Air Conveyor Device

Abstract

To provide an air transport device which facilitates alignment when providing a charge auxiliary part on an upper part of a housing.SOLUTION: An air transport device comprises: a blast pipe in which air passes; a hopper which has on its upper part, a putting hole, and can discharge a transport object put through the putting hole, downward; a phase mixing machine comprising, a reception hole for receiving the transport object discharged from the hopper, an air supply hole for supplying air from the blast pipe to the received transport object received from the reception hole, and a discharge hole for discharging the transport object transported by air supplied from the air supply hole; a housing 2 for storing therein, the hopper, the phase mixing machine, and the blast pipe; and a charge auxiliary part 3 which assists putting of the transport object to the putting hole. The putting hole is provided on the housing so as to be open toward an upper part of the housing, the charge auxiliary part can be detached to the upper part of the housing and has on its lower surface, an engaging part 36. The housing comprises an engaged part 284 to which the engaging part can be engaged in a state of arranging the charge auxiliary part on the upper part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conveying device that conveys an object by air. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, an air conveying device such as that described in Patent Document 1 has been known as an air conveying device. The air conveying device includes a housing, a hopper provided inside the housing and having an inlet at its upper side through which the object to be conveyed is fed, an air duct provided below the hopper and through which the object to be conveyed is fed from the hopper, and a blower that supplies air to the air duct. The air conveying device is configured such that the hopper, the air duct, and the blower are provided inside the housing, and the inlet opens toward the top of the housing.

[0003] In the air conveying device as described above, a container bag or the like containing the objects to be conveyed is provided above the housing, and the objects are fed from a discharge port provided below the container bag to a feed port. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-75788 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When loading an object into an air conveying device such as that described in Patent Document 1, a loading assisting section may be provided on the top of the housing to assist in loading the object by holding a container bag or the like or temporarily storing the object contained in the container bag. However, when providing the loading assisting section on the top of the housing, it is difficult to align the loading assisting section with the top of the housing.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an air transport device that allows easy alignment when providing a loading assisting section on the top of the housing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The air conveying device of the present invention comprises a blower duct through which air passes, a hopper having an inlet at the top and capable of discharging the transported material fed from the inlet downward, a multiphase machine having a receiving port for receiving the transported material discharged from the hopper, an air supply port for supplying air from the blower duct to the transported material received from the receiving port, and a discharge port for discharging the transported material transported by the air from the air supply port, a housing that houses the hopper, the multiphase machine, and the blower duct inside, and an input assisting part that assists in feeding the transported material into the input port, wherein the input port is provided in the housing so as to open toward the top of the housing, the input assisting part is attachable to and detachable from the top of the housing and has an engaging part on its underside, and the housing has an engaged part with which the engaging part can engage when the input assisting part is positioned at the top.

[0008] According to this configuration, the insertion assisting part has an engaging part, and the housing has an engaged part with which the engaging part can engage when the insertion assisting part is positioned on top, so that the insertion assisting part can be aligned with the housing by engaging the engaging part and the engaged part.

[0009] The housing may also be configured to include a hanging ring fixing portion capable of fixing a hanging ring used to lift the housing from above, the engaged portion being a protrusion detachably attached to the housing, the engaging portion being a recess that can engage with the engaged portion, the hanging ring being detachably attached to the hanging ring fixing portion, and the engaged portion being capable of being attached to the hanging ring fixing portion when the hanging ring has been removed.

[0010] According to this configuration, the hanging ring and the engaged part are detachably attached to the hanging ring fixing part, so that when not needed, the hanging ring and the engaged part can be removed from the hanging ring fixing part, thereby preventing storage containers for storing transported items, etc. from getting caught on the hanging ring or the engaged part.

[0011] In addition, the loading auxiliary section may comprise a tank body capable of storing the transported material inside and having a transported material discharge outlet at the bottom for discharging the transported material stored inside, a fixed frame that fixes the tank body and has the engagement portion on its bottom surface, and a loading connecting section that connects the transported material discharge outlet and the loading inlet, wherein the loading connecting section may be configured as a cylindrical body having one end that can be connected to the transported material discharge outlet and the other end that can be connected to the loading inlet, and whose axis can be bent by applying an external force.

[0012] According to this configuration, the transported material discharge outlet and the input port are connected by a cylindrical input connection part, so that even if the input auxiliary part is misaligned relative to the housing, the transported material discharge outlet and the input port can be connected by the input connection part, and the transported material can be prevented from scattering to the outside between the transported material discharge outlet and the input port.

[0013] In addition, the insertion assistance part can be fitted into the insertion port and has a connector to which the other end of the insertion connection part is connected, and the housing has a catch that can fix the connector fitted into the insertion port in the fitted state, and the catch has an engagement part that can move in and out of the connector fitted into the insertion port, and the engagement part can be configured to be biased in the protruding direction.

[0014] According to this configuration, when the connector to be connected to the input connector is fitted into the input port, the connector can be fixed by the catch, making it easier to fit the connector into the input port.

[0015] The fixed frame may also have fork pockets into which the prongs of a forklift can be inserted, and the fork pockets may be located above the transported article discharge opening.

[0016] With this configuration, the fork pockets are located above the discharge port, so that when the load is stored inside the tank body, a portion of the load is located below the fork pockets, ensuring stability when the loading assist section with the load stored therein is transported by a forklift.

