Flow Conveyor
The flow conveyor addresses damage and leakage issues by using guided scrapers and air blowers to efficiently transport granular materials, enhancing hygiene and reducing part complexity.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2022013506
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-01-31
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-18
- Estimated Expiration
- 2042-01-31
AI Technical Summary
Conventional flow conveyors cause damage to transported granular materials like wheat and polished rice due to float prevention bodies, leading to leakage and residual materials, which can result in hygiene issues and increased part complexity.
A flow conveyor design featuring a main body with first and second scrapers attached to an endless chain or belt, guided by a bent metal plate, limiting scraper movement and using air blowers to prevent material damage and leakage, with fewer anti-floating bodies.
Efficient transportation of granular materials while minimizing damage and residual materials, ensuring quick discharge and preventing leakage, thus maintaining hygiene and reducing part complexity.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a flow conveyor for conveying granular objects. [Background technology]
[0002] In wheat drying, preparation and storage facilities and rice milling and transport facilities, flow conveyors, which have high transport capacity and little leakage, are increasingly being used instead of belt conveyors to transport granular materials such as wheat and polished rice.
[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a grain lateral feed conveying device that is configured with multiple conveying bodies spaced at predetermined intervals on an endless chain or endless belt, and multiple float prevention bodies spaced at predetermined intervals to prevent the downward-moving endless chain from floating.
[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a scraper conveyor in which the tip of a screw that attaches a scraper to an endless winding body is recessed toward the support base rather than the floor material. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3605590 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5176219 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0006] However, in the case of conventional technology where a float prevention body is provided in the grain flow path to prevent the endless chain from floating, the float prevention body can cause damage to the transported goods such as wheat, polished rice, etc. The grains being transported hit the edge of the plate-shaped float prevention body, causing damage, and since multiple float prevention bodies are provided at predetermined intervals along the downward endless chain, the chance of damage increases.
[0007] In equipment for transporting wheat, polished rice, etc., it is necessary to prevent as much as possible damage to the wheat, polished rice, etc. In addition, in equipment for transporting wheat, polished rice, etc., it is also necessary to prevent as much as possible the wheat, polished rice, etc. from leaking out of the equipment or remaining inside the equipment. If the wheat, polished rice, etc. remains inside the equipment, it may cause hygiene problems, such as the intrusion of vermin such as mice or the generation of a putrid odor.
[0008] Furthermore, in a device for transporting wheat, polished rice, etc., it is preferable to transport the wheat, polished rice, etc. in the device in a short time and to discharge the wheat, polished rice, etc. remaining in the device in a short time.
[0009] The scraper conveyor of Patent Document 2 has the disadvantage that, compared to the single endless chain in the transport conveyor of Patent Document 1, rail structures are provided on both sides of the support base in the cross section of the scraper conveyor in the transport direction, and two endless chains are required to support the scraper, resulting in a larger number of required parts.
