A rotating device and a method for manufacturing articles containing powders and granules.

Abstract

To provide a rotary device capable of preventing contact between a rotor and a casing, and a method for manufacturing an article containing a powdery / granular material.SOLUTION: A rotary device capable of adjusting the passage amount of a powdery / granular material comprises: a casing which has an internal space, an inflow port for allowing the powdery / granular material to flow into the internal space, and an outflow port for allowing the flowed-in powdery / granular material to flow out from the internal space to the outside; a rotor which is disposed in the internal space and moves the powdery / granular material from the inflow port to the outflow port in the internal space by rotating around a central axis extending in a prescribed direction; and a non-contact sensor for measuring at least one of a distance between the rotor and the casing and an inclination of the rotor with respect to the casing, in a non-contact manner.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] One embodiment of the present invention relates to a rotating device capable of adjusting the throughput of powder and granular materials, and a method for manufacturing an article containing powder and granular materials using the rotating device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as one of the rotating devices for adjusting (controlling) the throughput of powder and granular materials by the rotation of a rotor housed inside a casing, a rotary valve is known (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, this rotary valve 100 includes a rotary shaft 101 extending in the horizontal direction, a rotor 103 having a plurality of blades 102 extending radially from the rotary shaft 101 and rotating around the rotary shaft 101, and a casing 105 having an internal space 104 and housing the rotor 103 in the internal space 104.

[0004] The casing 105 has an inlet 106 disposed at the upper end through which powder and granular materials flow into the internal space 104 from the outside, and an outlet 107 disposed at the lower end through which the inflowing powder and granular materials flow out from the internal space 104 to the outside. Further, the casing 105 has bearings 108 that support the rotary shaft 101 on both sides of the plurality of blades 102 in the direction in which the rotary shaft 101 extends.

[0005] In this rotary valve 100, powder and granular materials are supplied to the inlet 106 of the casing 105, and an amount of powder and granular materials corresponding to the rotation speed of the rotor 103 flows out from the outlet 107 of the casing 105.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] In the rotary valve 100 described above, the rotor 103 may lower or tilt due to the load of powder and granular material flowing in from the inlet 106. As a result, the blades 102 of the rotor 103, which rotate in the internal space 104 of the casing 105, come into contact with the casing 105, causing wear on the casing 105 and blades 102. Consequently, foreign matter such as the worn-down casing 105 and blades 102 may be mixed into the powder and granular material passing through the rotary valve 100 (i.e., flowing out from the outlet 107).

[0008] Therefore, the object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a rotating device capable of preventing contact between the rotor and the casing, and a method for manufacturing an article containing powder or granular material using the rotating device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A rotating device according to one embodiment of the present invention is A rotating device capable of adjusting the amount of powder or granular material that passes through, A casing having an internal space, an inlet through which the powdered material flows from the outside into the internal space, and an outlet through which the powdered material flows out of the internal space to the outside, A rotor is positioned in the internal space and rotates around a central axis extending in a predetermined direction to move the powder material that has flowed in from the inlet to the outlet within the internal space. The system includes a non-contact sensor that measures, without contact, at least one of the distance between the rotor and the casing and the inclination of the rotor relative to the casing.

[0010] With this configuration, when the rotating device is in use (i.e., when the rotor is rotating), the non-contact sensor measures at least one of the distance between the rotor and the casing and the inclination of the rotor relative to the casing, thereby detecting the proximity of the rotor and the casing before contact occurs. By stopping the rotating device (i.e., stopping the rotation of the rotor) upon detection of this proximity, contact between the rotor and the casing caused by the rotor's inclination or the like can be prevented.

[0011] In the aforementioned rotating device, The aforementioned casing is A casing body surrounding the rotor in the direction of rotation of the rotor, It has plate-shaped side plates that extend along a plane direction perpendicular to the central axis at a position adjacent to the rotor in the central axis direction, The non-contact sensor may be placed on the side plate.

[0012] By arranging the non-contact sensors on these plate-shaped side plates, it becomes easier to attach the non-contact sensors to the casing.

[0013] in this case, The non-contact sensor may measure the distance between the rotor and the side plate.

[0014] With this configuration, it is possible to detect the rotor approaching the side plate, thereby preventing contact between the rotor and the side plate.