[0017] The loading auxiliary section may also be configured to include a tank body capable of accommodating the transported material therein and having a material discharge outlet at the bottom for discharging the transported material stored therein, an loading connection section connecting the material discharge outlet and the loading inlet, and a pressure equalizing connection section, wherein the top of the hopper is provided with a pressure relief hole connecting the inside of the hopper to the outside, the tank body is provided with a pressure equalizing hole connecting the inside of the tank body to the outside, the loading connection section sealing the space between the material discharge outlet and the loading inlet from the outside, and the pressure equalizing connection section is a tubular body connecting the pressure relief hole and the pressure equalizing hole, and sealing the space between the pressure relief hole and the pressure equalizing hole from the outside.

[0018] With this configuration, the area between the material discharge port and the loading port is sealed from the outside, preventing the material from scattering to the outside due to upward airflow when the material is loaded into the loading port, and the pressure relief hole and the pressure equalization hole are connected, allowing the internal pressure of the hopper, which increases when the material is loaded, to escape to the tank body, where the internal pressure has decreased when the material is discharged. This prevents the material from scattering to the outside while also preventing the adverse effects of an increase in the internal pressure of the hopper and a decrease in the internal pressure of the tank body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, an air transport device can be obtained that allows easy alignment when providing a loading assisting section on the top of the housing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a housing of an air conveying device according to the present invention, seen from the front side. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the housing as seen from the left side. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the housing with the rear wall removed. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the housing with part of the left wall omitted. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the housing with part of the right wall omitted. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a front view of the housing with part of the front wall omitted. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a hopper and a rotary valve of the air conveying device. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a coupler of the hopper. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the coupler and the connector. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the coupler and the connector. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a side view showing another embodiment of the insertion assist section. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a state in which a loading assisting unit according to another embodiment is used. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] An air conveying device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. The air conveying device 1 is used, for example, to convey wood pellets (carried objects) used as a heat source for heating devices in cold regions, etc., into a silo that stores the pellets, but can also be used to convey any other object that can be conveyed by air to a predetermined location. The object may be wood pellets, non-wood pellets (resin pellets), livestock feed, hay, etc. Furthermore, it may also be any other granular or elongated object, or any object that can be moved by air currents.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the air conveying device 1 is configured in a substantially cubic shape and includes a housing 2 having a front wall 2A, a rear wall 2B, a left wall 2C, a right wall 2D, an upper wall 2E, and a lower wall 2F. The housing 2 contains an air supply source 21 (see FIG. 3), a motor 22 (see FIG. 3), an air duct 23 (see FIG. 3), a hopper 24 having a coupler 25, a rotary valve 26 (see FIG. 5), a multiphase machine 27 (see FIG. 5), and the like. In the following description, the side where the front wall 2A is located will be referred to as the front side, the side where the rear wall 2B is located will be referred to as the rear side, the side where the left wall 2C is located will be referred to as the left side, the side where the right wall 2D is located will be referred to as the right side, the side where the upper wall 2E is located will be referred to as the upper side, and the side where the lower wall is located will be referred to as the lower side. The coupler 25 covering the opening 24A of the hopper 24 is omitted from FIGS. 1 and 2. The front wall 2A, the rear wall 2B, the left wall 2C, and the right wall 2D are provided at their lower portions with fork pockets Z, Z, which are a pair of through holes into which a pair of fork prongs of a forklift are inserted to lift the housing 2. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the air conveying device 1 is also provided with a loading assisting unit 3 that assists in loading the transported object into the housing 2 (specifically, the hopper 24), and is used with the loading assisting unit 3 installed in the housing 2.

[0023] The housing 2 is provided with a hanging ring 281. The hanging ring 281 is a so-called eyebolt, and includes a loop portion 282 connected to a wire that suspends the housing 2 from above, and a bolt portion 283 connected to the loop portion 282. The hanging rings 281 are provided at multiple locations on the upper part of the housing 2, and in this embodiment, they are provided at the four corners of the top wall 2E. Such hanging rings 281 are fixed to a hanging ring fixing portion 20 provided on the upper part of the housing 2, and in this embodiment, the hanging ring 281 is detachable from the hanging ring fixing portion 20. Specifically, the hanging ring fixing portion 20 is an internally threaded portion formed to open toward the top of the housing 2. The hanging ring 281 is fixed to the hanging ring fixing portion 20 by threading the bolt portion 283 of the hanging ring 281 into the internal thread, and the hanging ring 281 can be removed from the hanging ring fixing portion 20 by removing the bolt portion 283 from the internal thread.

[0024] 8, the housing 2 is provided with an engaged portion 284 that can engage with an engaging portion 36 of the insertion assisting portion 3, which will be described later. The engaged portion 284 is a protrusion that protrudes upward from the upper wall 2E of the housing 2. Specifically, the engaged portion 284 includes a protrusion main body portion 285 that protrudes upward from the housing 2, and a bolt portion 286 that is connected to the protrusion main body portion 285. The engaged portion 284 is provided so as to be detachable from the housing 2, and specifically, is detachable from the hanging ring fixing portion 20 from which the hanging ring 281 has been removed. That is, the engaged portion 284 is fixed to the hanging ring fixing portion 20 by screwing the bolt portion 286 into the female thread of the hanging ring fixing portion 20, and the engaged portion 284 can be removed from the hanging ring fixing portion 20 by removing the bolt portion 286 from the female thread.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the air supply source 21 is driven by a motor 22 located on the left rear side below the housing 2, and is composed of a blower that applies pressure to air and sends it out as an airflow. A silencer 212 for noise suppression is connected to the tip of an intake pipe 211 that draws air into the air supply source 21, and the air sucked through the intake pipe 211 is sent out to an air supply pipe 23 connected to an outlet (exhaust port). The silencer 212 is located in an empty space above the motor 22. The air supply source 21 is located on the right rear side below the housing 2. A transmission belt (not shown) is wound around a drive pulley 22A of the motor 22 and a driven pulley 21A of the air supply source 21, and the driving torque of the drive pulley 22A of the motor 22 is transmitted to the driven pulley 21A of the air supply source 21 via the transmission belt, thereby driving the air supply source 21.

