Powder volume measurement system

Abstract

To provide a powder dosage metering system capable of simultaneously improving the accuracy of attachment of a powder weighing module to a drive module and the accuracy of alignment with a powder weighing module drive shaft by installing the drive shaft of the drive module necessary for metering and discharging the powder dose in a horizontal direction, and by installing and removing the drive module and the powder weighing module from the horizontal direction, and by positioning the powder weighing module using the drive shaft.SOLUTION: The powder dosage metering system includes a powder weighing module 1 and a drive module 2. The powder weighing module 1 is connected to a drum drive shaft 16 of a drive module 2 installed horizontally and a convex connector 7 that is provided horizontally and parallel to this drum drive shaft 16. A shutter pusher 18 for driving a knocker 14 and a shutter 10 is also provided horizontally and parallel to the drum drive shaft 16, respectively.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a powder dosage measuring system that can accurately measure the powder dosage while allowing the powder dosage measuring module for measuring the powder dosage to be easily replaceable with a drive module to which it is attached.

Background Art

[0002] In the research and business fields of pharmaceuticals and chemicals, it is often necessary to prepare various powder samples, and high measurement accuracy is required. Therefore, it is common to automate using a device rather than manually. For example, in Patent Document 1, under the name of "powder weighing device equipped with an impact device", an impact is applied using an impact device 11 from below a weighing device 4 held by an operation arm 3, causing a sudden upward acceleration and movement in the weighing device 4, thereby generating a downward inertial force in the powder, and applying a downward force that pushes the powder toward the discharge port inside the weighing device 4 to promote the free flow of the powder. A powder weighing device is disclosed.

[0003] Also, in Patent Document 2, under the name of "weighing - dispensing device equipped with a tapping mechanism", a weighing - dispensing device 100 is disclosed that houses a weighing - dispensing unit 110 in a housing device 130 and includes a holding device 120 that is pivotally suspended like a pendulum. A powdery dispensing substance is discharged from a discharge hole at the lower end of a weighing - dispensing head 112 provided with a supply source container 111 into a target container 190. Further, a drive shaft 151 is vertically inserted from a drive device 150 into the weighing - dispensing head 112 and coupled to the shaft of a stirring mechanism.

[0004] Furthermore, in Patent Document 3, under the name of "method for optimizing a weighing - dispensing process and weighing - dispensing device", an invention is disclosed that includes a weighing unit 105 detachable from a drive device 150, and rotates a closing shaft 132 through a drive shaft 156 of the drive device 150 to weigh and dispense a powder or paste - like substance in a storage container 110. The weighing unit 105 is attached to the drive device 150 from the horizontal direction by an operation arm 301 of an operating device 300. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2010-518365 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-197095 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-175817 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] However, in the inventions disclosed in Patent Documents 1-3, although the detachable weighing device is mounted to the drive unit from the horizontal direction, the discharge of powder or paste-like substances from the weighing device is by the rotation of a drive shaft provided in the vertical direction. This presents challenges in that the weighing device will not function unless both the accuracy of mounting the weighing device and the accuracy of the alignment with the drive shaft for discharging the substance are improved, and it also negatively affects the accuracy of weighing powder or paste-like substances. Furthermore, when there are multiple samples and it is necessary to attach and detach multiple types of weighing devices, the exchange becomes complicated and time-consuming. Furthermore, while impact devices and striking mechanisms do have the effect of creating a free flow of powders, there was a problem in that impact or striking alone could not completely eliminate the formation of cavities, such as so-called bridges, caused by powders within the weighing device. Furthermore, when weighing powders and other materials using weighing devices, unlike liquids, they lack viscosity and are easily dispersed, and leakage makes it difficult to improve the accuracy of the weighing itself.

[0007] The present invention addresses these conventional circumstances and aims to provide a powder volume metering system that simultaneously improves the ease of mounting the powder volume metering module to the drive module and the accuracy of alignment between the powder volume metering module and the drive shaft of the drive module. This is achieved by providing the drive shaft of the drive module, which is necessary for measuring and controlling the amount of powder, in a horizontal direction, attaching and detaching the drive module and the powder volume metering module from a horizontal direction, and positioning the powder volume metering module using the drive shaft. Furthermore, the aim is to provide a powder weighing system that can efficiently break up powder bridges within the powder weighing module by incorporating not only an impact device but also a stirring tool. Furthermore, the objective is to provide a powder volume measurement system that can improve the accuracy of powder volume measurement in a powder volume measurement module. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the first invention is a powder dosage weighing system comprising a powder weighing module and a drive module for driving the powder weighing module, wherein the powder weighing module comprises a container support for supporting a container for containing powder, a dosage weighing device for weighing the amount of powder, a powder supply guide tube for supplying the weighed amount, and a dosage supply control device for controlling the supply of the weighed amount, wherein the drive module comprises a first drive source comprising a first drive shaft for driving the dosage weighing device via the first drive shaft, and a second drive source comprising a second drive shaft for driving the dosage supply control device via the second drive shaft, wherein the powder weighing module and the drive module are detachably configured with a convex connector or a concave connector that fits into the convex connector, and the first drive shaft, the second drive shaft and the convex connector are formed parallel and horizontal to each other. In the powder weighing system with the above configuration, the system is divided into a powder weighing module and a drive module. The drive source and its connected drive shaft are all housed within the drive module. Therefore, the powder weighing module does not need to have a drive source or connected drive shaft to weigh the powder. Furthermore, with just one drive module, it is possible to weigh different amounts of powder using multiple powder weighing modules by swapping them out. Furthermore, since the convex connector that links the powder weighing module and the drive module and the first drive shaft that drives the dosage weighing device are formed parallel and horizontally, they work to simultaneously attach and detach the powder weighing module and the drive module and align the dosage weighing device and the drive shaft. Furthermore, since the second drive shaft is parallel and horizontal to the first drive shaft, positioning the first drive shaft will also position the second drive shaft.