[0010] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a flow conveyor that can efficiently transport granular transported materials while suppressing damage to the transported materials and efficiently prevent the transported materials from remaining behind. [Means for solving the problem]
[0011] A flow conveyor according to one aspect of the present invention is a flow conveyor for conveying granular objects, comprising: a main body extending in a conveying direction and capable of accommodating a predetermined amount of the objects; a plurality of first scrapers attached to an endless chain or endless belt, which move along a guide attached to the main body on the bottom side of the main body as the endless chain or endless belt is rotated, thereby scraping out and conveying the objects; and one or more second scrapers attached to the endless chain or endless belt, which move along the guide below the first scrapers as the endless chain or endless belt is rotated, thereby being able to contact the bottom side of the main body and scraping out and conveying the objects. The main body is formed by bending a metal plate, and the guide is formed by further bending the main body. It is characterized by:
[0012] Another aspect of the present invention is a flow conveyor for conveying granular materials, the flow conveyor comprising: a main body extending in a conveying direction and capable of accommodating a predetermined amount of the materials; a plurality of first scrapers attached to an endless chain or endless belt, which move along a guide attached to the main body on the bottom side of the main body as the endless chain or endless belt is rotated, scraping out the materials; and one or more second scrapers attached to the endless chain or endless belt, which move along the guide below the first scraper and contact the bottom side of the main body as the endless chain or endless belt is rotated, scraping out the materials. The guide contacts the first scraper and the second scraper, thereby limiting the upward and downward movement ranges of the first scraper and the second scraper, respectively. It is characterized by:
[0013] Another aspect of the present invention is a flow conveyor for conveying granular materials, comprising: a main body extending in a conveying direction and capable of accommodating a predetermined amount of the materials; a plurality of first scrapers attached to an endless chain or endless belt, which move along a guide attached to the main body on the bottom side of the main body as the endless chain or endless belt is rotated, scraping out the materials; and one or more second scrapers attached to the endless chain or endless belt, which move along the guide below the first scraper and contact the bottom side of the main body as the endless chain or endless belt is rotated, scraping out the materials. a limiting member curved at an end of the main body in the conveying direction to limit movement of the conveyed object to a position away from each of the first scraper and the second scraper; The present invention is characterized by having the following.
[0014] Another aspect of the present invention is a flow conveyor for conveying granular materials, comprising: a main body extending in a conveying direction and capable of accommodating a predetermined amount of the materials; a plurality of first scrapers attached to an endless chain or endless belt, which move along a guide attached to the main body on the bottom side of the main body as the endless chain or endless belt is rotated, scraping out the materials; and one or more second scrapers attached to the endless chain or endless belt, which move along the guide below the first scraper and contact the bottom side of the main body as the endless chain or endless belt is rotated, scraping out the materials. a blower that blows air so as to restrict the movement of the transported object to a position away from each of the first scraper and the second scraper at an end of the main body in the transport direction; The present invention is characterized by having the following.
[0015] Also preferably, The number of the second scrapers is smaller than the number of the first scrapers. It is characterized by:
[0016] Also preferably, The endless chain or the endless belt is one. [Effects of the Invention]
[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently transport granular transported objects while suppressing damage to the transported objects, and to efficiently prevent the transported objects from remaining behind. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of an outline of the configuration of a flow conveyor according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a part of the endless chain, the first scraper, and the second scraper as viewed from above. [Figure 3] 1 is a photograph showing an example of the configuration of an endless chain, a first scraper, and their surroundings. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view in the short side direction of the flow conveyor showing the positional relationship between a first scraper moving in the conveying direction, a first scraper returning to the upstream side, and the main body. FIG. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing specific examples of the shape of a first scraper. [Figure 6] 3 is a cross-sectional view in the width direction of the flow conveyor showing the positional relationship between a first scraper moving in the conveying direction and the main body. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view in the short side direction of the flow conveyor showing the positional relationship between the second scraper moving in the conveying direction and the main body. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing specific examples of the shape of a second scraper. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating, in comparison, states in which a first scraper and a second scraper move along a guide of a main body. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the results of a flow conveyor transporting an object. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] An example of the configuration of a flow conveyor according to an embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings: Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the outline of the configuration of a flow conveyor 10 according to an embodiment.
[0021] As shown in Figure 1, the flow conveyor 10 has a main body 20, which serves as a case for accommodating granular objects such as wheat or polished rice. The main body 20 is formed by bending a metal plate, such as stainless steel, so that the longitudinal direction is the direction in which the objects are conveyed and the transverse direction is the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction. In other words, the main body 20 extends in the conveying direction and is capable of accommodating a predetermined amount of objects.
[0022] The main body 20 is formed, for example, with a length of 6.6 m in the conveying direction and a width (length in the short direction) of 160 mm. The main body 20 is capable of accommodating conveyed objects up to, for example, about half the inner height. The main body 20 is also provided with a hopper 22-1 at the bottom center and a hopper 22-2 at the bottom downstream in the conveying direction.