[0026] The air supply duct 23 guides the air sent out from the air supply source 21 to the outside of the housing 2, and is provided with a first pipe section 23A (see Figure 6) that is approximately U-shaped in a plan view, which is connected to the air outlet at the right end of the air supply source 21, extends to the right end of the housing 2, then bent 90 degrees, extends diagonally downward and forward, then bent 90 degrees again, extends to the left side of the housing 2 and is connected to the air supply port 27A of the multiphase machine 27, and a straight second pipe section 23B (see Figure 6) that has one end connected to the exhaust port 27C of the multiphase machine 27 and the other end extending to the left end of the housing 2.

[0027] First pipe 23A may be composed of one pipe, or may be composed of multiple pipes (any number of pipes equal to or greater than two). Also, as shown in FIG. 2, a door 213 that can be freely opened and closed is provided on the lower front side of left wall 2C of housing 2, corresponding to the other end of second pipe 23B. By opening door 213, one end of a hose (not shown) for transporting the second pipe 23B to a predetermined location can be connected to the outlet at the other end of second pipe 23B. As shown in FIG. 2, a removable cap 214 is attached to the outlet at the other end of second pipe 23B, and cap 214 is removed when connecting the hose (not shown) to the outlet.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 7, the hopper 24 is configured as a cylindrical member that is open at the top and bottom and has an inlet 25A at its upper end for introducing the transported material and an outlet 24B for discharging the introduced material from below. This cylindrical member is configured so that its cross-sectional area decreases toward the bottom. In this embodiment, the hopper 24 includes a hopper body 241 as a cylindrical member having an opening 24A at its top, and a plate-like coupler 25 that closes the opening 24A of the hopper body 241. The hopper body 241 in this embodiment is configured like a cone with a cross-sectional area that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 10, the coupler 25 includes a plate-shaped coupler body 251 that closes the opening 24A of the hopper body 241, an input port 25A formed in the coupler body 251 and penetrating the thickness direction, a first pressure relief hole 25B formed of an upwardly protruding cylindrical body and penetrating the thickness direction of the coupler body 251, a catch 29, an auxiliary fixing part 252 provided at a position opposite the catch 29, and a partition member 253 fixed to the coupler body 251. A bag filter 254 capable of collecting materials blown up from inside the hopper 24 is attached to the first pressure relief hole 25B (see Fig. 8). The input port 25A is a hole into which a connector 33 of the input auxiliary part 3, which will be described later, can be fitted (see Fig. 11).

[0030] As shown in FIG. 11 , the catch 29 is configured to secure the connector 33 engaged with the insertion port 25A. Specifically, the catch 29 includes a fitting portion 291 that can be extended or retracted relative to the connector 33 engaged with the insertion port 25A, a retaining tube 292 that slidably holds the fitting portion 291 therein, and a lever portion 293 that is connected to the fitting portion 291 and can operate the extended or retracted state of the fitting portion 291. In this embodiment, the fitting portion 291 can be engaged with the connector 33 in a protruding state. The fitting portion 291 is biased in the protruding direction, and the fitting portion 291 can be retracted by operating the lever portion 293 against the bias. The auxiliary fixing portion 252 is a wall body having a plurality of auxiliary fixing holes 252a that penetrate horizontally. A rod-shaped object (e.g., a pin P) can be inserted into the auxiliary fixing holes 252a so that the rod-shaped object (e.g., a pin P) can be inserted to extend horizontally, and the connector 33 is fixed via the inserted rod-shaped object (pin P).

[0031] 7, a partition member 253 extending downward can be detachably attached to coupler main body 251. Partition member 253 is a metal plate-like body that is detachably attached with a plurality of bolts while in contact with the underside of coupler main body 251. Specifically, partition member 253 includes a plate-like partition main body portion 255 and a plurality of reinforcing ribs 256 attached by welding to the front surface of partition member 253 at intervals in the left-right direction.

[0032] 5 to 7, the rotary valve 26 adjusts the amount of material fed into the hopper 24 and sends it out to the multiphase machine 27 (see FIG. 6), and includes a casing 26K that receives the material from the hopper 24, a rotary shaft that rotates about a horizontal axis X below the casing 26K, and a plurality of (eight) blades 26a to 26h that protrude radially and are equally spaced circumferentially from the outer periphery of the rotary shaft. The rotary shaft is driven to rotate by a motor M (see FIG. 5).