[0015] Furthermore, in the aforementioned rotating device, The rotor has conductivity, The non-contact sensor is an eddy current type displacement sensor that measures the distance to the rotor by generating eddy currents in the rotor, and may be placed in the casing.

[0016] Thus, since the non-contact sensor is an eddy current displacement sensor, if the powder and granular material is a non-conductive substance, even if the powder and granular material enters between the portion of the casing where the non-contact sensor is disposed and the rotor, the distance from the non-contact sensor to the rotor (in other words, the distance between the rotor and the casing) at the position where the powder and granular material has entered can be measured, that is, the approach of the rotor and the casing can be detected.

[0017] Further, the rotating device includes a rotating shaft that extends from the rotor along the central axis to one side in the central axis direction and transmits rotational power to the rotor. The rotating shaft may be supported by the casing so as to be rotatable around the central axis.

[0018] In the case of such a so-called cantilever structure where the rotating shaft extends from the rotor to one side in the central axis direction and the rotating shaft extending to this one side is supported by the casing, the rotor (rotating shaft) is likely to tilt due to aging deterioration or load, but by detecting the approach of the rotor and the casing with a non-contact sensor, contact between the rotor and the casing in the rotating device with a cantilever structure can be surely prevented.

[0019] The method for manufacturing an article containing a powder and granular material according to an embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing an article containing a powder and granular material, [[ID=2"]]including a step of passing the powder and granular material through a rotating device, where the rotating device is a rotating device capable of adjusting the throughput of the powder and granular material, has an internal space, and a casing having an inlet through which the powder and granular material flows into the internal space from the outside, and an outlet through which the flowed-in powder and granular material flows out of the internal space to the outside, and a rotor disposed in the internal space and moving the powder and granular material flowing in from the inlet to the outlet in the internal space by rotating around a central axis extending in a predetermined direction. A non-contact sensor that measures at least one of the distance between the rotor and the casing and the inclination of the rotor with respect to the casing without contact, In the step of passing the powder or granular material, the powder or granular material supplied to the inlet flows out from the outlet, and thus the powder or granular material passes through the rotating device.

[0020] According to such a configuration, in the step of passing the powder or granular material (that is, when the rotating device is in use), the non-contact sensor measures at least one of the distance between the rotor and the casing and the inclination of the rotor with respect to the casing, so that the approach of the rotor and the casing can be detected before contact, and by stopping the rotating device (that is, stopping the rotation of the rotor) upon detection of this approach, contact between the rotor and the casing caused by the inclination of the rotor or the like can be prevented, and thereby, the mixing of foreign matter into the article due to the contact between the rotor and the casing can be surely prevented.

Advantages of the Invention

[0021] As described above, according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a rotating device capable of preventing contact between a rotor and a casing, and a method for manufacturing an article containing a powder or granular material using the rotating device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the rotary valve according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the rotary valve at the II-II position in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a view seen from the direction in which the rotation axis of the rotary valve extends. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic central longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a state in which the rotor is inclined in the rotary valve. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a view for explaining the usage state of the rotary valve. [Figure 6]Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of a rotating device according to another embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the central longitudinal section of a conventional rotary valve. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the cross-section of the rotary valve at position VIII-VIII in Figure 7. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] The following describes one embodiment of the present invention with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

[0024] A rotary device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a rotary valve capable of adjusting the amount of powder or granular material that passes through, and is used, for example, in a pharmaceutical manufacturing line to adjust or quantitatively supply the amount of pharmaceutical raw materials (powder or granular material) supplied to the downstream side.

[0025] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the rotary valve 1 comprises a casing 2 having an internal space S, an inlet 212 through which powder material flows into the internal space S from the outside, and an outlet 213 through which the inflowing powder material flows out of the internal space S to the outside; a rotor 3 positioned in the internal space S and rotating around a central axis C extending in a predetermined direction; and a non-contact sensor 4 capable of measuring the distance to an object without contact. The rotary valve 1 also includes a rotating shaft 5 that transmits rotational power to the rotor 3. Furthermore, the rotary valve 1 includes a drive source 6 such as a motor for rotating the rotor 3, and a notification unit 7 that provides notification based on the measurement results of the non-contact sensor 4. In this embodiment, the rotary valve 1 is configured such that the rotor 3 rotates around a central axis C extending in the horizontal direction.

