4, the second stirring rod 32 will be described as an example.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 2, the second stirring rod 32 has a horizontal portion 321 extending in the radial direction, a vertical portion 322 that bends approximately 90° in an L shape from the tip of the horizontal portion 321 and extends upward, and a mounting portion 323 that curves in a U shape in plan view from the base end of the horizontal portion 321. The horizontal portion 321 and the mounting portion 323 are arranged in the same plane in the horizontal direction.

[0030] The second stirring rod 32 is a cylindrical member with a radius of about 1.5 mm, formed by bending stainless steel (SUS), and has elastic force. The length of the horizontal portion 321 of the second stirring rod 32 is 35 mm, and the length of the vertical portion 322 is 300 mm. The first stirring rod 31 has a radius of about 3.0 mm, the length of the horizontal portion 311 is the same as the length of the horizontal portion 321 of the second stirring rod 32, and the length of the vertical portion 312 is 90 mm.

[0031] Comparing the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32, the first stirring rod 31 is thicker and shorter, so it has higher strength, and the second stirring rod 32 is thinner and longer, so it has higher flexibility.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, cylindrical ring members 40, 40 and cylindrical mounting ring members 41, 41 having steps are fixed to the main shaft 11.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, the mounting ring member 41 has a central hole portion 411. The hole portion 411 is oval in plan view.

[0034] On the lower end side of the mounting ring member 41, a groove portion 412 that curves and extends in a part of the circumferential direction is provided. As a result, the mounting ring member 41 has a cylindrical shape in which a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion are connected by a step.

[0035] The groove portion 412 curves in a U shape in plan view corresponding to the lateral portion 321 and the mounting portion 323 of the second stirring rod 32. As shown in FIG. 4, with respect to this groove portion 412, the lateral portion 321 and the mounting portion 323 of the second stirring rod 32 are hooked from the outside by moving from the position of the virtual line on the left side to the position of the solid line on the right side.

[0036] Note that there may be a gap between the mounting ring member 41 and the vicinity of the boundary between the lateral portion 321 and the mounting portion 323 (the lower portion that curves in a U shape). In this case, the mounting ring member 41 will be sandwiched between the lateral portion 321 and the mounting portion 323.

[0037] On the other hand, the ring member 40 has a substantially cylindrical shape that is different from the mounting ring member 41 only in that it does not have the groove portion 412.

[0038] Note that the rotating shaft (not shown) provided at the center of the main shaft 11 to which the ring member 40 and the mounting ring member 41 are attached has an oval shape in plan view corresponding to the hole portion 411 shown in FIG. 4, and a male thread is drilled at the tip thereof.

[0039] Next, the assembly of the main shaft 11 will be described.

[0040] First, as shown in FIG. 4, the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32 are respectively pre-attached to the mounting ring members 41, 41. Next, the supply means 4 (not shown in FIG. 3), the ring members 40, 40, the mounting ring member 41 to which the first stirring rod 31 is attached, and the mounting ring member 41 to which the second stirring rod 32 is attached are fitted and inserted in this order onto the rotating shaft of the main shaft 11, and then a conical tip fixture 42 is screwed onto the male thread at the tip of the rotating shaft.

[0041] As described above, with respect to the rotation axis, the ring members 40, 40 and the attachment ring members 41, 41 to which the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32 are attached are detachably attached, and the main shaft 11 is assembled.

[0042] Next, the operation and effect of the powder and granular material metering feeder device according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0043] First, since the second stirring rod 32 is relatively thick and has high strength, it is difficult to plastically deform even if the powder and granular material adhering to the bottom surface are repeatedly peeled off by its own weight. On the other hand, since the first stirring rod 31 is relatively thin, it is easy to plastically deform, but since it is disposed above the bottom surface of the storage container 2, it can be avoided from being plastically deformed by the powder and granular material adhering to the bottom surface.

[0044] By the way, if only avoiding plastic deformation, it is conceivable to thicken the conventional stirring rod. However, if only the hard stirring rod is used, when the powder and granular material adhering to the inner surface of the storage container 2 cannot be peeled off even when rubbed from a certain direction, it will instead result in repeated pressing, and the powder and granular material may adhere more strongly.

[0045] However, in the powder and granular material metering feeder device according to the present embodiment, the first stirring rod 31 is provided. Since the first stirring rod 31 is thin and highly flexible, it can bend the tip thereof in the direction opposite to the rotation direction with respect to the adhered powder and granular material, and push the powder and granular material obliquely upward. Therefore, even for powder and granular materials that are difficult to peel off when pushed in a certain direction, they can be alternately pushed from different directions or angles, so that the adhered powder and granular materials can be easily peeled off.

[0046] Also, if only the conventional stirring rod is simply thickened, since the thick stirring rod has low flexibility, it passes through the same position when repeatedly rotated. Therefore, due to the self-weight of the powder and granular material and the tip of the thick stirring rod, the powder and granular material solidifies and a bridge is generated.

[0047] However, in the powder and granular material metering feeder device according to the present embodiment, it has the first stirring rod 31. Since the first stirring rod 31 is longer than the second stirring rod 32 and has high flexibility, the tip moves randomly to stir the powder and granular material, so that the generation of a bridge can be prevented.