[0033] 7, partition member 253 is disposed on the suction side, which is the side (to the right of extension line Y of blade 26a in FIG. 7) on which blade 26a facing the 12 o'clock direction of multiple blades 26a to 26h that rotate clockwise (arrow direction F1 in FIG. 7) of horizontal axis X when viewed from the front, and input port 25A is disposed closer to the suction side than partition member 253. In this way, by disposing partition member 253 on the suction side, which is the side on which blade 26a facing the 12 o'clock direction of multiple blades 26a to 26h that rotate clockwise rotates clockwise, and by disposing input port 25A closer to the suction side than partition member 253, air blown up into hopper 24 is supplied to the blow-up side rather than the suction side where input port 25A is disposed, and thereby it is possible to prevent the blown-up transported object from being discharged to the outside through input port 25A. The blow-up side is the side from which air is blown up toward the hopper 24 by the rotation of the blades 26a to 26h (positioned upstream in the direction of rotation from the 12 o'clock position) in a clockwise direction (in the direction of the arrow F2 in FIG. 7) as shown in FIG. 7. When the horizontal axis X is rotated counterclockwise as viewed from the front, the blow-up side and the suction side in FIG. 7 are reversed.

[0034] In this embodiment, coupler 25 is disposed so as to cover opening 24A of hopper body 241, with first pressure relief hole 25B provided above the blow-up side inside hopper body 241, and input port 25A provided above the suction side inside hopper body 241. Therefore, when the internal pressure inside hopper 24 increases due to blow-back from rotary valve 26, the internal pressure increases mainly on the blow-up side, and the increased internal pressure escapes to the outside through first pressure relief hole 25B provided above the blow-out side.

[0035] 6, the multiphase machine 27 is configured from a box body having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is provided with a receiving port 27B that opens in the vertical direction to receive the conveyed material discharged from the hopper 24 via the rotary valve 26, an air supply port 27A that opens in the horizontal direction to supply air from the first pipe portion 23A of the air supply pipe 23 to the conveyed material received from the receiving port 27B, and a discharge port 27C that opens in the horizontal direction to discharge the conveyed material conveyed by the air from the air supply port 27A. That is, the receiving port 27B is formed in the top wall of the box body, the air supply port 27A is formed in the right wall of the box body, and the discharge port 27C is formed in the left wall of the box body.

[0036] Next, we will explain the loading auxiliary unit 3 provided on the upper part of the housing 2. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the loading auxiliary unit 3 is a part that assists in loading the transported objects stored in a storage container such as a flexible container bag into the inside of the housing 2 (specifically, into the inside of the hopper 24). The loading auxiliary unit 3 of this embodiment is configured as a tank device that temporarily stores the transported objects stored in the storage container and loads the stored transported objects into the inside of the housing 2.

[0037] The loading auxiliary unit 3 comprises a tank body 31 capable of storing the transported object therein and having an object discharge port 31A at the bottom for discharging the transported object stored therein, a fixing frame 32 that fixes the tank body 31 and has an engaging portion 36 on the bottom that can engage with the engaged portion 284, a connector 33 that can be fitted into the loading port 25A, a loading connecting portion 34 that connects the object discharge port 31A and the loading port 25A, and a tubular pressure equalizing connecting portion 35. Such a loading auxiliary unit 3 is installed on the top of the housing 2 when in use.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 8 , the fixed frame 32 is a cylindrical frame formed by combining four metal plates, and the tank body 31 is fixed inside. Specifically, the fixed frame 32 includes a frame plate 321 that forms the cylindrical frame to which the tank body 31 is fixed, and frame feet 322 that extend vertically along the frame plate 321. The fixed frame 32 of this embodiment is configured in a rectangular cylindrical shape, and the frame feet 322 are provided at the four corners of the interior. The frame feet 322 are also provided so as to extend below the frame plate 321. The fixed frame 32 of this embodiment also has an operation opening 32S at its lower end. The operation opening 32S is formed by positioning the lower end of at least one surface of the frame plate 321 higher than the lower ends of the other frame plates 321. Such operation opening 32S is provided to make it easier for an operator to operate the tank body 31 (described later) and to attach the connector 33 to the insertion port 25A. Furthermore, a frame hoisting ring 323 is provided at the upper end of the fixed frame 32. The frame hoisting ring 323 is a portion to which a wire or the like is fixed when the loading assisting part 3 is hoisted by a hoisting tool (for example, a crane).

[0039] An engaging portion 36 is provided on the lower part of the fixed frame 32. The engaging portion 36 is provided at a position where it engages with an engaged portion 284 provided on the upper surface of the housing 2 when the fixed frame 32 is installed on top of the housing 2, and in this embodiment, the engaging portion 36 is provided on the lower surface of each frame foot 322. The engaging portion 36 is a recess that is concave upward, and the protrusion of the engaged portion 284 can be fitted inside. Specifically, the engaging portion 36 is a recess that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom in cross section, and in this embodiment, it is a recess formed in a cone shape.

[0040] The tank body 31 is a cylindrical body fixed to the inside of the fixed frame 32 and is capable of accommodating the transported object. Specifically, the tank body 31 includes a hatch 311 formed at the top end to open and close an opening through which the transported object can be introduced. The tank body 31 also includes a throttle section 312 whose cross-sectional area decreases downward, and a cylindrical pipe section 313 disposed below the throttle section 312 and forming the transported object discharge port 31A. The throttle section 312 includes opposing wall sections 314a and 314b whose opposing wall sections approach each other as they extend downward from the middle of the vertical direction. The angle θ1 of the left-side inclined section 314a relative to the horizontal direction is smaller than the angle θ2 of the right-side inclined section 314b relative to the horizontal direction. A butterfly valve (not shown) is provided within the pipe section 313, and an operating handle 315 for opening and closing the butterfly valve protrudes from the pipe section 313. The lower end of the pipe section 313 is configured as a transported object discharge port 31A, and is configured so that, when the butterfly valve is opened, the transported object is discharged from the transported object discharge port 31A downward in the tank body 31. Furthermore, the tank body 31 is formed with a pressure equalizing hole 316 that communicates the inside and outside of the tank body 31. The pressure equalizing hole 316 is a hole that is formed so as to open toward the side of the tank body 31, and in this embodiment, is provided at the upper end of the tank body 31. The pressure equalizing hole 316 is a hole that equalizes the pressure inside and outside the tank when the transported object is discharged from the lower part (transported object discharge port 31A) by allowing air equivalent to the volume of the discharged object to flow into the tank body 31.