[0009] Furthermore, the second invention, a powder volume metering system, is characterized in that, in the first invention, the powder metering module is equipped with a retention suppression device that suppresses the retention of the powder inside it, and the drive module is equipped with a third drive shaft and a third drive source that drives the retention suppression device via the third drive shaft. In the powder weighing system with the above configuration, the retention suppression device is driven via a third drive shaft driven by a third drive source, and acts to suppress the retention of powder inside the powder weighing module.

[0010] Furthermore, the third invention, a powder dosage measurement system, is characterized in that, in the second invention, the retention suppression device comprises a stirring tool positioned upstream of the dosage measurement device and a container support for fixing the stirring tool, and the container support has a tapered portion that expands in diameter upward and receives the impact from the third drive shaft at the tapered portion and moves up and down. In the powder volume measurement system with the above configuration, a stirring tool fixed to the container support moves as the container support moves up and down after being struck by the tapered section by the third drive shaft, thereby destroying cavities such as bridges and suppressing powder accumulation.

[0011] Furthermore, the fourth invention, a powder dosage measuring system, is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, the dosage measuring device comprises a measuring drum having recesses of a desired capacity arranged on its circumferential surface, the measuring drum is rotatable in connection with the first drive shaft, the powder supplied from the container is contained in the recesses, and the contained powder is continuously discharged into the powder supply guide tube to measure the amount of the powder. In the powder volume metering system with the above configuration, the powder is contained in a recess of a metering drum with a known capacity, and the volume of the contained powder is measured by continuously discharging it into a powder supply guide tube while the drum rotates.

[0012] The fifth invention, a powder dosage weighing system, is characterized in that, in the fourth invention, the weighing drum is provided with a seal at the end of the circumferential surface to prevent the powder from leaking from the recess into the powder weighing module, the first drive shaft is provided with a hollow gas passage capable of supplying pressurized gas to the end face of the seal, and the seal is pressed by the pressurized gas. In the powder weighing system with the above configuration, a seal is provided at the end of the circumferential surface of the weighing drum, and pressurized gas is supplied to the end face of the seal to press against it. Therefore, the seal acts to prevent powder from leaking out of the recess formed on the circumferential surface of the weighing drum into the powder weighing module.

[0013] The sixth invention, a powder dosage metering system, is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, the dosage metering device comprises a screw metering drum having screw blades arranged on its circumferential surface at desired intervals in a spiral shape, the screw metering drum is rotatable in connection with the first drive shaft, the powder supplied from the container is contained between the screw blades, and the contained powder is continuously discharged into the powder supply guide tube to measure the amount of the powder. In the powder volume metering system with the above configuration, powder is contained between the screw blades of a screw metering drum with a known capacity, and the powder is continuously discharged into a powder supply guide tube while the drum rotates, thereby measuring the amount of powder.

[0014] Furthermore, the seventh invention, a powder dosage measurement system, is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, the dosage supply control device includes a shutter that blocks the flow path of the powder within the powder supply guide tube. In the powder dosage metering system with the above configuration, the dosage supply control device is equipped with a shutter that blocks the flow path of the powder within the powder supply guide tube, thereby quickly shutting off the supply of powder from the powder supply guide tube.

[0015] The eighth invention, a powder volume weighing system, is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, it has a robot arm equipped with a gripping hand, the robot arm is pre-configured with position data of the first drive axis of the drive module, and the powder weighing module gripped by the gripping hand is horizontally attached to and detached from the drive module based on the position data. In the powder weighing system with the above configuration, the robot arm, equipped with position data for the first drive axis of the drive module, acts to position the powder weighing module when attaching it to the drive module. The gripping hand grasps the powder weighing module, thereby enabling efficient attachment and detachment of the powder weighing module from the drive module without manual intervention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] In the powder dosage measuring system according to the first invention, since all components including the driving source and the driving shaft connected thereto are provided in the driving module without being provided in the powder measuring module, it is possible to simplify the structure of the powder measuring module, and it is also possible to make it smaller and lighter. A powder dosage measuring system can be configured to include a plurality (a large number) of powder measuring modules for one driving module, and it is possible to improve the measuring efficiency of the powder dosage. In addition, since the convex connector for connecting the powder measuring module and the driving module and the first driving shaft for driving the dosage measuring device are formed in parallel and horizontally, it is possible to simultaneously perform the attachment and detachment of the powder measuring module and the driving module and the alignment of the dosage measuring device and the driving shaft. It is possible to improve the accuracy compared to separately performing the attachment and detachment and alignment, which are prone to complication, and it is also possible to perform the attachment and detachment of the powder measuring module and the driving module and the alignment of the dosage measuring device and the driving shaft in a short time. In addition, since the second driving shaft is parallel and horizontal to the first driving shaft, if the first driving shaft can be positioned, the second driving shaft can also be positioned. Therefore, there is no complication regarding the positioning when attaching the powder measuring module to the driving module, and even when measuring the powder dosage while exchanging a plurality of powder measuring modules, it is possible to perform the operation labor-savingly and efficiently in a short time.

