JP2007085217A - Semisolid fluid feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semisolid fluid feeder capable of easily sucking a semisolid fluid and delivering with good quantitativeness. <P>SOLUTION: A semisolid fluid storage part 20 in which the semisolid fluid is stored i pressurized from the upper layer thereof, and the pressurized semisolid fluid is transported by a plunger pump 30. The semisolid fluid discharged from the plunger pump 30 is controlled by an air-operated valve 40 so that it flows to a nozzle 50 when driven and to a depressurized container 60 when stopped. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a semi-solid fluid supply apparatus capable of supplying a semi-solid fluid such as grease, compound, wax or the like using a plunger pump.

Conventionally, as a plunger pump, a valveless suction port and discharge port that are connected to the cylinder chamber facing each other at the tip of the cylinder are provided, and a plunger with a cut surface formed on the outer periphery of the tip is reciprocated while rotating in the cylinder. In this way, a liquid is transferred.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 13-234850

  However, when a highly viscous semi-solid fluid such as grease is inhaled by a plunger pump, there is a problem that it takes time to inhale due to the high viscosity. In addition, due to the high viscosity, it is difficult to discharge a semi-solid fluid with good quantitativeness during discharge.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a semi-solid fluid supply device that can be easily inhaled and discharged even with a semi-solid fluid having a high viscosity. .

  A semi-solid fluid supply apparatus according to the present invention includes a semi-solid fluid storage unit that stores a semi-solid fluid, an intake port, and a discharge port. The semi-solid fluid is supplied from the semi-solid fluid storage unit to the suction port. A valveless plunger pump that sucks in through the outlet and discharges through the outlet, and has an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, and the inlet and the first outlet or the second outlet are in communication with each other. A channel switching unit that switches the channel of the semi-solid fluid, a nozzle that is connected to a first outlet of the channel switching unit and discharges the semi-solid fluid to a predetermined location, and a second outlet of the channel switching unit A pressure reducing unit connected to the semi-solid fluid storage unit, a pressurizing unit that pressurizes the inside of the semi-solid fluid storage unit, and an inlet and a first outlet of the flow path switching unit when the plunger pump is operated, Entrance to the flow path switching unit during rest Characterized by comprising a control unit for communicating the second outlet.

  According to the semi-solid fluid supply device of the present invention, the pressure is applied to the inside of the semi-solid fluid storage unit by the pressurizing unit. The fluid can be inhaled. In addition, since a control unit that selects an outlet through which the flow path switching unit can communicate based on the driving state of the plunger pump is provided, the semi-solid fluid flows out due to the residual pressure of the discharge side piping of the plunger pump at the stop position. Even in such a case, the semi-solid fluid can be guided to the decompression vessel and discharged from the nozzle with good quantitativeness.

  Hereinafter, a semi-solid fluid supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a semi-solid fluid supply device (a grease injection device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. This grease injecting device is a device for injecting grease quantitatively using a plunger pump. As shown in FIG. 1, a grease storage unit 20 capable of storing grease and a grease storage unit 20 communicate with the grease storage unit 20. A valveless plunger pump 30 that sucks and transfers grease, an air operated valve 40 that communicates with the plunger pump 30 and can communicate with one of two outlets, and one outlet of the air operated valve 40 Air is guided from a nozzle 50 for discharging grease, connected to the other outlet of the air operated valve 40 and containing grease discharged by the residual pressure of the pipe, and an air source (not shown). A pressurizing unit 70 that pressurizes the inside of the grease storage unit 20 and a control unit 80 that controls these units are provided.

  The grease storage unit 20 stores a semi-solid fluid such as grease therein. The grease handled by this apparatus has a consistency of 130 to 340, preferably 250 to 300, for example. An inlet 20a is formed above the grease storage unit 20, and a ninth flow path 9 to be described later is connected to the inlet 20a. Thereby, the compressed air is supplied into the grease storage unit 20 and the inside of the grease storage unit 20 is pressurized. A first flow path 1 is connected to the discharge port 20 b formed below the grease storage unit 20, and a plunger pump 30 is connected to the other end of the first flow path 1.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the plunger pump 30 includes a pump head 31 on the distal end side and a cylindrical drive joint 32 on the proximal end side. The pump head 31 includes a cylindrical cylinder 34 accommodated in a pump bracket 33, and a plunger 35 having a tip inserted into the cylinder 34 and having a cut surface 35a formed at the tip. Near the tip of the cylinder 34, a valveless suction port 36a and a discharge port 36b connected to the cylinder chamber B are provided so as to face each other. A plunger support pin 37 perpendicular to the central axis of the plunger 35 is projected from the proximal end portion of the plunger 35, and the tip of the plunger support pin 37 is a spherical ball bearing 38 provided on the inner peripheral portion of the drive joint 32. Is supported rotatably.