[0026] The casing 2 is made of metal and has a casing body 21 that surrounds the rotor 3 in the direction of rotation of the rotor 3, and plate-shaped side plates 22 that extend along a plane direction perpendicular to the central axis C at positions adjacent to the rotor 3 in the direction of the central axis C. The casing 2 of this embodiment has two side plates: a side plate (first side plate) 22A adjacent to the rotor 3 on one side of the rotor 3 (left side in Figure 1) in the direction of the central axis C, and a side plate (second side plate) 22B adjacent to the rotor 3 on the other side of the rotor 3 (right side in Figure 1) in the direction of the central axis C.

[0027] The casing body 21 includes a rotor rotating portion 211 having a cylindrical inner circumferential surface 211A corresponding to the shape of the rotor 3, an inlet portion 212 at the upper end of the rotor rotating portion 211 that opens upward and connects the internal space S to the outside, and an outlet portion 213 at the lower end of the rotor rotating portion 211 that opens downward and connects the internal space S to the outside.

[0028] The rotor rotating portion 211 is the part in which the rotor 3 rotates, and the inner circumferential surface 211A of this rotor rotating portion 211 defines a part of the internal space S of the casing 2. In the rotary valve 1 of this embodiment, the central axis C coincides with the center line of the cylindrical internal space S defined by the inner circumferential surface 211A of the rotor rotating portion 211.

[0029] The inlet portion 212 has a cylindrical portion 2121 extending upward from the rotor rotating portion 211, and a flange portion 2122 extending outward from the end of the cylindrical portion 2121 opposite to the rotor rotating portion 211 (the upper side in Figure 1).

[0030] Furthermore, the outlet portion 213 has a cylindrical portion 2131 extending downward from the rotor rotating portion 211, and a flange portion 2132 extending outward from the end of the cylindrical portion 2131 opposite to the rotor rotating portion 211 (the lower side in Figure 1).

[0031] The first side plate 22A is a plate-shaped member that extends in a plane direction perpendicular to the central axis C and has an inner surface 221A that defines one end of the internal space S in the direction of the central axis C. The first side plate 22A has a bearing 222A at a position intersecting the central axis C that supports the rotation axis 5 so that it can rotate around the central axis C.

[0032] The second side plate 22B is a disc-shaped member that extends in a plane direction perpendicular to the central axis C and has an inner surface 221B that defines the other end of the internal space S in the direction of the central axis C. This inner surface 221B is a circular surface. The second side plate 22B also has a sensor placement section 222B on which a non-contact sensor 4 (specifically, a sensor head 41) is placed.

[0033] The sensor placement section 222B is composed of a through-hole that penetrates in the direction of the central axis C. This through-hole is composed of two holes (first hole 2221B and second hole 2222B) that are aligned in the thickness direction of the second side plate 22B.

[0034] The first hole 2221B and the second hole 2222B are concentric circular holes when viewed from the direction of the central axis C, and the diameter of the first hole 2221B is smaller than the diameter of the second hole 2222B. The diameter of the first hole 2221B corresponds to the dimensions of the non-contact sensor 4 (specifically, the sensor head 41), and the diameter of the second hole 2222B and the dimension (depth) from the inner surface 221B in the direction of the central axis C are set to a size that does not affect the measurement of the distance to the object to be measured by the non-contact sensor 4. In this embodiment, the inner diameter d1 of the second hole 2222B is, for example, φ80 mm, and the depth of the second hole 2222B is, for example, 16 mm.

[0035] The sensor placement section 222B configured in this way is positioned on the second side plate 22B within a predetermined range α on a vertical center line C2 that extends vertically through the center (the position where it intersects the central axis C when viewed from the direction of the central axis C) C1 (see Figure 3). This predetermined range α is the range from the expected contact position T (see Figure 4) when the rotor 3 comes into contact with the inner surface 221B of the second side plate 22B, with the rotation center being the position where the rotation shaft 5 is supported by the first side plate 22A (in this embodiment, the position of the bearing 222A) and the end on the rotor 3 side moving downward, as rotated from the horizontal direction (rotation shown by arrow γ in Figure 4). By providing the sensor placement section 222B within this predetermined range α (more specifically, the sensor placement section 222B is provided such that the sensor head 41 placed in the sensor placement section 222B is positioned there), the non-contact sensor 4 can reliably detect the rotor 3 approaching the casing 2 (second side plate 22B) when the rotor 3 rotates.