[0017] In the powder dosage measuring system according to the second invention, in addition to the effects of the first invention, since the retention prevention device is driven by the third driving source supplied from the driving module via the third driving shaft, it is possible to suppress the retention of the powder inside the powder measuring module.

[0018] In the powder dosage measuring system according to the third invention, in addition to the effects of the second invention, the stirrer fixed to the container support moves due to the vertical movement of the container support struck at the tapered portion by the third driving shaft, stirs the surrounding powder, destroys cavities such as so-called bridges, and can generate a smooth powder flow.

[0019] In the powder dosage measurement system according to the fourth invention, in addition to the effects of the first or second invention, powder is accommodated in the recess of the measurement drum with a clear capacity, and the continuously accommodated powder is discharged to the powder supply guide pipe while rotating, so that the powder dosage can be measured as a volume.

[0020] In the powder dosage measurement system according to the fifth invention, in addition to the effects of the fourth invention, it is possible to prevent leakage and contamination (contamination) of powder in the powder measurement module by means of a seal provided at the end of the circumferential surface of the measurement drum. Also, by preventing leakage, it is possible to improve the accuracy of measuring the powder dosage.

[0021] In the powder dosage measurement system according to the sixth invention, in addition to the effects of the first or second invention, powder is accommodated between the screw blades of the screw measurement drum with a clear capacity, and the continuously accommodated powder is discharged to the powder supply guide pipe while rotating, so that the powder dosage can be measured as a volume.

[0022] In the powder dosage measurement system according to the seventh invention, in addition to the effects of the first or second invention, by providing a shutter to cut off the supply of powder from the powder supply guide pipe in a short time, it is possible to improve the accuracy of measuring the powder dosage. Also, by closing the shutter, it is possible to prevent powder from scattering around when the powder measurement module is detached or moved.

[0023] In the powder dosage measurement system according to the eighth invention, in addition to the effects of the first or second invention, the powder measurement module and the drive module can be detached by a robot arm, and the powder measurement module can be automatically replaced, enabling efficient and accurate detachment and attachment, and enabling rapid and accurate measurement of the powder dosage.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024] [Figure 1] It is a conceptual diagram before mounting the powder measurement module on the drive module in the powder dosage measurement system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a conceptual diagram showing the powder weighing module mounted on the drive module in the powder weighing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a conceptual diagram showing the state in which the shutter pusher of the drive module is activated in the powder volume weighing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the powder weighing module of a powder weighing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a partial cross-sectional view of the powder weighing module shown in Figure 4, viewed from the left side. [Figure 6] This is a conceptual diagram showing the state in which the tapered portion of the container support of the powder weighing module is struck by a knocker in a powder weighing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] (a) is a front view showing the arrangement of a container support and a stirring tool in a modified example of the powder metering module of the powder metering system according to the first embodiment of the present invention, (b) is a side view of (a), (c) is a cross-sectional view of (b) taken along line AA, and (d) is a bottom view of the container support. [Figure 8] This is a conceptual diagram showing the positional relationship between the container support and the knocker in a modified example of a powder weighing module. [Figure 9] This is a structural diagram illustrating the sealing mechanism of a weighing drum related to a modified powder weighing module. [Figure 10] This is an enlarged view of the area enclosed by the dashed line indicated by the symbol B in Figure 9. [Figure 11] This is a conceptual diagram showing the weighing screw drum of a powder weighing module according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is a conceptual diagram showing the state in which the powder weighing module is grasped by the gripping hand of the robot arm of the powder weighing system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0025] A powder volume measurement system according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1-10. Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram of the powder weighing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention before the powder weighing module is attached to the drive module, Figure 2 is a conceptual diagram of the powder weighing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention after the powder weighing module is attached to the drive module, and Figure 3 is a conceptual diagram of the powder weighing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention in a state in which the shutter pusher of the drive module is operated. In these diagrams, the powder weighing system comprises a powder weighing module 1 and a drive module 2. The powder weighing module 1 includes a container support 5 at the top that supports a container 4 containing powder such as chemicals or pharmaceuticals upside down, a container support receiver 8 that supports the container support 5 from below, and a weighing instrument body 3 equipped with a mechanism for weighing the amount of powder. Below it is a nozzle 6 that serves as a powder supply guide tube for pouring the weighed powder into another container. A container such as a vial for mixing powder samples is placed below this nozzle 6. The weighing instrument body 3 of the powder weighing module 1 is provided with a convex connector 7, which can be inserted through a connecting hole 17 drilled in the attachment / detachment section 15 of the drive module 2, connected with a concave connector (not shown), and locked in place by a locking mechanism to attach it to the drive module 2. In this process, the drum drive shaft 16 of the drive module 2 is positioned in advance so that the convex connector 7, which is horizontal and parallel to the drum drive shaft 16, aligns with the connecting hole 17. Then, while inserting the drum drive shaft 16 into the weighing instrument body 3, the convex connector 7 is inserted through the connecting hole 17. Furthermore, the nozzle 6 is equipped with a shutter 10 (the internal structure is not shown in Figure 1-3), which is detailed in Figure 4, and when not weighing the amount of powder, the spring 11 is extended and the shutter 10 is moved to the left when viewed from the front of the paper. When weighing the amount of powder, the shutter 10 is pushed by the shutter pusher 18 of the drive module 2 to compress the spring 11 (see Figure 3), and when weighing is complete the shutter pusher 18 returns, and the shutter 10 returns due to the extension force of the spring 11 until the stopper 9 functions (see Figure 2), and the shutter 10 acts to close inside the weighing instrument body 3.

