JP2009166854A - Material filling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a material filling apparatus transferring a material and filling a syringe container with the material, efficiently. <P>SOLUTION: The material filling apparatus 1 comprises: a first container 10 in which the material M is stored; a plurality of second containers 20 fitted to the first container, and a centrifugal force acting means (a motor 30, a rotating shaft 32 and a holding part 34) for acting a centrifugal force toward the side face 14 of the first container to the material. In the side face, a plurality of through-holes 15 are formed, and a plurality of the second containers are communicated with the first container through a plurality of the through-holes, and by giving the centrifugal force to the material by the centrifugal force acting means, the material is extruded from the through-holes to fill the second containers with it. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a material filling apparatus.

  In materials (paste-like materials) used in the medical field and industrial field, materials that do not contain bubbles are required. As a device capable of producing a material that does not contain bubbles therein, a device that rotates and revolves a container in which the material is stored is known (see Patent Document 1). According to this apparatus, bubbles existing in the material can be removed using the centrifugal force of rotation and revolution, and the material can be kneaded and defoamed with high accuracy.

  Further, in the medical field and the industrial field, a technique for accurately discharging a paste-like material is required, and development of a highly accurate dispenser and syringe container is being advanced in order to meet such a request (see Patent Document 2). ).

  Here, in the field of paste material processing equipment (manufacturing equipment) typified by the stirring and defoaming device of Patent Document 1, a large amount is used at a time for the purpose of improving processing efficiency and preventing product variation between lots. The demand for processing these materials is increasing, and development of a device equipped with a large processing tank is underway.

However, even if a large amount of material can be processed at one time, in order for the end user to use the material (to provide the material to the end user), the processed material must be It is necessary to transfer the container to a user-friendly container.
Japanese Patent No. 3896449 JP 2005-13841 A

  By the way, the paste-like material may be used in a state of being filled in an elongated container called a syringe container, but generally its capacity is not so large. And if the processing tank is increased in size, the capacity difference between the processing tank and the syringe container will increase, so there is a demand for a technique for simultaneously filling a plurality of syringe containers with materials contained in one processing tank. Expected to increase. Moreover, in order to accurately discharge the material filled in the syringe container, it is important to fill the material so that air does not enter the syringe container.

  The objective of this invention is providing the material filling apparatus which enables the material accommodated in the processing tank to be efficiently transferred and filled to a syringe container.

(1) The material filling apparatus according to the present invention is
A first container containing the material;
A plurality of second containers attached to the first container;
Centrifugal force application means for applying a centrifugal force toward the side surface of the first container to the material by rotating the first container around a predetermined rotation axis passing through the inside of the first container;
Including
A plurality of through holes are formed on the side surface,
The plurality of second containers communicate with the first container through the plurality of through holes,
By applying a centrifugal force to the material by the centrifugal force applying means, the material is pushed out of the through hole and filled into the second container.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to fill a plurality of second containers with materials from one container (first container) in parallel. Therefore, the material filling operation can be performed efficiently.

(2) In this material filling device,
The side surface may be configured such that the inner diameter changes along the height direction.

  According to this, since the region where the material gathers can be regulated, the material filling operation can be performed more efficiently.

(3) In this material filling device,
The side surface may have a first region whose inner diameter becomes wider upward.

(4) In this material filling device,
The side surface further includes a second region disposed on the upper side of the first region and having an inner diameter narrowing toward the upper side,
The through hole may be formed between the first and second regions.

(5) In this material filling device,
The through hole may be formed at a position where the first container does not rotate and does not contact the material.

(6) In this material filling device,
A vacuum chamber containing the first container;
Pressure reducing means for reducing the pressure in the vacuum chamber;
May further be included.

(7) In this material filling device,
The second container is a syringe container in which a piston is disposed, and the vacuum chamber is depressurized in a state where the first container does not rotate, so that the second container is more than the piston through the through hole. The tip region may be depressurized.

  According to this material filling apparatus, the inside of the second container (in particular, the region at the tip of the piston) can be depressurized. Therefore, it is possible to fill the second container with material so that air does not enter the second container.

(8) In this material filling device,
The inner wall surface of the side surface may have a circular cross section cut along a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis.