[0048] Further, both the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32 and the groove portion 412 of the mounting ring member 41 are U-shaped, and since the horizontal portions 321 (311) and the mounting portions 323 (313) are hooked from the outside to the groove portion 412, the intervals between the inner surface of the storage container 2 and the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32 can be adjusted respectively.

[0049] Thereby, for example, when the powder and granular material is large, the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32 can be adjusted to be slightly separated from the inner surface of the storage container 2 together to make it difficult to apply torque. Or, the second stirring rod 32 is brought closer to the inner surface of the storage container 2, the smaller powder and granular material is peeled off by the second stirring rod 32, the larger powder and granular material is peeled off by the first stirring rod 31, or in the case of a material in which the powder and granular materials are likely to be strung together, for example, when one particle adheres, it can be peeled off by the second stirring rod 32, and when a plurality of particles adhere, it can also be adjusted to be peeled off by the first stirring rod 31.

[0050] Further, in the powder and granular material metering feeder device according to the present embodiment, the mounting ring member 41 can be attached upside down with respect to the rotation axis of the main shaft 11, and the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32 can be hooked to the mounting ring member 41 attached upside down.

[0051] Thereby, the interval between the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32 can be changed according to the size and properties of the powder and granular material.

[0052] Hereinafter, a modified example will be described.

[0053] In the present embodiment, the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32 are described by taking the cylindrical shape as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and they may be in a thin plate shape or a polygonal column shape.

[0054] Also, although the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32 have been described by taking the L shape as an example, for example, in the case of a conical shape in which the diameter of the storage container 2 becomes smaller as it goes downward, it may be an inverted "く" shape. Also, the first stirring rod 31 may extend linearly in the horizontal direction, and the second stirring rod 32 may extend linearly or curvilinearly in the obliquely upward direction.

[0055] Also, there may be a plurality of the first stirring rods 31 and the second stirring rods 32. For example, two first stirring rods 31 may be provided with a 180° phase shift in the circumferential direction, and two second stirring rods 32 may be provided with a 180° phase shift in the circumferential direction, for a total of four.

[0056] Also, in the present embodiment, two types, namely the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32, have been described, but other stirring rods may be further provided.

[0057] Also, in the present embodiment, the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32 made of stainless steel (SUS) have been described as an example, but the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32 may be made of any material as long as they have an elastic force, may be made of resin, or may be made of different materials respectively. For example, it is more preferable to increase the difference in characteristics by appropriately using different materials such as ordinary stainless steel for the first stirring rod 31 and stainless steel for springs for the second stirring rod 32.

[0058] Of course, the lengths and thicknesses of the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32 shown in the present embodiment are examples, and the first stirring rod 31 can be appropriately designed within a range that can maintain the difference in properties that the first stirring rod 31 has relatively high strength and the second stirring rod 32 has relatively high flexibility. For example, also in the present embodiment, the length of the vertical portion 322 of the second stirring rod 32 can be appropriately selected from about 120 to 300 mm depending on whether or not two storage containers 2 are stacked.

[0059] Furthermore, by externally fitting an outer cylindrical member having an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the second stirring rod 32 slidably to the vertical portion 322, the height of the second stirring rod 32 can be made extendable and contractible.

[0060] In this embodiment, as a member for attaching the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32, the mounting ring member 41 has been described as an example. However, as long as the first stirring rod 31 and the second stirring rod 32 are attached to the main shaft 11, any member may be used. For example, a hole may be formed horizontally in the ring member 40, and the horizontal portion 311 (horizontal portion 321 of the second stirring rod 32) of the first stirring rod 31 may be inserted into the hole and fixed with a sweet potato or the like. Further, the mounting ring member 41, the first stirring rod 31, and the second stirring rod 32 may be integrally formed.

[0061] In addition, in this embodiment, an example in which the second stirring rod 32 is disposed above the first stirring rod 31 has been described. However, they may also be disposed so as to rotate along the bottom surface of the storage container 2.

Explanation of Signs

[0062] 1 Inlet (upper opening) 2 Storage container 3 Stirring rod (stirring member) 31 First stirring rod (first stirring member) 32 Second stirring rod (second stirring member) 4 Supply means (quantitative part) 5 Supply tray (quantitative part) 6 Forced discharge tray (quantitative part) 8 Motor (drive part)

Claims

1. A bottomed cylindrical container into which powder or granular material is charged from an upper opening, a main shaft protruding into the container and rotated by a drive unit, a stirring member having a lower end attached to the main shaft and rotating synchronously therewith, and a metering unit located below the stirring member for metering the supplied powder or granular material. The stirring member includes at least two types of a first stirring member and a second stirring member. The first stirring member extends along the bottom surface of the container. The second stirring member extends above the first stirring member and has higher flexibility than the first stirring member. The stirring member is L-shaped extending from the main shaft toward the peripheral wall of the container and then along the peripheral wall. The second stirring member is a metering feeder device for powder or granular material attached to the main shaft above the first stirring member.

2. The second stirring member is attached at a position circumferentially away from a position overlapping with the first stirring member in a plan view. The metering feeder device according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the second stirring member and the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the container is smaller than the distance between the first stirring member and the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the container.

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