[0026] The drive module 2 has a drive unit body 20 and a detachable part 15. The upper part of the drive unit body 20 is equipped with a vibrator 13 made of an eccentric weight, which is rotated by the motor 12, thereby vibrating the drive unit body 20. This vibration is transmitted to the powder weighing module 1 attached to the drive module 2, and acts to smoothly guide the powder contained in the container 4 to the weighing instrument body 3. In other words, the motor 12 and vibrator 13 function as a retention suppression device. The drive unit body 20 is equipped with the aforementioned drum drive shaft 16 as the first drive shaft, which is inserted into the powder weighing module 1 to rotate the weighing drum (not shown in Figure 1-3; see Figures 4 and 5) housed in the weighing instrument body 3, thereby weighing the amount of powder. Furthermore, a shutter pusher 18 is provided below the attachment / detachment section 15 as a second drive shaft. By using this to push the shutter 10, the powder can be supplied after weighing. When the shutter pusher 18 is returned, the shutter 10 also returns due to the force of the spring 11, and the supply of powder after weighing is stopped. In other words, the shutter 10 functions as a dosage supply control device. Furthermore, the drive unit body 20 is equipped with a knocker 14 at its upper part as a third drive shaft, which can be used to strike the tapered portion 5a of the container support 5 of the powder weighing module 1. By striking the container support 5 that supports the container 4, the weighing instrument body 3, including the container 4, vibrates, and the phenomenon in which weighing the amount of powder becomes difficult due to cavities such as so-called bridges formed by the powder in the powder flow path inside the container 4 and the weighing instrument body 3 can be resolved by destroying these cavities. In other words, the knocker 14 functions as a retention suppression device in addition to the motor 12 and vibrator 13.

[0027] An air cushion 19 is provided below the drive unit body 20, which allows the entire drive unit body 20 to move to some extent in the front-to-back direction, that is, in the direction in which the powder weighing module 1 is attached. When positioning the powder weighing module 1 to the drive module 2, if done manually, the drum drive shaft 16 is pressed against the weighing drum inside the powder weighing module 1 to connect to it. However, since the drum drive shaft 16 has a hexagonal cross-section, it is necessary to align it in the circumferential direction of the shaft in order to fit it with the weighing drum, so the drum drive shaft 16 is rotated at a low speed while fitting. In the third embodiment, when automatic mounting is performed using a robotic arm as described later, the robotic arm gripping the powder weighing module 1 presses the powder weighing module 1 against the drum drive shaft 16. At this time, the air cushion 19 functions, causing the drive unit body 20 to retract slightly. When it aligns with the drum drive shaft 16 in the circumferential direction, the drive unit body 20 moves forward, connecting the drum drive shaft 16 and the weighing drum. In this embodiment, the cross-section of the drum drive shaft 16 is hexagonal, but this shape is not particularly limited. Other polygonal shapes or ellipses are also acceptable, and the structure may include a keyway that aligns with a key on the weighing drum side for connection. In other words, any structure that prevents the weighing drum and the drum drive shaft 16 from rotating freely is acceptable. Furthermore, the air cushion 19 contains gas inside and functions as a buffer against the movement of the drive module 2 in the forward, backward, left, and right directions by utilizing its compression and expansion. However, the mechanism for generating buffering is not limited to gas; a liquid such as oil may also be used.

[0028] As described above, in the powder weighing system according to this embodiment, the powder weighing module 1 and the drive module 2 can be attached and detached by inserting the drum drive shaft 16 of the drive module 2 horizontally into the powder weighing module 1 so that it aligns circumferentially. Furthermore, by providing the convex connector 7 of the powder weighing module 1 horizontally and parallel to the drum drive shaft 16, it is possible to easily insert the convex connector 7 of the powder weighing module 1 into the connecting hole 17 of the drive module 2 and connect the powder weighing module 1 and the drive module 2 simultaneously with the positioning by the drum drive shaft 16. Furthermore, by similarly positioning the shutter pusher 18 horizontally and parallel to the drum drive shaft 16, the positioning of the shutter pusher 18 and the shutter 10 of the powder weighing module 1 are simultaneously achieved. Furthermore, by positioning the knocker 14 horizontally and parallel to the drum drive shaft 16, the knocker 14 is positioned by the drum drive shaft 16, and at the same time, the positioning of the knocker 14 and the tapered portion 5a of the container support 5 is also completed. In other words, since all drive shafts connected to the drive source on the drive module 2 side are positioned horizontally and parallel to the drum drive shaft 16, the positioning of the powder weighing module 1 and the drive module 2 is performed by the drum drive shaft 16, which completes the positioning of the other drive shafts relative to the powder weighing module 1, making it possible to attach the powder weighing module 1 to the drive module 2 quickly, easily, and with high precision. Conventionally, the mounting direction and the direction of the drive shaft for driving the powder weighing module 1 were orthogonal, requiring separate positioning for mounting and positioning of the drive shaft for weighing the powder volume. However, in this embodiment, this hassle is eliminated, enabling labor-saving and highly accurate attachment and detachment of the powder weighing module 1 and drive module 2, thereby improving the accuracy of powder volume weighing.