[0023] Each of the hoppers 22-1 and 22-2 is configured such that a shutter plate 24 arranged inside rotates within a predetermined angle range around a shaft 26 as a rotation axis, and the shutter plate 24 opens and closes the lower part of the main body 20.
[0024] Also provided within the main body 20 are a driving sprocket 30-1, a driven sprocket 30-2, and an endless chain 32.
[0025] The drive sprocket 30-1 is driven by a drive unit 34 provided on the upper part of the main body 20, for example, via a drive belt (not shown), and rotates the endless chain 32 together with the driven sprocket 30-2.
[0026] The endless chain 32 is a plastic chain made of, for example, nylon. A plurality of first scrapers 40 and a plurality of second scrapers 50 are attached to the endless chain 32 in a predetermined order, for example, at intervals of about 300 mm (see FIG. 2). The endless chain 32 may be replaced with an endless belt.
[0027] As the endless chain 32 is rotated, the first scraper 40 moves along a guide 28 (see FIGS. 3 and 4, etc.) provided on the bottom side of the main body 20, and scrapes out and transports the transported object.
[0028] As the endless chain 32 is rotated, the second scraper 50 moves along the guide 28 below the first scraper 40 so as to be able to come into contact with the bottom surface of the main body 20, and scrapes out and transports the transported object.
[0029] The first scrapers 40 and the second scrapers 50 are provided in a quantitative ratio of, for example, 4:1 relative to the endless chain 32. For example, the second scraper 50 is provided next to the first scrapers 40 that are provided in a row of four on the endless chain 32, and is further provided next to the first scrapers 40 that are provided in a row of four on the endless chain 32.
[0030] In addition, a curved plate-shaped restricting member 60 is provided within the main body 20 to restrict the transported object from moving to a position away from the first scraper 40 and the second scraper 50 at the end of the transport direction of the main body 20 (e.g., the upstream side).
[0031] Furthermore, a blower 62 is provided within the main body 20, which blows air so as to restrict the movement of the transported object to a position away from the first scraper 40 and the second scraper 50 at the end (e.g., upstream side) of the main body 20 in the transport direction. The blower 62 is configured, for example, by a pipe extending in directions horizontal and perpendicular to the transport direction and through which air passes, and the pipe has a plurality of holes drilled therein so that air is blown toward the first scraper 40 and the second scraper 50 to transport the object remaining within the main body 20.
[0032] The flow conveyor 10 conveys the objects fed from above the upstream side (driven sprocket 30-2 side) of the main body 20 toward the downstream side (drive sprocket 30-1 side). The flow conveyor 10 also discharges the objects downward from the hopper 22-1 or hopper 22-2 under the control of a control unit (not shown).
[0033] In other words, the flow conveyor 10 rotates the endless chain 32, and the multiple first scrapers 40 and multiple second scrapers 50 push the lower part of the layer of conveyed objects housed in the main body 20 in the conveying direction, thereby conveying the entire conveyed objects in unison from the upstream side to the downstream side. The flow conveyor 10 also rotates the endless chain 32, and returns the first scraper 40 and the second scraper 50 to the upstream side above the layer of conveyed objects housed in the main body 20. At this time, the flow conveyor 10 conveys the conveyed objects at a conveying speed of, for example, 10 to 20 m / min without leaking them to the outside.
[0034] Next, the main body 20, the first scraper 40 and the second scraper 50 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS.
[0035] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view in the width direction of the flow conveyor 10 showing the positional relationship between the first scraper 40 moving in the conveying direction, the first scraper 40 returning to the upstream side, and the main body 20.
[0036] In FIG. 4, the shape of the main body 20 is a design value (ideal value), and the bottom surface of the main body 20 is flat.