[0036] The rotating shaft 5 is a shaft member that extends along the central axis C and is positioned to pass through the first side plate 22A at the position of the bearing 222A. The rotor 3 is positioned on the rotating shaft 5 at the part located inside the casing 2 (more specifically, the rotor rotating part 211), and the drive source 6 is directly or indirectly connected to the part located outside the casing 2. In this way, the rotating shaft 5 transmits rotational power from the drive source 6 to the rotor 3.

[0037] The rotor 3 is conductive and is located inside the rotor rotating part 211 of the casing 2 (internal space S), and rotates around the central axis C. By rotating, the rotor 3 moves the powder material flowing in from the inlet 212 to the outlet 213 within the internal space S. The rotor 3 in this embodiment is made of metal.

[0038] Specifically, the rotor 3 is a so-called closed-end rotor, having a plurality of blades 31 extending radially from the rotation shaft 5, and plate-shaped sidewalls 32 that extend in a plane perpendicular to the central axis C at both ends of each blade 31 in the direction of the central axis C, closing the space between the ends of each blade 31. Each of the plurality of blades 31 is a long rectangular plate in the direction of the central axis C. In this embodiment, the rotor 3 is mounted on the rotation shaft 5 such that the rotation shaft 5 protrudes (extends) only on one side in the direction of the central axis C (the first side plate 22A side).

[0039] In this rotor 3, the granular material is contained within a pocket-shaped region (containment region) surrounded by two adjacent blades 31 in the direction of rotation and the sidewalls 32 at both ends in the direction of the central axis C. As the rotor 3 rotates, the granular material moves within the internal space S from the inlet 212 (more specifically, a position communicating with the inlet 212) to the outlet 213 (more specifically, a position communicating with the outlet 213). Furthermore, the amount of granular material flowing out of the outlet 213 can be changed by changing the rotation speed of the rotor 3. In other words, in the rotating device 1, the flow rate (flow rate) of the granular material flowing out of the outlet 213 changes according to the rotation speed of the rotor 3.

[0040] The non-contact sensor 4 measures the distance from the casing 2 to the rotor 3 without contact. The non-contact sensor 4 in this embodiment is an eddy current type displacement sensor that measures the distance to the rotor 3 by generating eddy currents in the rotor 3. This non-contact sensor 4 has a cylindrical sensor head 41 with a sensor coil built inside, and a cable 42 extending from the sensor head 41. The non-contact sensor 4 in this embodiment also has a controller 43 to which the end of the cable 42 opposite to the sensor head 41 is connected. This controller 43 has a high-frequency oscillator or the like and outputs a high-frequency current to the sensor coil of the sensor head 41 through the cable 42. The controller 43 then outputs (for example, displays) the distance from the tip surface 41A of the sensor head 41 to the rotor (object to be measured) 3 based on the change in the oscillation amplitude of the high-frequency current.

[0041] In this non-contact sensor 4, a high-frequency current is supplied from the controller 43 to the sensor coil in the sensor head 41 via the cable 42, thereby measuring the distance from the tip surface 41A to the object to be measured (in this embodiment, the rotor 3).

[0042] The sensor head 41 of this non-contact sensor 4 is positioned in the sensor placement section 222B of the second side plate 22B. More specifically, the sensor head 41 is fixed to the second side plate 22B with the sensor head 41 inserted into the first hole 2221B such that the tip surface 41A of the sensor head 41 is flush with the inner surface 221B of the second side plate 22B.

[0043] The notification unit 7 is connected to the non-contact sensor 4 (specifically, the controller 43) and notifies the outside when the distance measured by the non-contact sensor 4 falls below or to a preset distance (set value). The notification from the notification unit 7 can be an audible notification such as an alarm sound (auditory notification) or a visual notification such as the illumination of a lamp or the display of a warning (visual notification). The notification unit 7 may also be configured to stop the drive source 6, that is, to stop the rotation of the rotor 3, at the same time as the notification. The notification unit 7 and the controller 43 may be configured as an integrated unit (see Figure 6).