[0029] Inside the drive unit body 20, there is a stepper motor as a first drive source for driving the drum drive shaft 16, an air cylinder as a second drive source for supplying air or other gas to drive the shutter pusher 18, and a third air cylinder as a third drive source for driving the knocker 14. Furthermore, the drive unit body 20 is connected to an electrical cable 21 that supplies electricity to the stepper motor and an air supply pipe 22 that supplies air to the air cylinder.

[0030] Next, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the powder weighing module of the powder weighing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the powder weighing module shown in Figure 4 when viewed from the left side. Finally, Figure 6 is a conceptual diagram showing the state in which the tapered portion of the container support of the powder weighing module is struck by a knocker in the powder weighing system according to the first embodiment. The configuration already explained in Figure 1-3 will be omitted from this explanation. In Figures 4 and 5, the powder contained in the container 4 passes through the container support 5 and the container support receiver 8 and falls into the powder measuring recess 30 provided in the cylindrical measuring drum 26 inside the measuring instrument body 3. The measuring drum 26 has a powder measuring recess 30 in the center of its circumference, which is provided as a powder measuring band 29. The rotation of the drum drive shaft 16 connected to the hollow portion of the measuring drum 26 determines the amount of powder that is contained in the powder measuring recess 30 per unit time, rotates half a turn, and falls, making it possible to measure the amount of powder. The measured powder is continuously supplied to the nozzle 6. In other words, the measuring drum 26 functions as a volume measuring device. The capacity of the powder weighing recess 30 can be predetermined and formed as desired depending on the powder and application, and the spacing between the powder weighing recesses 30 in the powder weighing zone 29 can also be predetermined as desired. The weighing drum 26 is equipped with seals 27 around each of its two cylindrical ends, which function to prevent powder falling into the powder weighing recess 30 from leaking out of the weighing drum 26. Powder leakage can lead to errors in weighing the amount of powder, as well as affect the rotation of the weighing drum 26 and cause contamination by the powder, so the function of the seals 27 is particularly important.

[0031] In the container support 5, a T-shaped agitator 25 is fixed to the part where the container 4 is attached, and hangs down toward the powder flow path inside the weighing instrument body 3. The agitator 25 is plate-shaped as shown in Figures 4 and 5. This stirring device 25 moves up and down together with the container support 5 when the taper section 5a is struck by the knocker 14 as described above, and this up and down movement acts to destroy cavities such as bridges formed in the container support receiver 8 and the powder flow path 23 inside the weighing device body 3. As shown in Figure 6, the knocker 14 is positioned in the drive module 2 to strike the tapered portion 5a of the container support 5. The knocker 14 intermittently strikes the tapered portion 5a, causing the container support 5 and the container 4 supported by it to move up and down.

[0032] Furthermore, we will provide additional explanation regarding the shutter 10, which has already been described, with reference to Figure 4. When measuring the amount of powder, the shutter 10 is pushed by the shutter pusher 18 of the drive module 2, and as shown in Figure 4, the shutter hole 28 aligns with the flow path of the nozzle 6, allowing the powder to pass through. However, when the weighing of the powder is complete, the shutter pusher 18 returns, extending the spring 11 of the shutter 10 (see Figure 2), causing the shutter 10 to move to the right in Figure 4, and the shutter hole 28 to shift away from the flow path of the nozzle 6, thereby immediately stopping the supply of powder after weighing. This spring 11 makes it possible to improve the accuracy of powder weighing without supplying unnecessary powder. In addition, since the shutter 10 is closed by the spring 11 when attaching, detaching, or moving the powder weighing module 1, powder scattering can be prevented, and the occurrence of sample contamination by powder can also be prevented. Furthermore, in order to improve the accuracy of powder weighing by the weighing drum 26, it is possible to further improve the accuracy of powder weighing by pre-measuring the amount of powder that will be supplied from the nozzle 6 after the shutter 10 has closed, for each type of powder, and storing this amount in the memory area of ​​the drive module 2, and then controlling the weighing by the weighing drum 26 to close the shutter 10 when the amount of powder weighed is the target amount minus this pre-measuring value. The same control is also possible when the weighing screw drum 26a according to the second embodiment described later is used.

[0033] Next, a modified example of the container support for the powder weighing module according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7(a) is a front view showing the arrangement of a container support and a stirring tool in a modified example of the powder weighing module of the powder weighing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention, (b) is a side view of (a), (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of (b), and (d) is a bottom view of the container support. Figure 8 is a conceptual diagram showing the positional relationship between the container support and the knocker in a modified example of the powder weighing module. In Figures 7(a) and 7(b), the modified container support does not have a tapered portion protruding from the side of the container support, but the bottom surface of the container support 5b is a tapered portion 5c. As shown in Figure 7(c), the stirring tool 25 is fixed at its T-shaped upper end by fitting it into a groove on the connection end surface of the container support 5b with the container 4 (the upper end surface of the flow channel throat). This is the same as the stirring tool 25 in the first embodiment described earlier. As shown in Figure 7(d), the bottom surface of the container support 5b is characterized by having a groove 5d at the same time as the tapered portion 5c. In the modified container support 5b of this configuration, as shown in Figure 8, the knocker 14 is driven by an air cylinder 31 driven by the supply of a gas such as air. When the knocker strikes the tapered portion 5c of the container support 5b, the groove 5d acts as resistance, making it easier to transmit the striking force to the container support 5b. Therefore, the vertical movement of the container 4 and the container support 5b can be performed with stronger vibrations and a wider amplitude.

