A weighing system with a manipulator arm

Abstract

The invention relates to a weighing system comprising a first silo (10) containing material in powder or granular form, at least one second silo (20) spaced from the first silo (10), and respective feed outlets (12, 22) provided on the first silo (10) and on the at least one second silo (20), as well as a conveying unit (50) for conveying the raw material dosed through these feed outlets (12, 22). The weighing system further comprising a manipulator arm (30) providing radial movement of the conveying unit (50) between the feed outlet (12) of the first silo (10) and the feed outlet (22) of the at least one second silo (20).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] A WEIGHING SYSTEM WITH A MANIPULATOR ARM

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The present invention relates to a weighing system that automatically prepares the desired mixture by weighing small amounts of additives in powder from multiple silos via a single robotic arm.

[0005] STATE OF THE ART

[0006] Various weighing systems are used in all industries for weighing small amounts of additive / paint powder raw materials. In such systems, the number of silos corresponds to the number of additive / paint raw materials to be used; below these silos, screw feeders are employed; mixers inside the silo are used to facilitate material flow; and low-level sensors are used to detect when each silo is empty. As the number of raw materials increases, the number of the aforementioned motors and sensors also increases, requiring cable connections for each motor and sensor, which in turn complicates the control system. Because transporting these kinds of systems as a whole to a factory site is not possible, the entire system must be assembled on the factory site, and all connections must be made there. The prolonged installation and commissioning at the factory site significantly increase the cost of the system. Likewise, maintenance or interventions in the event of a malfunction become more difficult as the system becomes more complex.

[0007] W02023103103A1 discloses to a weighing device. The present invention comprises a silo storage unit, a conveying unit, a measuring and weighing unit, and a control unit. The smart feeding device can precisely measure and weigh the powder material and convey it to the target reaction vessel. Thus, it addresses the shortcomings of an existing feeding device that still uses a traditional mechanical device, depends on manual and discrete management, cannot obtain operating data of the device in a timely manner, and requires intensive management of the device. In this device, the application of the Internet of Things technology to the feeding device is creatively proposed to facilitate the smart control and cloud management of the device; and the storage and multi-stage feeding system are centralized, and manual feeding is replaced by automatic pneumatic conveying for feeding, which improves the device’s sealing performance, reduces dust leakage, and allows filtering of contaminants to facilitate stable operation of the feeding system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The object of the invention is to render the weighing system simple, straightforward, compact, and modular.

[0009] In order to achieve the aforementioned objective, the invention relates to a weighing system comprising a first silo containing material in powder or granular form, at least one second silo spaced from the first silo, feed outlets provided on the first and at least one second silo, and a conveying unit through which the material supplied from the feed outlets is conveyed. The weighing system includes a manipulator arm that provides radial movement of the conveying unit between the feed outlet of the first silo and the feed outlet of at least one second silo. This arrangement allows a more precise control and better distribution of the raw materials dosed from the first and second silos during transportation and dispensing. As a result, it increases product quality and improves process efficiency by ensuring more precise weighing and uniform mixing or distribution of materials in powder or granular form. At the same time, it reduces the risk of spilling or dumping during material transfer.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the weighing system comprises a weight measuring unit for measuring the raw material dosed from the feed outlet of the first silo and / or at least one second silo. Thus, by detecting the weight values of the materials in accordance with a pre-prepared formula, correct weight values are obtained according to the desired recipe.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first silo and the at least one second silo are aligned on the same radial axis. This provides a compact structure.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the manipulator arm is positioned at the center of the radial axis of the first and at least one second silo. Thus, material transfer is achieved solely by the radial movement of the manipulator arm.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first and at least one second silo are arranged adjacent to each other. This also contributes to a compact structure.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the front wall of the first and at least one second silo, which features the feed outlet, is designed to be narrower compared to an opposite rear wall. This allows the silos containing material to have a larger capacity. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the weighing system includes a memory unit with a predetermined recipe and a processor configured, in communication with the memory unit to allow signal transmission, to direct the manipulator arm to the first or at least one second silo corresponding to the recipe retrieved from the memory unit. In this way, parameters such as the speed and direction of the manipulator arm, as well as the total material weight, can be controlled based on the desired recipe information.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the weight measuring unit is positioned outside the maximum scanning area through which the manipulator arm moves between the first and at least one second silo.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the manipulator arm is a robotic arm. This ensures a long service life for the manipulator arm, easy adaptation to silos of different sizes, and the ability to provide remote service.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the manipulator arm is mounted on a base. As such, the manipulator arm can be compactly installed without restricting its radial movement.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first and at least one second silo are disposed on a carrier frame connected to the base. This ensures the silos are secured and prevents issues that might arise from movement during material supply.

[0019] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the weighing system subject to the invention.

[0021] Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of the weighing system subject to the invention.