[0044] In the rotary valve 1 of this embodiment, for example, the design value of the distance (gap) d3 (see Figure 1) between the rotor 3 and the second side plate 22B in the direction of the central axis C is 1.5 to 2 mm, and the setting value for notification in the notification unit 7 is 1 mm. In order to make the gap (gap) d3 between the rotor 3 and the second side plate 22B easier to recognize, the gap d3 is exaggerated in each figure.

[0045] The rotary valve 1, configured as described above, is placed, for example, in a pharmaceutical manufacturing line. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, a hopper 81 or the like is connected to the inlet 212 of the casing 2, and the powder or granular material supplied or stored in the hopper 81 is supplied to the inlet 212. In addition, piping 82 or the like is connected to the outlet 213 of the casing 2.

[0046] In this state, the drive source 6 is activated, transmitting rotational driving force to the rotor 3 through the rotating shaft 5, causing the rotor 3 to rotate around the central axis C (i.e., the rotating shaft 5) within the casing 2 (more specifically, the rotor rotating part 211) (see arrow β in Figure 5). As a result, the granular material supplied from the hopper 81 is moved by the rotor 3 from a position communicating with the inlet 212 to a position communicating with the outlet 213 within the internal space S of the casing 2, and the granular material that has moved to a position communicating with the outlet 213 flows out into the piping 82 below through the outlet 213.

[0047] As the rotary valve 1 continues to be used, wear and deterioration of bearings 222A and other components due to aging, deformation due to overload, etc., cause the rotating shaft 5 (rotor 3) to tilt with respect to the central axis C, and this tilt gradually increases. When the distance between the rotor 3 and the casing 2, measured by the non-contact sensor 4, reaches or falls below a set value (for example, 1 mm), the notification unit 7 issues a notification. Upon recognizing this notification, the operator stops the rotary valve 1, thereby preventing contact between the rotor 3 and the casing 2.

[0048] The rotary valve 1 described above is a rotary valve 1 capable of adjusting the amount of powder passing through it, and comprises a casing 2 having an internal space S, an inlet 212 through which powder flows into the internal space S from the outside, and an outlet 213 through which the powder flows out of the internal space S to the outside; a rotor 3 positioned in the internal space S and rotating around a central axis C extending in a predetermined direction to move the powder that has flowed in from the inlet 212 to the outlet 213 in the internal space S; and a non-contact sensor 4 that measures the distance between the rotor 3 and the casing 2 without contact. In this way, when the rotary valve 1 is in use (i.e., when the rotor 3 is rotating), the non-contact sensor 4 measures the distance between the rotor 3 and the casing 2, so that the proximity of the rotor 3 and the casing 2 can be detected before contact occurs, and by stopping the rotary valve 1 (i.e., stopping the rotation of the rotor 3) upon detection of this proximity, contact between the rotor 3 and the casing 2 can be prevented. This prevents wear of the rotor 3, casing 2, etc., caused by the aforementioned contact, and prevents foreign matter such as metal powder generated by the wear from being mixed into the powder or granular material.

[0049] Furthermore, in the rotary valve 1 of this embodiment, the casing 2 has a casing body 21 that surrounds the rotor 3 in the direction of rotation of the rotor 3, and a plate-shaped second side plate 22B that extends along a plane direction perpendicular to the central axis C at a position adjacent to the rotor 3 in the direction of the central axis C, and the non-contact sensor 4 (specifically, the sensor head 41) is arranged on the second side plate 22B. By arranging the non-contact sensor 4 on the plate-shaped second side plate 22B in this way, it becomes easier to attach the non-contact sensor 4 to the casing 2, etc.

[0050] In this embodiment, the rotary valve 1 has a predetermined shape of through-hole (sensor placement area) 222B formed in the plate-shaped second side plate 22B, and the non-contact sensor 4 can be attached to the casing 2 by inserting the sensor head 41 through the through-hole 222B and fixing it to the through-hole 222B. For this reason, the non-contact sensor 4 can be easily attached (placed) even to existing rotary valves (rotary valves without a non-contact sensor).

[0051] Furthermore, in the rotary valve 1 of this embodiment, the non-contact sensor 4 measures the distance between the rotor 3 and the second side plate 22B. This allows for direct detection of the rotor 3 approaching the second side plate 22B, and as a result, contact between the rotor 3 and the second side plate 22B can be prevented more reliably.