(9) In this material filling device,
The inner wall surface of the side surface has a polygonal cross section cut along a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis,
The through hole may be arranged at a vertex of the polygon.

(10) In this material filling apparatus,
The first container has a partition member that partitions the internal space,
Each of the plurality of second containers may be attached so as to communicate with any of a plurality of regions partitioned by the partition member.

  Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and all configurations described in the following embodiments are not necessarily essential to the present invention. Moreover, this invention shall include what combined the following content freely.

  Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described below. FIG. 1A to FIG. 3 are diagrams for explaining the material filling apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.

(1) Configuration of Material Filling Device 1 The configuration of the material filling device 1 will be described below. FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are diagrams for explaining the material filling apparatus 1.

  The material filling apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a first container 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 (A) and 1 (B). The first container 10 includes a side surface 14 and a bottom surface 16. In the present embodiment, the side surface 14 includes the first region 11 whose inner diameter increases toward the upper side (toward the second region 12 / away from the bottom surface 16). The side surface 14 also includes a second region 12 that is disposed on the upper side of the first region 11 and has an inner diameter that narrows upward (an inner diameter increases toward the first region 11). That is, in the present embodiment, the first container 10 is configured such that the inner diameter is the largest between the first and second regions 11 and 12.

  In the present embodiment, the side surface 14 is formed with a plurality of through holes 15. The through hole 15 is formed between the first and second regions 11 and 12 on the side surface 14 (region where the inner diameter is the widest). As shown in FIG. 1B, the first container 10 is configured such that a cross section of the side surface 14 (a cross section when cut along a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis L of the first container 10) is a square. ing. And the through-hole 15 is arrange | positioned at this square vertex.

  The first container 10 has a stopper 17 as shown in FIG. The stopper 17 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the side surface 14 via a flange. In the present embodiment, the stopper 17 is configured so that the overall shape is a U-shape (C-shape / U-shape). However, the stopper 17 may have a structure capable of holding the second container 20 in an airtight manner (for example, a bottomed cylindrical shape). The first container 10 can be made of any known material, and can be made of resin or metal, for example.

  The first container 10 stores the material M. The material M is stored in a region defined by the inner wall surface (the side surface 14 and the bottom surface 16) of the first container 10. In the present embodiment, the material M includes, for example, paste solder, dental impression material, dental cement (such as a hole filling agent), an adhesive, and a highly viscous liquid medicine. In the present embodiment, the material M is stored so that the liquid level of the material M is lower than that of the through hole 15. By adjusting the shape of the first container 10 and the amount of the material M, the material M and the through hole 15 can be set to be non-contact.

  The material filling apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of second containers 20 attached to the first first container 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 (A) and 1 (B). The second container 20 has an elongated syringe container 22. The syringe container 22 has a nozzle shape with a small diameter at the tip. The second container 20 has a plunger 25 disposed inside the syringe container 22. The plunger 25 includes a piston 24, a rod portion 26, and a pressing portion 28, and a seal member (O-ring) is provided on the outer periphery of the piston 24. Thereby, the front-end | tip part and base end part of the syringe container 22 are airtightly isolated on both sides of the piston 24.

  The second container 20 is attached to the first container 10 so as to communicate with the first container 10 through the through hole 15. In the present embodiment, the second container 20 is attached to the first container 10 so that the tip fits into the through hole 15 as shown in FIGS. 1 (A) and 1 (B). Note that if the second container 20 is attached to the first container 10 so that the tip thereof is closely fitted to the through hole 15, the material M can be prevented from leaking from the through hole 15 during the material filling process. it can. The second container 20 is also attached to the first container 10 so as not to be detached from the first container 10 in the step of applying a centrifugal force to the material M to be described later. In the present embodiment, the second container 20 is attached so as not to be detached from the first container 10 by coming into contact with the fixing pin 18 attached to the stopper 17.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the material filling device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a motor 30, a rotating shaft 32 that rotates by the driving force of the motor 30, and a holding member that rotates as the rotating shaft 32 rotates. Part 34. Note that the first container 10 is held by the holding unit 34 and rotates as the holding unit 34 rotates. Then, when the first container 10 rotates, a centrifugal force directed to the side surface 14 (the inner wall surface of the first container 10) acts on the material M. From this, the holding part 34 and the motor 30 that rotates the holding part 34 and the rotating shaft 32 can be combined, and can be regarded as a centrifugal force acting means for applying a centrifugal force to the material M. In the present embodiment, the first container 10 rotates around a virtual straight line (rotation axis L) passing through the center of the rotation shaft 32. The centrifugal force acting means is configured such that the rotation axis L passes through the center of the first container 10 (bottom surface 16) and is orthogonal to the bottom surface 16.