[0041] 11 and 12, connector 33 is a portion that can be fitted into insertion port 25A, and when fitted into insertion port 25A, connector 33 has a plurality of holes that communicate between the inside and outside of tank body 31. Specifically, connector 33 includes a plate-shaped connector main body 331 having a plurality of holes formed therethrough in the thickness direction, an upwardly protruding cylindrical insertion tube portion 332 and a pressure relief tube portion 333 that are provided to communicate with the holes formed in connector main body 331, a fixed wall 334 that is provided to protrude upward from the outer edge of connector main body 331, and a handle 335 that is connected to connector main body 331. Connector main body 331 of this embodiment is a plate-shaped body whose area in a plan view is smaller than that of insertion port 25A, and is fittable into insertion port 25A. The connector body 331 of this embodiment has two holes with different inner diameters. The larger hole is an input hole 331A through which the object is input, and the smaller hole is a second pressure relief hole 331B for releasing the internal pressure inside the hopper 24 to the outside. That is, the connector body 331 has holes (the input hole 331A and the second pressure relief hole 331B) that open to the input port 25A when the connector 33 is fitted into the input port 25A. The connector body 331 also has an input tube portion 332 that communicates with the hole with the larger inner diameter (the input hole 331A), and a pressure relief tube portion 333 that communicates with the hole with the smaller inner diameter (the second pressure relief hole 331B). The handle 335 is a portion that is held when fitting the connector 33 into or removing it from the input port 25A.

[0042] The insertion tube portion 332 is a cylindrical body provided so as to communicate with a hole (insertion hole 331A) formed in the connector main body 331. The insertion tube portion 332 of this embodiment is a cylindrical body provided so that the inner edge thereof coincides with the outer edge of the insertion hole 331A.

[0043] The pressure relief tube portion 333 is a cylindrical body provided to communicate with a hole (second pressure relief hole 331B) formed in the connector main body 331. The pressure relief tube portion 333 of this embodiment is a cylindrical body provided so that its inner edge coincides with the outer edge of the second pressure relief hole 331B. The pressure relief tube portion 333 of this embodiment is also a cylindrical body with an inner diameter smaller than that of the insertion tube portion 332.

[0044] The fixed wall 334 is a wall having a fitting hole 334a into which the fitting portion 291 can be fitted and an auxiliary fixing hole 334b ​​into which a rod-shaped object (e.g., a pin P) inserted into the auxiliary fixing hole 252a of the auxiliary fixing portion 252 can be fitted. Specifically, the fixed wall 334 is a pair of walls provided on both left and right ends of the connector main body 331, and has a plurality of holes penetrating in the left-right direction. The fixed wall 334 of this embodiment is configured so that the fitting hole 334a faces the fitting portion 291 and the auxiliary fixing hole 334b ​​faces the auxiliary fixing hole 252a when the connector 33 is fitted into the insertion port 25A.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 12 , the input connector 34 is a cylindrical body that connects the material discharge outlet 31A and the input port 25A. Specifically, one end is connected to the pipe portion 313 and the other end is connected to the input tube portion 332, thereby guiding the material discharged from the material discharge outlet 31A to the input port 25A. The input connector 34 of this embodiment is flexible and configured to be bendable in the axial direction when subjected to an external force. Specifically, the input connector 34 is a cylindrical body made of fabric (woven fabric or nonwoven fabric) or a synthetic resin material. In this embodiment, the input connector 34 is configured to be detachable. Specifically, one end is fastened to the outer circumferential surface of the pipe portion 313 with a string or the like, and the other end is fastened to the outer circumferential surface of the input tube portion 332 with a string or the like.

[0046] 9, the pressure equalizing connector 35 is a tubular body that connects the second pressure relief hole 331B and the pressure equalizing hole 316 in a sealed state. Specifically, the pressure equalizing connector 35 is a tubular body having one end connected to the pressure equalizing hole 316 and the other end connected to the pressure relief tube 333. The pressure equalizing connector 35 also includes a fixed connector 351, which is an inflexible tube that extends along the fixed frame 32 and has one end connected to the pressure equalizing hole 316, and a flexible connector 352, which is a flexible tube that connects the other end of the fixed connector 351 to the pressure relief tube 333. In this embodiment, one end of the pressure equalizing connection portion 35 is fixed to the tank body 31 by means of welding, flange joining, or the like so as to communicate with the pressure equalizing hole 316, and the other end is detachable from the pressure relief tube portion 333; specifically, it is fastened to the outer peripheral surface of the pressure relief tube portion 333 and connected to the pressure relief tube portion 333.