[0052] Furthermore, in the rotary valve 1 of this embodiment, the rotor 3 is conductive, and the non-contact sensor 4 is an eddy current type displacement sensor that measures the distance to the rotor 3 by generating eddy currents in the rotor 3, and is located in the casing 2. With this configuration, if the granular material is a non-conductive substance, even if the granular material gets between the part of the casing 2 where the non-contact sensor 4 is located (in this embodiment, the sensor placement part 222B of the second side plate 22B) and the rotor 3, the distance between the rotor 3 and the casing 2 (the non-contact sensor 4 fixed to the second side plate 22B) at the location where the granular material has entered can be measured. In other words, even if the granular material gets between the rotor 3 and the sensor placement part 222B (sensor head 41) of the second side plate 22B, the proximity between the rotor 3 and the casing 2 can be detected.

[0053] Furthermore, the rotary valve 1 of this embodiment includes a rotating shaft 5 that extends from the rotor 3 along the central axis C to one side in the direction of the central axis C (towards the first side plate 22A) and transmits rotational power to the rotor 3. This rotating shaft 5 is supported by the casing 2 so as to be rotatable around the central axis C. In this so-called cantilever structure, where the rotating shaft 5 extends from the rotor 3 to one side in the direction of the central axis C and this rotating shaft 5 extending to one side is supported by the casing 2, the rotor 3 (rotating shaft 5) is more prone to tilting due to aging deterioration and load compared to a so-called double-support structure (see Figure 6). However, by detecting the proximity of the rotor 3 and the casing 2 with the non-contact sensor 4, contact between the rotor 3 and the casing 2 in a cantilever structure rotary valve 1 like this embodiment can be reliably prevented.

[0054] It should be noted that the rotating device of one embodiment is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the configuration of one embodiment can be added to the configuration of another embodiment, and a part of the configuration of one embodiment can be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment. Furthermore, a part of the configuration of one embodiment can be deleted.

[0055] In the rotating device 1 of the above embodiment, the non-contact sensor 4 measures the distance between the rotor 3 and the casing 2 at a predetermined position (in the example of the above embodiment, the position of the sensor placement portion 222B of the second side plate 22B), but the configuration is not limited to this. The non-contact sensor 4 may be a sensor that measures, for example, the inclination of the rotor 3 with respect to the casing 2 (i.e., the inclination of the rotor 3 with respect to the central axis C of the rotor shaft 5). When the rotor 3 is tilted with respect to the casing 2, it tilts so as to rotate around the position of the bearing 222A of the casing 2 as the center of rotation (see arrow γ in Figure 4). Therefore, when using the rotating device 1, the non-contact sensor 4 can measure the inclination of the rotor 3 with respect to the casing 2, thereby detecting the approach of the rotor 3 and the casing 2 before contact occurs. By stopping the rotating device 1 upon detection of this approach (i.e., stopping the rotation of the rotor 3), wear due to contact between the rotor 3 and the casing 2 can be prevented.

[0056] Furthermore, although the non-contact sensor 4 of the rotating device 1 in the above embodiment is an eddy current type displacement sensor, it is not limited to this configuration. The non-contact sensor 4 may be a capacitive type displacement sensor or the like. Also, the non-contact sensor 4 may be a non-contact displacement sensor or proximity sensor, specifically an ultrasonic displacement sensor, ultrasonic proximity sensor, laser displacement sensor, laser proximity sensor, optical displacement sensor, optical proximity sensor, etc. That is, the non-contact sensor 4 only needs to be able to measure at least one of the distance between the rotor 3 and the casing 2 and the inclination of the rotor 3 with respect to the casing 2 in a non-contact manner. If the non-contact sensor 4 is an ultrasonic displacement sensor or a laser displacement sensor, etc., the rotor 3 does not need to be conductive.