  The material filling apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a chamber 40, a connection tool 42, a suction pipe 44, and a vacuum pump 46 as shown in FIG. The chamber 40 is attached to the first container 10 via a flange. In the present embodiment, the first container 10 is configured as an upper open type, covers the opening formed on the upper surface of the first container 10, and covers the chamber 40 and the first container 10. The chamber 40 is attached so as to have an airtight structure. A suction pipe 44 is communicated with the chamber 40 via a connector 42, and the inside of the chamber 40 is decompressed by a vacuum pump 46. Further, since the chamber 40 and the first container 10 have an airtight structure, when the pressure inside the chamber 40 is reduced, the inside of the first container 10 is reduced. That is, the chamber 40, the connection tool 42, the suction pipe 44, and the vacuum pump 46 may be referred to as decompression means for decompressing the first container 10. In the present embodiment, the chamber 40 rotates with the rotation of the first container 10, but the suction pipe 44 can be protected by using a rotary joint as the connection tool 42. However, as a modification, the configuration of the connection tool 42 can be simplified by configuring the chamber 40 so as not to contact the first container 10. For example, the chamber 40 may be configured to accommodate the first and second containers 10 and 20. Further, in the present embodiment, the through hole 15 is disposed so as not to contact the material M. Therefore, when the inside of the first container 10 is depressurized, the inside of the second container 20 (syringe container 22) is depressurized through the through hole 15. In particular, it is possible to depressurize the region of the syringe container 22 at the tip of the piston 24.

(2) Operation of Material Filling Device 1 Next, the operation of the material filling device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the material filling apparatus 1.

  In the material filling device 1, the inside of the first container 10 is decompressed by the decompression means, and thereby the second container 20 (the region at the tip of the syringe container 22 than the piston 24) is decompressed via the through hole 15. The Then, the motor 30 is driven in a state where the first container 10 and the second container 20 are decompressed. As a result, the rotation shaft 32 and the holding portion 34 rotate, and the first container 10 rotates about the rotation axis L as the holding portion 34 rotates. When the first container 10 rotates, the material M accommodated in the first container 10 rotates with this, and centrifugal force acts, as shown in FIGS. 2 (A) and 2 (B), The material M is pressed against the side surface 14 (the inner wall surface of the first container 10).

  In the material filling apparatus 1, the side surface 14 of the first container 10 is configured to include a first region 11 whose inner diameter becomes wider upward. Therefore, when the material M is pressed against the first region 11 by the action of centrifugal force, a force directed upward (second region 12) acts on the material M along the inner wall surface of the first region 11. The liquid level of the material M rises due to the influence of the force, and a part of the material M reaches the second region 12. Here, since the inner diameter of the second region 12 becomes wider downward, when the material M is pressed against the second region 12 by the action of centrifugal force, the material M has the second region 12 in the second region 12. A force directed downward (first region 11) acts along the inner wall surface. That is, as shown in FIG. 2 (A), a force directed between the first region 11 and the second region 12 acts on the material M, and the material M has the first and second regions 11 and 12. Collected during. In the present embodiment, since the through hole 15 is formed between the first and second regions 11 and 12, a force toward the through hole 15 acts on the material M, and the through hole 15. The second container 20 that is pushed out of the through hole 15 by the force and communicates with the through hole 15 is filled.

  In the material filling device 1, the first container 10 is configured such that a cross section (a cross section cut along a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis L) has a square shape. Therefore, a force directed toward the apex of the cross section along the side surface 14 acts on the material M pressed against the side surface 14 of the first container 10, and the material is collected at the apex. Since the through hole 15 is formed at the apex of the cross section, the material M is subjected to a force toward the through hole 15 to be collected in the through hole 15 and communicated with the through hole 15. The container 20 is filled.