  The pump head 31 is arranged so that the rotation axis of the plunger 35 is at a predetermined swing angle θ with respect to the rotation axis of the drive joint 32. The stroke of the plunger 35 is determined by this angle θ. The base end portion of the plunger 35 is held by the spherical ball bearing 38 of the drive joint 32 via the plunger support pin 37, and the spherical ball bearing 38 is circled around the rotation axis of the drive joint 32 by the rotational drive of the drive joint 32. Since it moves and its circular orbit is inclined with respect to the central axis of the plunger 35, the plunger 35 reciprocates in the cylinder 34 while rotating.

  That is, the plunger pump 30 is driven as shown in FIG. 3A, the cut surface 35a at the tip of the plunger 35 faces the suction port with a gap, and the suction port communicates with the cylinder chamber B. From this state, when the plunger 35 rotates in the direction of the arrow while being pulled out, the grease is sucked into the cylinder chamber B in combination with the pressurization of the grease storage unit 20. When the plunger 35 is rotated by 90 ° as shown in FIG. 3B, the cut surface 35a becomes a position where neither the suction port 36a nor the discharge port 36b is opposed, and the suction port 36a and the discharge port 36b are closed. FIG. 3C, in which the plunger 35 has rotated 180 ° from this state, is in a state where the cut surface 35a faces the discharge port 36a with a gap, and the suction is switched to the discharge. Then, when the plunger 35 is pushed and rotated 270 ° as shown in FIG. 3D, the cut surface 35a of the plunger 35 is further pushed into a position where it does not face either the suction port 36a or the discharge port 36b. Is completed. Next, the plunger 35 rotates 360 ° and returns to the same position as in FIG.

  As the plunger pump 30 is driven in this way, grease is sucked and discharged. Further, the suction port 36 a for sucking the grease of the plunger pump 30 is connected to the first flow path 1, and the discharge port 36 b for discharging the grease is connected to the second flow path 2.

  The air operated valve 40 has an inlet 40a, a first outlet 40b, a second outlet 40c, and an air introduction part 40d. The air operated valve 40 is configured so that only one of the outlets 40b and 40c communicates with the inlet 40a. In normal times, the air operated valve 40 communicates from the inlet 40a to the second outlet 40c and operates to the air introduction part 40d. If air is supplied, it will switch so that it may connect from the entrance 40a to the 1st exit 40b. The second flow path 2 is connected to the inlet 40a of the air operated valve 40, the third flow path 3 is connected to the first outlet 40b, the fourth flow path 4 is connected to the second outlet 40c, and the air introduction section The fifth flow path 5 is connected to 40d.

  The nozzle 50 is capable of discharging a semi-solid fluid at a predetermined location, and is provided at the other end of the third flow path 3 connected to the first outlet 40b. Further, a first ball valve 51 is provided in the third flow path 3.

  The decompression container 60 is a bellows container, and is detachably provided at the other end of the fourth flow path 4 connected to the second outlet 40c.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, it is desirable that the grease storage unit 20, the plunger pump 30 and the air operated valve 40 are connected in a form that is almost directly connected in order to prevent air contamination and grease deterioration as much as possible. . Further, it is desirable that the discharge side of the nozzle 50, the decompression container 60, etc. is provided above the suction side so that air can be easily removed.

  In the pressurizing unit 70, the compressed air supplied from an air source (not shown) through the inlet 70 a passes through the sixth flow path 6 having the second ball valve 71, and the fifth branch unit A Separately supplied to the flow path 5 and the seventh flow path 7. The seventh flow path 7 is connected to the second branch portion B. The second branch portion B includes an eighth flow path 8 connected to the outside air and a ninth flow path 9 connected to the grease storage section 20. And are connected. On the other hand, the other of the first branch part A is connected to the air introduction part 40d of the air operated valve 40 via the fifth flow path 5 described above. In the seventh flow path 7, an air regulator 72, an electromagnetic valve 73, a third ball valve 74, and a pressure gauge 75 for reducing the pressure of air from the first branch part A to the second branch part B are provided. It is provided in order. Further, the fifth flow path 5 is provided with an electromagnetic switching valve 76 and a fourth ball valve 77 in this order from the first branch portion A to the air operated valve 40. Further, a fifth ball valve 78 is provided in the eighth flow path 8.

  The control unit 80 controls opening and closing of the electromagnetic switching valve 76 based on the driving state of the plunger pump 30. When the plunger pump 30 is stopped, the control unit 80 closes the electromagnetic switching valve 76, and opens the electromagnetic switching valve 76 when the plunger pump 30 is driven.