[0057] Furthermore, although the rotating device 1 in the above embodiment is a rotary valve, it is not limited to this configuration. The rotating device 1 may be a rotary feeder, a rotary discharger, a continuous stirring dryer, a screw feeder, etc. That is, the rotating device 1 may include a casing 2 having an internal space S, an inlet 212 through which powder material flows into the internal space S from the outside, and an outlet 213 through which the powder material flows out of the internal space S to the outside; a rotor 3 positioned in the internal space S and rotating around a central axis C extending in a predetermined direction to move the powder material that has flowed in from the inlet 212 to the outlet 213 in the internal space S; and a non-contact sensor 4 that non-contactually measures at least one of the distance between the rotor 3 and the casing 2 and the inclination of the rotor 3 with respect to the casing 2.

[0058] Furthermore, the rotating device 1 in the above embodiment is a so-called cantilever structure in which the rotating shaft 5 extending toward one side of the rotor 3 along the direction of the central axis C is supported by the bearing 222A of the first side plate 22A, but is not limited to this configuration. The rotating device 1A may also be a so-called double-supported structure in which the rotating shafts 5 extending toward both sides of the rotor 3 along the direction of the central axis C are supported by the bearing 222A of the first side plate 22A and the bearing 225B of the second side plate 22B, respectively, as shown in Figure 6.

[0059] In this double-supported structure, in addition to the case where the rotating shaft 5 tilts relative to the casing 2, the entire rotor 3 may shift downward due to an overload applied to the rotor 3 by powder or granular material. For this reason, it is preferable that the sensor head 41 of the non-contact sensor 4 is also positioned at or near the lower end of the rotor rotating part 211 on the casing body 21 so that this downward shift of the entire rotor 3 relative to the casing 2 can be detected (see Figure 6). In this case, the rotary valve 1 may be configured to have multiple non-contact sensors 4, or the non-contact sensor 4 may be configured to have multiple sensor heads 41.

[0060] Furthermore, the specific placement location of the non-contact sensor 4 (more specifically, the sensor head 41) is not limited. It may be placed on the first side plate 22A or the rotor rotating part 211 of the casing body 21, in addition to the second side plate 22B. Alternatively, the sensor head 41 of the non-contact sensor 4 may be placed on the rotor 3 (for example, the blades 31).

[0061] Furthermore, the non-contact sensor 4 is not limited to a configuration that detects proximity between the rotor 3 and the casing 2, but may also be configured to detect separation between the rotor 3 and the casing 2. For example, as described above, when the entire rotor 3 shifts downward, the sensor head 41 may be positioned at or near the upper end of the rotor rotating part 211, and the non-contact sensor 4 may measure the distance from the upper end of the rotor rotating part 211 to the rotor 3. By detecting when this distance reaches a set value, the configuration may prevent contact between the rotor 3 and the lower end of the rotor rotating part 211.

[0062] Furthermore, although the rotating device 1 in the above embodiment is configured such that the direction in which the rotation axis 5 (central axis C) of the rotor 3 extends is horizontal, it is not limited to this configuration. The rotating device 1 may be configured such that the direction in which the rotation axis 5 (central axis C) of the rotor 3 extends is a direction that intersects the horizontal direction, such as the vertical direction.

[0063] A method for manufacturing an article containing powder or granular material according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the step of passing the powder or granular material through a rotating device of one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, in this step, the powder or granular material supplied to the inlet 212 of the casing 2 flows out from the outlet 213, thereby passing through the rotating device 1. The article manufactured by this manufacturing method may be any article in the form of powder or granular material, such as non-conductive resins such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride, rubber, pigments, ceramic particles such as alumina and silica, food products such as wheat flour and seasonings, powdered pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and chemical products. In this manufacturing method, the powder or granular material may be in a flowable state when passing through the rotating device 1, and may be solidified by compression or mixing with other raw materials during passage through the rotating device 1 (inside the casing 2) or after passage (downstream process, etc.), or may be dissolved or melted by heating or mixing with other raw materials. That is, the article manufactured by this manufacturing method is not limited to those with fluidity such as powder, but may also be solids such as tablets or fluids such as molten resin.