[0034] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, the knocker 14 can apply a rotational force to the container support 5b by striking the tapered portion 5c of the container support 5b eccentrically from the center. By rotating it simultaneously with vertical movement and repeating this multiple times, it is possible to apply vibration to the entire circumference of the container support 5b. In other words, since it is possible to apply vibration to the entire circumferential range, it is possible to destroy any cavities that have formed in a part of the container 4. Moreover, since the applied force has components in the vertical and circumferential directions, it is possible to apply vibration more effectively to the powder. Similar effects can be achieved on the tapered portion 5a of the container support 5 by eccentric striking with the knocker 14. Conventional techniques involved only unidirectional impact, which resulted in the destruction of cavities at the point of impact while leaving cavities on the opposite side in the circumferential direction intact. Therefore, in this invention, by adding rotation to the impact direction in addition to vertical movement, the applied force has components in both the vertical and circumferential directions, and the rotation allows for impact covering the entire circumference, making it possible to destroy cavities such as bridges over a wider area more effectively.

[0035] Next, with reference to Figures 9 and 10, a modified example of the sealing mechanism of the weighing drum of the powder weighing module according to the first embodiment will be described. Figure 9 is a structural diagram illustrating the sealing mechanism of the weighing drum in a modified example of the powder weighing module, and Figure 10 is an enlarged view showing the area enclosed by the dashed line indicated by the symbol B in Figure 9. Explanations of the configurations already described in previous figures will be omitted. In Figure 9, the powder weighing module 1 is mounted by connecting and locking the convex connector 7 to the concave connector 7a on the drive module 2 side, and is in a state where powder volume weighing is being performed. In this figure, there are two convex connectors 7 and two concave connectors 7a, but it is not limited to two; there may be one or three or more. However, as mentioned above, the convex connector 7 is provided horizontally and parallel to the drum drive shaft 16 on the weighing instrument body 3. Also, in this embodiment, the convex connector 7 is installed on the powder weighing module 1 and the concave connector 7a is installed on the drive module 2, but they may be installed in the opposite direction as long as they are connectable and have a locking mechanism. In this configuration, the weighing drum 26 is rotated by the inserted drum drive shaft 16. The stepper motor 32 rotates a drive gear 34 on its drive shaft, which in turn rotates a driven gear 35 that is mounted around the drum drive shaft 16 and meshes with the drive gear 34. The rotation of the driven gear 35 drives the drum drive shaft 16. Furthermore, in this modified example, the drum drive shaft 16 is formed hollow, and an air supply passage 36 is provided in the hollow portion, from which pressurized gas such as air is supplied by an air supply nozzle 33. The supplied air is delivered to the seals 27a and 27c inside the metering drum 26, pressing against the seals 27a and 27c and enhancing their sealing function.

[0036] The sealing mechanism related to this modified example will be explained with reference to Figure 10. In Figure 10, the air supplied by the air supply nozzle 33 into the air supply passage 36 provided in the hollow portion of the drum drive shaft 16 generates an airflow 37 as indicated by the arrows. Of the air supplied around the metering drum 26, it splits at the inlet side, generating an airflow 37 that presses against the end face 27b of the seal 27a on the inlet side, and an airflow 37 that passes through the inside of the metering drum 26 and presses against the end face 27d of the seal 27c on the inner side. In this way, by pressurizing the seals 27a and 27c, which are provided around both ends of the cylindrical shape of the weighing drum 26, with the airflow 37 of pressurized air, it is possible to enhance the sealing function of the seals 27a and 27c so as to prevent the powder contained in the powder weighing recess 30 of the weighing drum 26 from leaking out to the periphery of the weighing drum 26, thereby reducing the accuracy of the weighing drum 26 or causing malfunctions inside the weighing instrument body 3.

[0037] Next, the weighing screw drum of the powder weighing module according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 11. Figure 11 is a conceptual diagram showing the weighing screw drum of a powder weighing module according to the second embodiment. In Figure 11, the powder weighing module 1a according to the second embodiment employs a weighing screw drum 26a as a volume weighing device within the weighing instrument body 3a. The weighing screw drum 26a is driven by a drum drive shaft 16 that passes through the attachment / detachment section 15, similar to the first embodiment, and screw blades 26b are screwed onto its circumferential surface at predetermined intervals and heights as desired, instead of powder weighing recesses 30. When the metering screw drum 26a is driven by the drum drive shaft 16, the powder supplied from the container 4 is contained between the screw blades 26b, and the rotation of these screw blades 26b transports the powder to the nozzle 6. The distance between the screw blades 26b and the height of the screw blades 26b are predetermined according to the type of powder and the application of metering, which determines the amount of powder transported per unit time, making it possible to measure the amount of powder.