  That is, in the material filling device 1, a force directed to the through hole 15 from the vertical direction and the horizontal direction of the first container 10 acts on the material M. Therefore, the material M can be efficiently collected in the through hole 15 and a large centrifugal force (pressing force) toward the through hole 15 can be applied to the material M. Therefore, it becomes possible to efficiently fill the second container 20 with the material M. Moreover, since it becomes difficult for the material M to stay in the 1st container 10, all the materials M can be filled into the 2nd container 20, and the waste of the material M can be eliminated.

  In the material filling device 1, as shown in FIG. 2A, the plunger 25 (pressing portion 28) comes into contact with the stopper 17 when the second container 20 is filled with a predetermined amount of material M. It is configured. Therefore, it is possible to fill the second container 20 with a desired amount of the material M.

(3) Effects Hereinafter, the effects obtained by the material filling device 1 according to the present embodiment will be summarized.

  According to the material filling apparatus 1, centrifugal force is applied to the material M by rotating the first container 10, and the material M accommodated in the first container 10 is filled into the second container 20. According to this, since the material M is pushed out from the side surface 14, it becomes possible to fill the plurality of second containers 20 with the material M in parallel. In particular, the larger the capacity of the first container 10 (the longer the outer periphery of the side surface 14), the greater the number of second containers 20 that can be attached, and the filling efficiency can be increased. In addition, since the centrifugal force is used, a large force can be applied to the material M, so even a highly viscous material can be efficiently filled (transferred) into the second container 20. become.

  In addition, according to the material filling device 1, the second container 20 can be decompressed before the second container 20 is filled with the material M. That is, since the second container 20 can be filled with the material M after the second container 20 is depressurized, the material M can be filled so that air bubbles do not enter the second container 20. it can. In particular, even when the syringe container 22 provided with the piston 24 is used as the second container 20, the material M can be filled so that bubbles do not enter the region beyond the piston 24.

(4) Filling method Next, the filling method of the material M using the material filling apparatus 1 which concerns on this Embodiment is demonstrated. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the filling method of the material M.

  First, the inside of the 1st container 10 and the inside of the 2nd container 20 are pressure-reduced by a pressure reduction means (step S10). Next, the holding part 34 is rotated using the motor 30 to rotate the first container 10, and centrifugal force is applied to the material M (step S <b> 12). Through the above steps, the material M accommodated in the first container 10 can be filled into the second container 20. In addition, before the process of decompressing the inside of the first container 10 and the second container 20, the process of storing the material M in the first container 10 and the process of attaching the second container 20 to the first container 10. And the process which installs the 1st container 10 in the holding | maintenance part 34 is performed.

(5) Modified Example Next, a modified example of the embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described.

(First modification)
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the first modification. In the present modification, the material filling apparatus includes a first container 50 shown in FIG. 4 instead of the first container 10. A plurality of through holes 55 are formed in the side surface 54 of the first container 50. The through holes 55 are formed at a plurality of positions (a plurality of height positions) shifted in the height direction of the first container 50. The through holes 55 may be arranged in a lattice pattern, or may be arranged in a staggered manner (alternately). Then, the second container 20 is attached to each through hole 55. According to this material filling apparatus, the amount of the second container 20 that can be attached to one first container 50 increases. Therefore, the material M can be filled in many second containers 20 by a single process, so that the filling process of the material M can be performed efficiently.

(Second modification)
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a second modification. In the present modification, the material filling device includes a first container 60 shown in FIG. 5 instead of the first container 10. As shown in FIG. 5, the first container 60 has a circular cross section. A plurality of through holes 65 are formed in the side surface 64 of the first container 60. Even when the first container 60 is used, the material M can be filled in the second container 20.

  When the first container 60 is used, a process of causing the material M to flow in the lateral direction along the side surface 64 may be performed in the step of applying a centrifugal force to the material M. For example, the material M can be caused to flow in the lateral direction by changing the rotation speed of the first container 60 (such as repeating acceleration and deceleration). This makes it possible to fill the second container 20 with all the material M.