[0037] 4, guides 28 are formed on the bottom side of main body 20. Guides 28 extend in the longitudinal direction on both sides of main body 20, and are formed so that first scraper 40 moves in a predetermined direction on the bottom side of main body 20 to transport the transported object.
[0038] For example, the guides 28 are formed by further bending each of the side surfaces extending in the longitudinal direction of the main body 20. Each of the guides 28 is formed so that the portion bent at, for example, 90 degrees protrudes inward from the main body 20.
[0039] The guide 28 contacts the cutout portion 42 of each first scraper 40 on the bottom side of the main body 20, thereby limiting the upward and downward movement range of each first scraper 40 and guiding the movement direction of each first scraper 40.
[0040] 4, the gap between the first scraper 40 on the bottom side of the main body 20 and the bottom surface of the main body 20 is exaggerated. That is, the first scraper 40 is designed to float with a clearance of, for example, less than 1 mm, which is not enough to allow conveyed objects such as polished rice grains to pass through.
[0041] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of the shape of the first scraper 40. As shown in Fig. 5, the first scraper 40 has a length of, for example, 156 mm in the short direction of the main body 20, and has notches 42 formed on both lateral sides thereof that can come into contact with the guide 28 (Fig. 4).
[0042] The cutout portion 42 is formed on the bottom side of the main body 20, 11 mm below the upper end of the first scraper 40 and 7 mm above the lower end, and has an upper inclined surface 44 that is inclined at, for example, 45°, and a lower inclined surface 46 that is inclined at, for example, 45°.
[0043] The upper inclined surface 44 is capable of coming into contact with the upper surface of the guide 28 that protrudes inward from the main body 20, and has a height of 7 mm in the vertical direction.
[0044] The lower inclined surface 46 is capable of coming into contact with the lower surface of the guide 28 that protrudes inward from the main body 20, and has a height of 7 mm in the vertical direction.
[0045] In addition, the cutout portion 42 has a 1 mm gap in the height direction between the upper inclined surface 44 and the lower inclined surface 46, and is cut out at an angle of approximately 90° so that the depth is 7 mm in the short direction of the main body 20.
[0046] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view in the width direction of the flow conveyor 10 showing the positional relationship between the first scraper 40 that moves in the conveying direction and the main body 20.
[0047] 6, the shape of the main body 20 is that after the metal plate has been actually formed by bending, and the bottom surface of the main body 20 bulges slightly downward. Also, in FIG. 6, the gap between the first scraper 40 and the bottom surface of the main body 20 is exaggerated.
[0048] As shown in Figure 6, if the bottom surface of the main body 20 bulges slightly downward, a gap that is not in the design value will be created between the bottom of the first scraper 40 and the bottom surface of the main body 20, and it is thought that the transported object will be more likely to remain in that gap.
[0049] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view in the width direction of the flow conveyor 10 showing the positional relationship between the second scraper 50 that moves in the conveying direction and the main body 20.
[0050] In FIG. 7, the shape of the main body 20 is that after the metal plate has been actually formed by bending, and the bottom surface of the main body 20 bulges slightly downward.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 7, the second scraper 50, like the first scraper 40, is moved in a predetermined direction on the bottom side of the main body 20 by the guide .
[0052] The guide 28 is adapted to be able to come into contact with the cutout portion 52 of each second scraper 50 on the bottom side of the main body 20, and limits the upward and downward movement range of each second scraper 50, thereby guiding the movement direction of each second scraper 50.
[0053] The second scraper 50 is capable of coming into contact with the bottom surface of the main body 20 when, for example, no object to be conveyed is accommodated inside the main body 20.
[0054] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a specific example of the shape of the second scraper 50. As shown in Fig. 8, the second scraper 50 has a length of, for example, 156 mm in the short direction of the main body 20, and has notches 52 formed on both lateral sides thereof that can come into contact with the guide 28 (Fig. 7).