[0047] A dead space S is formed between the inner surface of the fixed frame 32, the upper surface of the housing 2, and the outer surface of the narrowed portion 312. In this embodiment, the fixed frame 32 is formed with fork pockets V, V, which are a pair of through-holes for inserting a pair of fork prongs (not shown) of a forklift into the dead space S to lift the loading assist unit 3. The fork pockets are provided above the transported object discharge port 31A and are provided so as to pass through the dead space S and penetrate opposing surfaces of the fixed frame 32. In addition, a bag filter 254 attached to the first pressure relief hole 25B is provided in the dead space S. The bag filter 254 is bag-shaped and configured to expand within the dead space S due to air flowing out from the inside of the hopper 24 to the outside.

[0048] A method for feeding the object from the container into the housing 2 in the air conveying device 1 will be described.

[0049] In this embodiment, first, the transported goods stored in the storage container are loaded into the tank body 31. Specifically, the hatch 311 provided at the top of the tank body 31 is opened, and the transported goods are loaded into the tank body 31 through the opening at the top.

[0050] Next, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 , the loading auxiliary unit 3 containing the transported objects in the tank body 31 is installed on the top of the housing 2. The loading auxiliary unit 3 is installed on the top of the housing 2, for example, by a forklift with fork prongs inserted into the fork pockets V or by a hoisting device (such as a crane) with a wire or the like connected to the frame hoisting ring 323. The loading auxiliary unit 3 is installed on the top of the housing 2 so that the engaged portion 284 (protrusion main body 285) on the top of the housing 2 engages with the engaging portion 36 (recess) on the underside of the housing 2. In this embodiment, the protrusion main body 285 and the recess are configured in a cone shape that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. Therefore, even if the position of the loading auxiliary unit 3 relative to the housing 2 is slightly misaligned, the engaging portion 36 can be corrected by moving the engaging portion 36 along the outer circumferential surface of the protrusion main body 285. Installing the loading auxiliary unit 3 on the top of the housing 2 so that the engaging portion 36 engages with the engaged portion 284 facilitates alignment of the housing 2 and the loading auxiliary unit 3. As such, the air conveying device 1 of this embodiment is particularly suitable for installing the loading assistance section 3 in the housing 2 using a conveying device such as a forklift or a lifting device (crane) in a situation where horizontal alignment precision is not high.

[0051] 12, the connector 33 is fitted into the insertion port 25A of the coupler 25 and fixed. Specifically, the connector 33 is fitted into the insertion port 25A of the coupler 25, and the connector 33 is fixed by a rod-shaped body (e.g., pin P) inserted into the fitting portion 291 and the auxiliary fixing hole 252a of the catch 29. In this embodiment, the fitting portion 291 in the protruding state is pushed toward the retracted side by the fixed wall 334 against the biasing force, thereby putting the fitting portion 291 into the retracted state, and the connector 33 is fitted into the insertion port 25A. Then, when the connector 33 is fitted into the insertion port 25A, the fitting portion 291 and the fitting hole 334a face each other, and the fitting portion 291 is pushed into a protruding state by the biasing force and fitted into the fitting hole 334a. Furthermore, in this embodiment, with the fitting portion 291 fitted into the fitting hole 334a, the auxiliary fixing hole 252a and the auxiliary fixing hole 334b ​​of the fixing wall 334 are opposed to each other, and a rod-shaped body (pin P) is inserted through them. Through the above steps, the connector 33 is fixed to the insertion port 25A of the coupler 25.

[0052] Next, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the material discharge port 31A of the tank body 31 is connected to the tube input portion 332 by the input connection portion 34. Specifically, one end of the input connection portion 34 is fixed to the pipe portion 313, and the other end of the input connection portion 34 is fixed to the tube input portion 332. Through the above steps, the material discharge port 31A and the input port 25A (specifically, the input hole 331A opening toward the input port 25A) are connected by the input connection portion 34. Here, the input connection portion 34 is flexible and configured to be bent in the axial direction by application of an external force. Therefore, even if the position of the input support portion 3 relative to the housing 2 is misaligned due to manufacturing tolerances or the like, the material discharge port 31A and the input port 25A can be connected.

[0053] 9, the pressure equalizing hole 316 and the second pressure relief hole 331B are connected by the pressure equalizing connector 35. Specifically, the pressure equalizing hole 316 and the second pressure relief hole 331B are connected by fixing the other end of the pressure equalizing connector 35 to the pressure relief tube part 333. When the pressure equalizing hole 316 and the second pressure relief hole 331B are connected by the pressure equalizing connector 35, the pressure equalizing hole 316 and the second pressure relief hole 331B are connected in a sealed state from the outside.

[0054] In the above process, with the material discharge outlet 31A and the input port 25A connected by the input connector 34 and the second pressure relief hole 331B and the pressure equalizing hole 316 connected by the pressure equalizing connector 35, when the operating handle 315 of the tank body 31 is operated to open the butterfly valve and drop the material from the material discharge outlet 31A, the material is guided to the input port 25A by the input connector 34 and the input tube 332 and is fed from the input port 25A into the hopper 24. In this embodiment, the input port 25A is located above the suction side of the space partitioned by the partition member 253 inside the hopper 24, and so the fed material is fed into the suction side.