[0038] If the weighing screw drum 26a according to this second embodiment is adopted, when the powder weighing module 1a is attached to the drive module 2, the position of the nozzle 6 will be further away from the drive module 2 than in the powder weighing module 1 according to the first embodiment, so it is necessary to provide a longer stroke for the shutter pusher 18. Although the powder weighing module 1a does not have a tapered portion as a container support 5, a knocker 14 may be provided to strike the container support 5, or a container support 5 with a tapered portion may be provided and strike applied to the tapered portion. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, the metering screw drum 26a is sealed at both cylindrical ends with seals 27a and 27c, and its sealing function is enhanced by pressurized air supplied from the air supply passage 36, as explained with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Of course, if the leakage of powder is small, it may be sufficient to simply provide the seal 27 without pressurizing with air.

[0039] Finally, a third embodiment of the powder dosage weighing system according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 12. Figure 12 is a conceptual diagram showing the state in which the powder weighing module is grasped by the gripping hand of the robot arm of the powder dosage weighing system according to the third embodiment. Figure 12 shows the powder weighing module 1 being grasped by the gripping hand 38 on its side. This gripping hand 38 can be opened and closed horizontally by the hand opening / closing mechanism 39, allowing the powder weighing module 1 to be grasped from the side or released. Furthermore, as shown by the coordinate axes in Figure 12, the robot arm 40 can move freely in the xy plane perpendicular to the plane of the paper, and can also move freely in the z direction, which is the left-right direction on the plane of the paper in Figure 12. By equipping the powder weighing system according to the third embodiment with such a robotic arm 40, it becomes possible to automatically attach and detach the powder weighing modules 1,1a to the drive module 2.

[0040] Specifically, first, the robot arm 40 moves the powder weighing module 1, which requires weighing of powder volume, opens the hand opening / closing mechanism 39 to move the gripping hand 38 away from the side of the powder weighing module 1, and then closes the hand opening / closing mechanism 39 to grip the side of the powder weighing module 1 with the gripping hand 38. In this process, the powder weighing module 1 stores the position coordinates in three-dimensional space of the powder contained in the container 4 in advance in the memory area of ​​the robot arm 40, and the robot arm 40 moves toward the position coordinates of the powder weighing module 1 equipped with the container 4 containing the target powder. The robot arm 40, which has grasped the side of the powder weighing module 1, then moves toward the drum drive shaft 16 of the drive module 2, because the position coordinates of the drum drive shaft 16 in three-dimensional space are pre-stored in the memory area of ​​the robot arm 40. In other words, as a positioning mechanism for the powder weighing module 1 and the drive module 2, the robot arm 40 moves the powder weighing module 1 while maintaining a horizontal position, using the position coordinates of the drum drive shaft 16 of the drive module 2 as a reference, so that the drum drive shaft 16 of the powder weighing module 1 is inserted into the weighing drum 26 of the powder weighing module 1.

[0041] Subsequently, the robot arm 40 extends the gripping hand 38 to insert the weighing drum 26 of the powder weighing module 1, which it is gripping, onto the drum drive shaft 16 of the drive module 2. However, because the drum drive shaft 16 has a hexagonal cross-section, there is a possibility that it may be misaligned circumferentially with the shape of the hole on the weighing drum 26 side (a hexagonal hole that fits with the drum drive shaft 16). Therefore, the robot arm 40 switches on the stepper motor 32 to rotate the drum drive shaft 16 of the drive module 2 at a low speed, while pressing the powder weighing module 1 against the drive module 2. The drive module 2, which has the powder weighing module 1 pressed against it, retracts slightly due to the function of the air cushion 19. When the hexagonal cross-section of the slowly rotating drum drive shaft 16 matches the shape of the hole in the weighing drum 26, the drum drive shaft 16 fits into the weighing drum 26, and the retraction of the drive module 2 by the air cushion 19 is eliminated. At that time, the convex connector 7 of the powder weighing module 1 is also inserted through the connecting hole 17 of the drive module 2, and is locked in place by connecting with the concave connector 7a inside the attachment / detachment section 15, preventing it from falling out or being pulled out. Then, the gripping hand 38 opens to the left and right by the hand opening / closing mechanism 39, releasing the grip, and the robot arm 40 detaches from the powder weighing module 1. In this way, the powder weighing module 1 and the drive module 2 are positioned, mounted, and secured during installation.

[0042] On the other hand, after the powder weighing module 1 has finished weighing the amount of powder, if the powder weighing module 1 is to be removed, the drive module 2 unlocks the recessed connector 7a, the robot arm 40 uses the hand opening / closing mechanism 39 to extend the gripping hand 38, approaches the powder weighing module 1 attached to the drive module 2, and closes the gripping hand 38 with the hand opening / closing mechanism 39 to grip the side of the powder weighing module 1. Subsequently, the robot arm 40, while gripping the powder weighing module 1 with the gripping hand 38, pulls it out from the drive module 2, transports the powder weighing module 1 to the position coordinates of the gripped powder weighing module 1 that are pre-stored in the robot arm 40's memory area, and then releases the grip of the gripping hand 38 at the designated location for storage. Next, in order to attach the powder weighing module 1, which needs to have its powder volume measured, to the drive module 2, the robot arm 40 moves to the position coordinates of the powder weighing module 1, and attaches it to the drive module 2 while positioning it in the same way. Once the powder volume measurement is complete, the robot arm 40 detaches the powder weighing module 1 from the drive module 2 and transports the powder weighing module 1 to a predetermined position, and repeats this operation.