[0055] The cutout portion 52 is formed on the bottom side of the main body 20, 7 mm below the upper end of the second scraper 50 and 7 mm above the lower end, and has an upper inclined surface 54 that is inclined at, for example, 45°, and a lower inclined surface 56 that is inclined at, for example, 45°.
[0056] The upper inclined surface 54 is capable of coming into contact with the upper surface of the guide 28 that protrudes inward from the main body 20, and has a vertical height of 7 mm.
[0057] The lower inclined surface 56 is capable of coming into contact with the lower surface of the guide 28 that protrudes inward from the main body 20, and has a vertical height of 7 mm.
[0058] In addition, the cutout portion 52 has a play-forming portion 58 of 5 mm in the height direction between the upper inclined surface 54 and the lower inclined surface 56, and is cut out at an angle of approximately 90° so that the depth is 7 mm in the short direction of the main body 20.
[0059] The second scraper 50 also has protruding portions 59 formed at positions 45 mm from each of its lateral ends so as to protrude downward by 2 mm beyond the first scraper 40 .
[0060] That is, when the second scraper 50 moves along the guide 28, it is movable below the first scraper 40. In addition, since the second scraper 50 is provided with the play forming portion 58, it has a wider range of movement in the vertical direction than the first scraper 40, and the range of movement in the vertical direction is limited when there is play.
[0061] 9 is a diagram illustrating the contrast between the first scraper 40 and the second scraper 50 moving along the guide 28 of the main body 20. As shown in FIG. 9, in the case of the flow conveyor 10, if the bottom surface of the main body 20 is slightly bulged downward, even if, for example, four first scrapers 40 consecutively move away from the bottom surface of the main body 20 to transport the transported object, the next second scraper 50 moves below the first scraper 40, making it easier to transport the transported object.
[0062] Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the results (performance test results) of conveying an object by the flow conveyor 10. In the example shown in Figure 10, the flow conveyor 10 conveys 21 kg of polished rice, and the time until no polished rice remains in the main body 20 (residual dissolution time) is measured to investigate the effect of a decrease in ambient temperature.
[0063] When the ambient temperature was 17 degrees, it took 55 seconds for the polished rice to no longer remain in the main body 20 of the flow conveyor 10. When the ambient temperature was 16 degrees, it took 1 minute 20 seconds for the polished rice to no longer remain in the main body 20 of the flow conveyor 10. When the ambient temperature was 13 degrees, it took 1 minute 35 seconds for the polished rice to no longer remain in the main body 20 of the flow conveyor 10. When the ambient temperature was 12 degrees, it took 3 minutes 13 seconds for the polished rice to no longer remain in the main body 20 of the flow conveyor 10.
[0064] The reason why the residual rice removal time of the flow conveyor 10 changes depending on the ambient temperature is thought to be because the change in ambient temperature changes the friction between the components that make up the endless chain 32, affecting the flexibility of the endless chain 32 and changing the gap between the scraper and the bottom of the main body 20. It has been confirmed that residual polished rice can be removed even at a low temperature of 12 degrees.
[0065] In this way, the flow conveyor 10 does not have multiple anti-floating bodies installed at predetermined intervals along the downward endless chain as in conventional technology, but is equipped with multiple first scrapers 40 and one or more second scrapers 50, so it can efficiently transport the granular transported material while preventing damage to the transported material and efficiently prevent the transported material from remaining behind.
[0066] In addition, in the flow conveyor 10, the guides 28 limit the vertical movement range of each of the first scraper 40 and the second scraper 50, so the first scraper 40 and the second scraper 50, along with the endless chain 32, do not rise excessively above the bottom surface of the main body 20.
[0067] Furthermore, the flow conveyor 10 does not require the provision of anti-floating bodies or the like in the transport path along which the transported objects are transported, as is the case with conventional technology, and can prevent the transported objects from being damaged by anti-floating bodies.