[0022] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] In this detailed description, the development subject to the invention is described with references to examples purely for better explanation of the subject and without implying any limitation. Figure 1 provides a schematic representation of the weighing system subject to the invention. The weighing system includes a first silo (10) for supplying a material in powder or granular form. The necessary materials are provided to the first silo (10) from a feed inlet (14). The materials supplied through the feed inlet (14) are discharged from a feed outlet (12). The feed inlet (14) and feed outlet (12) are located on the first silo (10). The feed outlet (12) of the first silo (10) extends outward. A second silo (20), adjacent and aligned with the same radial axis as the first silo (10), is present. The second silo (20) is geometrically identical in form to the first silo (10), but their dimensions may differ. The necessary materials are supplied to the second silo (20) from a feed inlet (24). The materials supplied through the feed inlet (24) are discharged from a feed outlet (22). The feed inlet (24) and feed outlet (22) are located on the second silo (20). The feed outlet (22) of the second silo (20) extends outward. A manipulator arm (30) is positioned so as to correspond to the center of the radial axes of the first silo (10) and the second silo (20). The manipulator arm (30) is a robotic arm. The manipulator arm (30) moves radially between the first silo (10) and the second silo (20). By moving a conveying unit (50) between the feed outlets (12, 22) of the first silo (10) and the second silo (20), the manipulator arm (30) provides the transfer of raw materials dosed from the first and second silos (10, 20). A weight measuring unit (40), located outside the scanning area formed by the silos (10, 20), measures the total weight of the materials accumulated inside the conveying unit (50). A control unit (60) directs the radial movement of the manipulator arm (30), such as moving the conveying unit (50) between the silos (10, 20) and taking it to the weight measuring unit (40). The control unit (60) contains a memory unit (64) that stores recipe information. A processor (62) within the control unit (60) controls the commands that move the manipulator arm (30) according to the recipe stored in the memory unit (64). The manipulator arm (30) is mounted on a base (70). A carrier frame (72), extending outward so that the silos (10, 20) are adjacent to each other, is included on the base (70) to support the silos (10, 20).

[0024] Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of the weighing system subject to the invention. In the alternative embodiment, three manipulator arms (30) are positioned around the weight measuring unit (40) at angles of 120 degrees to each other. Silos (10, 20) are disposed around the manipulator arms (30). When the necessary recipe information is entered into the control unit (60), the processor (62) moves the manipulator arms (30) separately. On a front wall (16, 26) of the silos (10, 20), the feed outlet (12, 22) shown in Figure 1 is provided. On a rear wall (18, 28) of the silos (10, 20), the feed inlets (14, 24) shown in Figure 1 are provided. The front wall (16, 26) of the silos (10, 20) is narrower relative to the rear wall (18, 28), ensuring maximum capacity in terms of area coverage. REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0025] 10 First Silo 26 Front Wall

[0026] 12 Feed Outlet 28 Rear Wall 14 Feed Inlet 30 Manipulator Arm

[0027] 16 Front Wall 40 Conveying unit

[0028] 18 Rear Wall 50 Weight Measuring Unit

[0029] 20 Second Silo 60 Control Unit

[0030] 22 Feed Outlet 62 Processor 24 Feed Inlet 64 Memory Unit

[0031] 70 Base

[0032] 72 Carrier Frame

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A weighing system comprising a first silo (10) containing material in powder or granular form, at least one second silo (20) spaced from the first silo (10), a respective feed outlet (12, 22) provided on the first silo (10) and on the at least one second silo (20), and a conveying unit (50) for conveying the raw material dosed through the feed outlets (12, 22), characterized in that a manipulator arm (30) provides radial movement of the conveying unit (50) between the feed outlet (12) of the first silo (10) and the feed outlet (22) of the at least one second silo (20).

2. A weighing system according to Claim 1 , wherein a weight measuring unit (40) is measuring the material supplied through the feed outlet (12, 22) of the first silo (10) and / or the at least one second silo (20).

3. A weighing system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first silo (10) and the at least one second silo (20) are aligned on the same radial axis.

4. A weighing system according to Claim 3, wherein the manipulator arm (30) is positioned at the center of the radial axis of the first and the at least one second silo (10, 20).

5. A weighing system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first and the at least one second silo (10, 20) are arranged adjacent to each other.

6. A weighing system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the front wall (16, 26) of the first and the at least one second silo (10, 20), on which the feed outlet (12, 22) is provided, is designed to be narrower compared to an opposite rear wall (18, 28).

7. A weighing system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a memory unit (64) with a predetermined recipe and a processor (62) configured, in communication with the memory unit (64) to allow signal transmission, to direct the manipulator arm (30) to the first or the at least one second silo (10, 20) corresponding to the recipe retrieved from the memory unit (64).

8. A weighing system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the weight measuring unit (40) is positioned outside a maximum scanning area in which the manipulator arm (30) moves between the first and the at least one second silo (10, 20), and that during weighing, the manipulator arm (30) transports the conveying unit (50) under the first and the at least one second silo (10, 20).

9. A weighing system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the manipulator arm (30) is a robotic arm.

10. A weighing system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the manipulator arm (30) is mounted on a base (70).11 . A weighing system according to Claim 10, wherein the first and the at least one second silo (10, 20) are disposed on a carrier frame (72) connected to the base (70).