[0064] In the process of passing powdered material through a rotating device, the rotating device 1 can adjust (control) the rotational speed of the rotor 3 when supplying the powdered material downstream as a raw material for an article, thereby adjusting or supplying a fixed amount of powdered material downstream. In a method for manufacturing an article containing powdered material according to one embodiment of the present invention, the approach of the rotor 3 and the casing 2 can be detected by a non-contact sensor 4 before they come close enough to come into contact in the operating rotating device 1, thereby preventing contact between the rotor 3 and the casing 2 by stopping the operation of the rotating device 1 (i.e., it can be reliably prevented). As a result, in this manufacturing method, when supplying powdered material downstream of the rotating device 1, it is possible to supply powdered material that does not contain foreign matter such as metal powder generated by wear of the rotor 3, casing 2, etc. The downstream process can be set to a known process according to the desired article, for example, an extrusion process, a granulation process, a molding process, a kneading process, etc., which are processes that require control of the pressure or density inside the machine and the amount of powdered material. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1, 1A... Rotary valve (rotating device), 2... Casing, 21... Casing body, 211... Rotor rotating part, 211A... Inner circumferential surface, 212... Inlet part, 2121... Cylinder part, 2122... Flange part, 213... Outlet part, 2131... Cylinder part, 2132... Flange part, 22... Side plate, 22A... First side plate, 221A... Inner surface, 222A... Bearing, 22B... Second side plate, 221B... Inner surface, 222B... Sensor placement part (through hole), 2221B... First hole, 2222B... Second hole, 225B... Bearing, 3... Rotor, 31... Blades, 32... Side wall, 4... Non-contact sensor, 4 1...Sensor head, 41A...Tip surface, 42...Cable, 43...Controller, 5...Rotating shaft, 6...Drive source, 7...Notification unit, 81...Hopper, 82...Piping, 100...Rotary valve, 101...Rotating shaft, 102...Blades, 103...Rotor, 104...Internal space, 105...Casing, 106...Inlet, 107...Outlet, C...Central axis, C1...Center, C2...Vertical center line, d1...Inner diameter of second hole, d2...Depth of second hole, d3...Distance between rotor and second side plate, S...Internal space, T...Predicted contact position, α...Determined range (arrangement range of non-contact sensor), β...Rotor rotation direction, γ...Rotor rotation direction

Claims

1. A rotating device capable of adjusting the amount of powder or granular material that passes through, A casing having an internal space, an inlet through which the powdered material flows from the outside into the internal space, and an outlet through which the powdered material flows out of the internal space to the outside, A rotor is positioned in the internal space and rotates around a central axis extending in a predetermined direction to move the powder material that has flowed in from the inlet to the outlet within the internal space. The system includes a non-contact sensor that measures, in a non-contact manner, the distance between the rotor and the casing and the inclination of the rotor relative to the casing. The aforementioned casing is A casing body surrounding the rotor in the direction of rotation of the rotor, It has plate-shaped side plates that extend along a plane direction perpendicular to the central axis at a position adjacent to the rotor in the central axis direction, The non-contact sensor is a rotating device positioned on the side plate.

2. The rotating device according to claim 1, wherein the non-contact sensor measures the distance between the rotor and the side plate.

3. The rotor has conductivity, The non-contact sensor is an eddy current type displacement sensor that measures the distance to the rotor by generating an eddy current in the rotor, and is arranged in the casing, as described in claim 1 or 2.

4. The rotor is provided with a rotating shaft that extends from the rotor along the central axis to one side in the direction of the central axis and transmits rotational power to the rotor, The rotating device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rotating shaft is supported by the casing so as to be rotatable about the central axis.

5. A method for manufacturing an article containing powders and granules, The rotating device includes a step of passing the powdered material through it. The rotating device is a rotating device capable of adjusting the amount of powder or granular material that passes through, A casing having an internal space, an inlet through which the powdered material flows from the outside into the internal space, and an outlet through which the powdered material flows out of the internal space to the outside, A rotor is positioned in the internal space and rotates around a central axis extending in a predetermined direction to move the powder material that has flowed in from the inlet to the outlet within the internal space. The system includes a non-contact sensor that measures, in a non-contact manner, the distance between the rotor and the casing and the inclination of the rotor relative to the casing. The aforementioned casing is A casing body surrounding the rotor in the direction of rotation of the rotor, It has plate-shaped side plates that extend along a plane direction perpendicular to the central axis at a position adjacent to the rotor in the central axis direction, The non-contact sensor is positioned on the side plate, In the process of passing the granular material through the device, the granular material supplied to the inlet flows out from the outlet, causing the granular material to pass through the rotating device. A method for manufacturing articles containing powders or granules.

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