[0055] When the transported objects are introduced into the hopper 24 through the inlet 25A, the internal pressure inside the hopper 24 increases. In particular, in this embodiment, the transported objects are introduced into the space on the suction side inside the hopper 24, and therefore the internal pressure on the suction side of the space separated by the partition member 253 inside the hopper 24 increases. Meanwhile, as the transported objects are discharged from the tank body 31, the internal pressure of the tank body 31 decreases. Therefore, the pressure equalizing connection part 35, which connects the second pressure relief hole 331B provided above the suction side with the pressure equalizing hole 316, allows pressure to be released from the inside of the hopper 24 (particularly the suction side), where internal pressure is high, to the tank body 31. Specifically, an amount of air equivalent to the volume of the transported objects introduced from the tank body 31 flows from the inside of the hopper 24 (particularly the suction side) to the tank body 31, thereby allowing the pressure inside the hopper 24 to be released to the tank body 31. In this way, when the transported material is placed into the hopper 24, the air flowing out from inside the hopper 24 to the outside flows into the tank body 31 via the pressure equalizing connection part 35, thereby preventing the transported material blown up together with the air flowing out to the outside from flowing out of the air transport device 1.

[0056] Through the above steps, the transported object can be introduced into the housing 2 from the storage container.

[0057] The above describes an embodiment of the present invention using an example, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0058] For example, although the engaging portion 36 and the engaged portion 284 have been described as being provided at positions corresponding to the four corners of the top surface of the housing 2, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the engaged portion 284 can be provided at a position other than the four corners of the top surface of the housing 2, or can be provided so as to protrude outward from the side surface of the housing 2. Even with this configuration, the position of the insertion assisting portion 3 can be aligned with the housing 2 by engaging the engaging portion 36 with the engaged portion 284. Furthermore, although the present invention is not limited to this configuration, the engaging portion 36 can also be configured as a protrusion and the engaged portion 284 can also be configured as a recess.

[0059] Furthermore, although the description has been given of the case where the engaged portions 284 are detachably provided on the hanging ring fixing portions 20, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and for example, they can be non-detachably provided on the upper part of the housing 2. Furthermore, even when the engaged portions 284 are provided on the hanging ring fixing portions 20, they are not limited to being provided on all of the hanging ring fixing portions 20 as in this embodiment, and can be configured to be provided on only some of the hanging ring fixing portions 20. In cases where the engaged portions 284 are provided on only some of the hanging ring fixing portions 20, the loading assist unit 3 can be installed on the upper part of the housing 2, with the hanging rings 281 still attached to the hanging ring fixing portions 20 that are not provided with the engaged portions 284.

[0060] Furthermore, we have explained a case in which a coupler 25 is attached to the opening portion 24A at the top of the hopper body 241, and the coupler 25 forms the inlet 25A and the first pressure relief hole 25B, but this configuration is not limited to this, and for example, the hopper body 241 can also be configured so that the inlet 25A and the first pressure relief hole 25B are provided directly at the top of the hopper body 241.

[0061] Furthermore, although the case where connector 33 is fitted to input port 25A has been described, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and for example, input connector 34 may be directly connected to input port 25A.

[0062] Furthermore, although the case has been described in which second pressure relief hole 331B is formed in the inlet 25A portion by connector 33 and second pressure relief hole 331B and pressure equalizing hole 316 are connected by pressure equalizing connection part 35, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, second pressure relief hole 331B and pressure equalizing hole 316 may not be connected, and a bag filter 254 may be attached to second pressure relief hole 331B, with pressure equalizing hole 316 open to the outside, or a configuration in which second pressure relief hole 331B and pressure equalizing hole 316 are not provided may be used.

[0063] Furthermore, although the case where the air supply source 21 is provided inside the housing 2 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the air supply source 21 may be provided outside the housing 2 (for example, on a specially equipped vehicle that transports the housing 2), and air may be blown from the air supply source 21 to the air intake port of the air supply duct 23.

[0064] Furthermore, although the case where the input connector 34 is a flexible cylindrical body has been described, it is not limited to this configuration, and for example, it can be configured by connecting multiple inflexible (rigid) cylindrical bodies in the vertical direction so that they can move at joints. Even with this configuration, the input connector 34 can be bent in the axial direction by an external force, so that the transported object discharge port and the input port can be connected by the input connector even if the position of the input auxiliary unit relative to the housing is shifted.

[0065] Furthermore, the description has been given of a case in which the loading assisting unit 3 includes a tank body 31 that temporarily stores the transported objects contained in a storage container, and assists in loading the transported objects by loading them from the tank body 31 into the hopper 24, but this configuration is not limited to this. For example, the loading assisting unit 3 can also be configured to support loading of the transported objects into the loading port 25A by holding a storage container.

[0066] Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 , the loading auxiliary unit 3 includes a holding frame 37 that holds the storage container 4 and a fixed frame 32 that fixes the holding frame 37. That is, the loading auxiliary unit 3 in this embodiment is a platform on which flexible container bags serving as the storage container 4 can be placed. The fixed frame 32 in this embodiment includes a plurality of rod-shaped vertical frames 38 that extend vertically and a plurality of rod-shaped horizontal frames 39 that extend between the vertical frames 38. The vertical frames 38 are provided at positions corresponding to the four corners of the housing 2, and the horizontal frames are provided to connect the upper ends and lower ends of the vertical frames 38. In addition, an engagement portion 36 is provided at the lower part of the vertical frames 38. The configuration of the engagement portion 36 is the same as in the first embodiment (see FIG. 14 ). The holding frame 37 is a frame that forms a space capable of accommodating the storage container 4 therein. In this embodiment, the frame forms a space that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom.