(Third Modification)
FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a third modification. In the present modification, the material filling apparatus includes a first container 70 shown in FIG. 6 instead of the first container 10. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the first container 70 includes a partition member 72 that partitions an internal space (specifically, a space in which at least the material M is stored in the internal space). A plurality of regions partitioned by the partition member 72 (the first container 70 and the partition member 72) in the internal space of the first container 70 are referred to as regions A, respectively. In the present embodiment, a plurality of through holes 75 are formed on the side surface 74 of the first container 70 so as to communicate with any one of the regions A. Then, the second container 20 is attached to each through hole 75.

  According to this filling apparatus, the material M accommodated in each region A is filled into any second container 20. Therefore, by storing the same amount of the material M in the region A, it is possible to fill the plurality of second containers 20 with the same amount of the material M.

(Other variations)
As another modified example, a first container whose cross section is an ellipse, a quadrangle such as a rectangle or a rhombus, a triangle such as a regular triangle, or a polygon that is a pentagon or more (regular polygon) can be used. And the 1st container can be constituted so that a plurality of penetration holes arranged on one section (section perpendicular to rotation axis L) may be arranged in the position equidistant from rotation axis L. . Even when this first container is used, the material M can be filled efficiently.

The figure for demonstrating the structure of a material filling apparatus. The figure for demonstrating operation | movement of a material filling apparatus. The flowchart for demonstrating the material filling method. The figure for demonstrating the structure of the material filling apparatus which concerns on a 1st modification. The figure for demonstrating the structure of the material filling apparatus which concerns on a 2nd modification. The figure for demonstrating the structure of the material filling apparatus which concerns on a 3rd modification.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Material filling apparatus, 10 ... 1st container, 11 ... 1st area | region, 12 ... 2nd area | region, 14 ... Side surface, 15 ... Through-hole, 16 ... Bottom face, 17 ... Stopper, 18 ... Fixing pin, 20 2nd container, 22 ... Syringe container, 24 ... Piston, 25 ... Plunger, 26 ... Rod part, 28 ... Pressing part, 30 ... Motor, 32 ... Rotating shaft, 34 ... Holding part, 40 ... Chamber, 42 ... Connector: 44 ... Suction tube, 46 ... Vacuum pump, 50 ... First container, 54 ... Side surface, 55 ... Through hole, 60 ... First container, 64 ... Side surface, 70 ... First container, 72 ... Partition 74, side surface, 75 ... through hole, A ... region, L ... rotation axis M ... material

Claims (10)

A first container containing the material;
A plurality of second containers attached to the first container;
Centrifugal force application means for applying a centrifugal force toward the side surface of the first container to the material by rotating the first container around a predetermined rotation axis passing through the inside of the first container;
Including
A plurality of through holes are formed on the side surface,
The plurality of second containers communicate with the first container through the plurality of through holes,
A material filling apparatus that pushes the material from the through hole and fills the second container by applying a centrifugal force to the material by the centrifugal force acting means. The material filling device according to claim 1,
The said side is a material filling apparatus comprised so that an internal diameter may change along a height direction. The material filling device according to claim 2,
The material filling device, wherein the side surface has a first region whose inner diameter becomes wider upward. The material filling device according to claim 3, wherein
The side surface further includes a second region disposed on the upper side of the first region and having an inner diameter narrowing toward the upper side,
The through hole is a material filling device formed between the first and second regions. In the material filling apparatus according to claim 3 or 4,
The through hole is a material filling device formed at a position where the first container does not rotate and does not contact the material. The material filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A material filling apparatus further comprising a decompression means for decompressing the inside of the first container. The material filling device according to claim 6, which refers to claim 5.
The second container is a syringe container having a piston disposed therein, and the first container is depressurized in a state where the first container does not rotate, thereby allowing the second container to pass through the through hole. A material filling device in which the region at the tip of the piston is depressurized. The material filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The inner wall surface of the side surface is a material filling device in which a cross section cut by a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis is circular. The material filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The inner wall surface of the side surface has a polygonal cross section cut along a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis,
The through hole is a material filling device arranged at the apex of the polygon. The material filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The first container has a partition member that partitions the internal space,
The plurality of second containers are each a material filling device attached so as to communicate with any of a plurality of regions partitioned by the partition member.

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