[0043] With the powder volume weighing system equipped with the robot arm 40 according to this embodiment, multiple powder weighing modules 1 can be efficiently, stably, and safely attached to and detached from a single drive module 2, and it is possible to achieve high precision and labor savings when it is necessary to weigh and mix a large amount of powder. In the powder volume weighing system according to this embodiment, the drum drive shaft 16, the convex connector 7, the shutter pusher 18, and the knocker 14 are all arranged horizontally and parallel to each other. Positioning by the drum drive shaft 16 simultaneously completes the positioning of the other drive shafts and components, thus simplifying and increasing the precision of control when attaching and detaching the robot arm 40. Furthermore, similar control is possible not only with the drum drive shaft 16 but also by using the position coordinates of any of the above drive shafts or components. In this embodiment, the procedure for automatically attaching, detaching, and replacing the powder weighing module 1 according to the first embodiment has been described. However, the same procedure applies when using modified versions of the first embodiment or the powder weighing module 1a according to the second embodiment. [Industrial applicability]

[0044] As described above, the inventions described in claims 1-8 of the present invention can be widely used as a powder volume measurement system for compounding multiple reagents in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, and in particular can be used as a powder volume measurement system that achieves high precision and labor saving using a robotic arm. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] 1,1a…Powder weighing module 2…Drive module 3,3a…Weighing instrument body 4…Container 5,5b…Container support 5a,5c…Tapered section 5d…Groove 6…Nozzle 7…Convex connector 7a…Concave connector 8…Container support receiver 9…Stopper 10…Shutter 11…Spring 12…Motor 13…Vibrator 14…Knocker 15…Detachable section 16…Drum drive shaft 17…Connecting hole 18…Shutter pusher 19…Air cushion 20…Drive unit body 21…Electrical cable 22…Air supply piping 23…Powder flow path 25…Agitator 26…Weighing drum 26a…Weighing screw drum 26b…Screw blades 27,27a,27c…Seal 27b,27d…End face 28…Shutter hole 29…Powder weighing band 30...Powder weighing recess 31...Air cylinder 32...Stepper motor 33...Air supply nozzle 34...Drive gear 35...Driven gear 36...Air supply path 37...Air flow 38...Gripping hand 39...Hand opening / closing mechanism 40...Robot arm

Claims

1. A powder weighing system comprising a powder weighing module and a drive module for driving the powder weighing module, The powder weighing module comprises a container support for supporting a container for containing powder, a volume weighing device for weighing the volume of powder, a powder supply guide tube for supplying the weighed volume, and a volume supply control device for controlling the supply of the weighed volume. The drive module comprises a first drive source having a first drive shaft for driving the dose measuring device via the first drive shaft, and a second drive source having a second drive shaft for driving the dose supply control device via the second drive shaft. The powder weighing module and the drive module are each detachably configured with a convex connector or a concave connector that fits into the convex connector, and the first drive shaft, the second drive shaft, and the convex connector are formed parallel and horizontal to each other, characterized in that the powder weighing system is configured such that the powder weighing module and the drive module are each detachably configured with a convex connector or a concave connector that fits into the convex connector, and the first drive shaft, the second drive shaft, and the convex connector are formed parallel and horizontal to each other.

2. The powder weighing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the powder weighing module is equipped with a retention suppression device that suppresses the retention of the powder inside it, and the drive module is equipped with a third drive shaft and a third drive source that drives the retention suppression device via the third drive shaft.

3. The powder volume measurement system according to claim 2, wherein the retention suppression device comprises a stirring tool positioned upstream of the volume measurement device and a container support for fixing the stirring tool, and the container support has a tapered portion that expands in diameter upward and receives an impact from the third drive shaft at the tapered portion to move up and down.

4. The powder dosage measuring system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the dosage measuring device comprises a measuring drum having recesses of a desired capacity arranged on its circumferential surface, the measuring drum is rotatable in connection with the first drive shaft, the powder supplied from the container is contained in the recesses, and the contained powder is continuously discharged into the powder supply guide tube to measure the amount of the powder.

5. The weighing drum is provided with a seal at the end of its circumferential surface to prevent the powder from leaking from the recess into the powder weighing module. The first drive shaft is equipped with a hollow gas passage capable of supplying pressurized gas to the end face of the seal, The powder dosage measuring system according to claim 4, characterized in that the seal is pressed by the pressurized gas.

6. The powder dosage measuring device comprises a screw measuring drum having screw blades arranged on its circumferential surface at desired intervals in a spiral shape, the screw measuring drum being rotatable in connection with the first drive shaft, the powder supplied from the container being contained between the screw blades, and the contained powder being continuously discharged into the powder supply guide tube to measure the amount of the powder, as described in claim 1 or 2.

7. The powder dosage control device is characterized by comprising a shutter that blocks the flow path of the powder within the powder supply guide tube, as described in claim 1 or 2.

8. A powder weighing system according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a robot arm equipped with a gripping hand, wherein the robot arm is pre-configured with position data of the first drive axis of the drive module, and the powder weighing module gripped by the gripping hand is horizontally attached to and detached from the drive module based on the position data.

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