[0067] When using the above-described loading assisting unit 3 to assist in the loading of transported objects contained in the storage container 4, the loading assisting unit 3 is first installed on the top of the housing 2. Here, the engaging portion 36 of the loading assisting unit 3 is engaged with the engaged portion 284 of the housing 2, thereby allowing the loading assisting unit 3 to be aligned with the housing 2. Next, the storage container 4 is installed inside the holding frame 37 of the loading assisting unit 3 installed on the top of the housing 2, and the bottom discharge port 41 of the storage container 4 is inserted into the loading port 25A to open it. By the above procedure, the transported objects in the storage container 4 can be loaded into the hopper 24. Furthermore, in the above procedure, since the transported objects in the storage container 4 can be loaded into the hopper 24 while the storage container 4 is held by the loading assisting unit 3, there is no need to lift the storage container 4 with a lifting tool or forklift during the loading process, and therefore the loading of the transported objects from the storage container 4 into the hopper 24 can be assisted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1...Air conveying device, 2...Housing, 2A...Front wall, 2B...Rear wall, 2C...Left wall, 2D...Right wall, 2E...Upper wall, 2F...Lower wall, 20...Hanging ring fixing part, 21...Air supply source, 21A...Driven pulley, 211...Intake pipe, 212...Silencer, 213...Door, 214...Cap, 22...Motor, 22A...Drive pulley, 23...Air duct, 23A...First pipe part, 23B...Second pipe part, 24...Hopper, 24A...Opening part, 24B...Discharge port, 241...Hopper main body Body, 25... coupler, 25A... inlet, 25B... first pressure relief hole, 251... coupler body, 252... auxiliary fixing part, 252a... auxiliary fixing hole, 253... partition member, 254... bag filter, 255... partition body part, 256... rib, 26... rotary valve, 26a to 26h... blade, 26K... casing, 27... multiphase machine, 27A... air supply port, 27B... receiving port, 27C... discharge port, 281... lifting ring, 282... annular part, 283... bolt part, 2 84...engaged portion, 285...projection main body portion, 286...bolt portion, 29...catch, 291...fitting portion, 292...retaining tube, 293...lever portion, 3...loading auxiliary portion, 31...tank body, 311...hatch, 312...throttling portion, 313...pipe portion, 314a, 314b...inclined portion, 315...operating handle, 316...pressure equalizing hole, 32...fixed frame, 32S...operating opening, 321...frame plate, 322...frame foot portion, 323...frame hanging ring , 33...connector, 331...connector body, 331A...input hole, 331B...second pressure relief hole, 332...input tube portion, 333...pressure relief tube portion, 334...fixed wall, 334a...fitted hole, 334b...auxiliary fixed hole, 335...handle, 34...input connecting portion, 35...pressure equalizing connecting portion, 351...fixed connecting portion, 352...flexible connecting portion, 36...engagement portion, 37...holding frame, 38...vertical frame, 39...horizontal frame, 4...storage container, 41...bottom discharge port

Claims

1. a multiphase machine having an air duct through which air passes, a hopper having an inlet at an upper part and capable of discharging downward the material fed from the inlet, a receiving port for receiving the material discharged from the hopper, an air supply port for supplying air from the air duct to the material received from the receiving port, and a discharge port for discharging the material fed by the air from the air supply port; a housing for accommodating the hopper, the multiphase machine, and the air duct inside; and a feeding assisting unit for assisting the material to be fed into the inlet, the insertion port is provided in the housing so as to open toward an upper portion of the housing, the insertion assisting part is detachably attached to the upper part of the housing and has an engaging part on the lower surface; The housing is an air transport device having an engaged portion with which the engaging portion can engage when the loading assisting portion is arranged on top.

2. the housing includes a hanging ring fixing portion capable of fixing a hanging ring used to lift the housing from above, the engaged portion is a protrusion detachably provided on the housing, the engaging portion is a recess that can engage with the engaged portion, The hanging ring is detachably provided to the hanging ring fixing portion, The air transport device according to claim 1 , wherein the engaged portion can be attached to the hanging ring fixing portion from which the hanging ring has been removed.

3. The loading assisting section includes a tank body capable of accommodating the transported object therein and having an object discharge port at a lower portion for discharging the transported object accommodated therein, a fixing frame for fixing the tank body and having the engaging portion on a lower surface thereof, and a loading connecting section for connecting the object discharge port and the loading opening, The air conveying device described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the input connection portion is a cylindrical body having one end connectable to the material discharge outlet and the other end connectable to the input inlet, and configured so that its axis can be bent by applying an external force.

4. the insertion assisting part is capable of fitting into the insertion port and includes a connector to which the other end of the insertion connecting part is connected; the housing includes a catch that can fix the connector engaged with the insertion port in the engaged state, the catch has a fitting portion that can move in and out of the connector fitted in the insertion port, The air conveying device according to claim 3 , wherein the fitting portion is biased in a protruding direction.

5. the fixed frame has fork pockets into which the fork prongs of a forklift can be inserted, 5. The air conveying device according to claim 3, wherein the fork pockets are provided at a position above the conveyed object discharge opening.

6. The loading auxiliary unit includes a tank body capable of accommodating the transported object therein and having a transported object discharge port at a lower portion for discharging the transported object accommodated therein, a loading connection unit connecting the transported object discharge port and the loading port, and a pressure equalizing connection unit; A pressure relief hole that connects the inside and outside of the hopper is provided at the top of the hopper, The tank body is provided with a pressure equalizing hole that communicates the inside and outside of the tank body, The input connection portion seals the area between the object discharge port and the input port from the outside, 6. The air conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure equalizing connection portion is a tubular body that connects the pressure relief hole and the pressure equalizing hole, and seals the space between the pressure relief hole and the pressure equalizing hole from the outside.

Images