  The opening / closing operation of the air operated valve 40 is performed by the opening / closing operation of the electromagnetic switching valve 76 by the control unit 80 as described above. That is, by setting the electromagnetic switching valve 76 to the open position, the operating air is introduced into the air introducing portion 40d of the air operating valve 40, and the inlet 40a communicates with the first outlet 40b. On the other hand, by setting the electromagnetic switching valve 76 to the closed position, the operating air is not introduced into the air introducing portion 40d of the air operating valve 40, and the inlet 40a communicates with the second outlet 40c.

  The control unit 80 controls the driving and stopping of the plunger pump 30 and the number of rotations of the plunger 35. The amount of grease discharged is determined by the number of rotations of the plunger 35 and the swing angle θ of the plunger 35.

  The grease injecting apparatus configured as described above opens the electromagnetic valve 73 and the first to fourth ball valves 51, 71, 74, 77, closes the fifth ball valve 78, and uses the plunger pump 30 to suck and Discharge operation is performed. Further, by opening and closing these valves, the inside of the pressurizing unit 70 can be opened to the atmosphere, and air can be allowed to flow only through an arbitrary flow path.

  Next, the flow of grease and the operation of the pressurizing unit 70 when using the grease supply device will be described. First, the compressed air supplied from the inlet 70 a flows through the sixth and seventh flow paths 6 and 7, is accurately decompressed by the air regulator 72, and then flows into the grease storage unit 20. The grease stored in the grease storage unit 20 is pressurized from the upper layer by the pressure of the air that has flowed in. Thereby, the pressure of the grease in the 1st flow path 1 from the discharge outlet 20b of the grease storage part 20 to the plunger pump 30 rises. By driving the plunger pump 30 in this state, the plunger pump 30 can easily suck and discharge grease. The grease discharged from the plunger pump 30 passes through the air operated valve 40 and is discharged from the nozzle 50 via the first outlet 40b.

  When the plunger pump 30 is stopped, the control unit 80 stops the plunger 35 at the position shown in FIG. 3A, closes the electromagnetic switching valve 76, and connects the inlet 40a of the air operated valve 40 to the second outlet 40c. Is introduced into the decompression vessel 60. As a result, the grease leaking out due to the residual pressure in the flow path is guided to the decompression container 60, so that when the plunger pump 30 is stopped, it is possible to prevent the grease from being discharged from the discharge nozzle 50 more than necessary. It becomes possible to discharge grease well.

  Further, the pressure reducing container 60 has a structure that can be removed from the fourth flow path 4 as needed when the grease is accumulated, the upper end and the lower end are sandwiched and contracted, and the volume thereof can be reduced. Thereby, the accumulated grease can be easily discharged, and can be reused by returning the grease to the grease storage unit 20.

  Although the embodiments of the invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications, additions, substitutions, and the like can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the plunger pump 30 may be a plunger pump including a multiple plunger, and an electromagnetic switching valve may be used instead of the air operated valve 40.

It is a block diagram of the semi-solid fluid supply apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of a plunger pump. It is a figure explaining the principle of operation of a plunger pump.

Explanation of symbols

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 ... flow path, 20 ... grease storage, 30 ... plunger pump, 31 ... pump head, 32 ... drive joint, 33 ... pump bracket, 34 ... cylinder 35 ... plunger, 36a ... suction port, 36b ... discharge port, 37 ... plunger support pin, 38 ... spherical ball bearing, 40 ... air operated valve, 50 ... nozzle, 51 ... first ball valve, 60 ... decompression vessel, 70 ... pressurizing section, 71 ... second ball valve, 72 ... air regulator, 73 ... electromagnetic valve, 74 ... third ball valve, 75 ... pressure gauge, 76 ... electromagnetic switching valve, 77 ... fourth ball valve, 78 ... first 5-ball valve, 80... Control unit.

Claims (3)

A semi-solid fluid reservoir for storing the semi-solid fluid;
A valveless plunger pump that has a suction port and a discharge port, and sucks the semi-solid fluid from the semi-solid fluid reservoir through the suction port and discharges it through the discharge port;
A flow path switching unit having an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, and switching the flow path of the semi-solid fluid by communicating the inlet with the first outlet or the second outlet;
A nozzle connected to the first outlet of the flow path switching unit to discharge the semi-solid fluid to a predetermined location;
A decompression vessel connected to the second outlet of the flow path switching unit;
A pressurizing unit for pressurizing the inside of the semi-solid fluid storage unit;
A control unit that communicates the inlet and the first outlet of the flow path switching unit when the plunger pump is operated, and communicates the inlet and the second outlet of the flow path switching unit when the plunger pump is stopped. A semi-solid fluid supply device.   The semi-solid fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the consistency of the semi-solid fluid is 250 or more and 300 or less.   The semi-solid fluid supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the decompression container is a bellows type container.

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