[0068] The flow conveyor 10 may be provided with a cover that covers the top of the main body 20, and configured to transport the transported objects within the sealed main body 20. In other words, the flow conveyor 10 can further prevent the transported objects from leaking out of the main body 20 or remaining inside the main body 20 even when transporting the transported objects. [Explanation of symbols]
[0069] 10 flow conveyor, 20 main body, 22-1, 22-2 hoppers, 24 shutter plate, 26 shaft portion, 28 guide, 30-1 drive sprocket, 30-2 driven sprocket, 32 endless chain, 34 drive portion, 40 first scraper, 42 notch portion, 44 upper inclined surface, 46 lower inclined surface, 50 second scraper, 52 notch portion, 54 upper inclined surface, 56 lower inclined surface, 58 play forming portion, 59 protrusion, 60 limiting member, 62 air blower portion
Claims
1. In a flow conveyor that conveys granular objects, a main body extending in a conveying direction and capable of accommodating a predetermined amount of the conveyed objects; a plurality of first scrapers provided on an endless chain or an endless belt, which move along a guide provided on the main body on the bottom side of the main body as the endless chain or the endless belt is rotated, and which scrape out and transport the transported object; one or more second scrapers that are provided on the endless chain or the endless belt, and that move along the guide below the first scraper so as to be able to contact the bottom surface of the main body when the endless chain or the endless belt is rotated, and that scrape out and transport the transported object; and The body includes: It is formed by bending a metal plate, The guide is The body is further formed by bending. A flow conveyor characterized by:
2. A flow conveyor for transporting granular objects, a main body extending in a conveying direction and capable of accommodating a predetermined amount of the conveyed objects; a plurality of first scrapers provided on an endless chain or an endless belt, which move along a guide provided on the main body on the bottom side of the main body as the endless chain or the endless belt is rotated, and which scrape out and transport the transported object; one or more second scrapers that are provided on the endless chain or the endless belt, and that move along the guide below the first scraper so as to be able to contact the bottom surface of the main body when the endless chain or the endless belt is rotated, and that scrape out and transport the transported object; and The guide is By contacting the first scraper and the second scraper, the upward and downward movement ranges of the first scraper and the second scraper are limited. A flow conveyor characterized by:
3. A flow conveyor for transporting granular objects, a main body extending in a conveying direction and capable of accommodating a predetermined amount of the conveyed objects; a plurality of first scrapers provided on an endless chain or an endless belt, which move along a guide provided on the main body on the bottom side of the main body as the endless chain or the endless belt is rotated, and which scrape out and transport the transported object; one or more second scrapers that are provided on the endless chain or the endless belt, and that move along the guide below the first scraper so as to be able to contact the bottom surface of the main body when the endless chain or the endless belt is rotated, and that convey the conveyed object in a scraping manner; a limiting member curved at an end of the main body in the conveying direction to limit the movement of the conveyed object to a position away from each of the first scraper and the second scraper; Having A flow conveyor characterized by:
4. A flow conveyor for transporting granular objects, a main body extending in a conveying direction and capable of accommodating a predetermined amount of the conveyed objects; a plurality of first scrapers provided on an endless chain or an endless belt, which move along a guide provided on the main body on the bottom side of the main body as the endless chain or the endless belt is rotated, and which scrape out and transport the transported object; one or more second scrapers that are provided on the endless chain or the endless belt, and that move along the guide below the first scraper so as to be able to contact the bottom surface of the main body when the endless chain or the endless belt is rotated, and that convey the conveyed object in a scraping manner; a blower that blows air so as to restrict the object from moving to a position away from each of the first scraper and the second scraper at an end of the main body in the conveying direction; Having A flow conveyor characterized by:
5. The second scraper is The number of scrapers is smaller than that of the first scraper.
5. The flow conveyor according to claim 1, wherein:
6. The endless chain or the endless belt is Being one 6. The flow conveyor according to claim 1, wherein:
Citation Information
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