JP2010173677A - Material filling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a material filling apparatus that efficiently fills even a highly viscous material while preventing bubbles from being mixed into the material, that evenly fills the material into a plurality of containers, and that has a simple configuration. <P>SOLUTION: The material filling apparatus 1 fills a material M held in a first container 20 into a plurality of second containers 120. The apparatus 1 includes: a material transfer unit having the first container with a plurality of through-holes 30 formed in the side surfaces 22 thereof, and a second container holding part 40 that holds the second container in an area outside the first container; and a rotating-and-driving mechanism 200 that rotates the material transfer unit around a predetermined rotation axis and transfers the material to the second container via the through-holes. The internal surface 24 of the first container has a lower area 32 and an upper area 34. The lower area is a surface inclining toward the upper area. The upper area is a surface inclining toward the lower area. The through-holes are formed so that openings are disposed in the upper area. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a material filling device, and more particularly, to a material filling device that fills another container with a material stored in a given container using centrifugal force.

  Various apparatuses are known as apparatuses for filling materials using centrifugal force (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). Since these filling devices utilize centrifugal force, even a highly viscous material can be filled. Further, as a method of filling a material using centrifugal force, a method of filling a plurality of containers (containers) with a material (liquid crystal L) in one container (storage tank) as in Patent Document 3 is known. Yes. Furthermore, there is known an apparatus for stirring and defoaming a material (revolving and revolving type stirring and defoaming apparatus) by rotating and revolving a container in which the material is stored (see Patent Document 4).

JP 2002-80005 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-201000 JP 7-281200 A JP 2000-271465 A

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to increase the working efficiency because the viscous material is once formed into a rod-like, small-bulb, or thin-film shape and then filled into the discharge container. Moreover, in the technique described in Patent Document 2, the apparatus configuration is easily increased in size, and the number of parts is large, so that there is a possibility that it takes time to clean the parts. Furthermore, in the technique described in Patent Document 3, it takes time to transfer the material to the storage tank, particularly as the material becomes highly viscous, and air may be mixed into the material when the material is transferred to the storage tank. There is.

  In addition, the rotation / revolution type stirring and defoaming device described in Patent Document 4 stirs (kneads, mixes, disperses) the material and releases bubbles (that is, defoams) in the material. ) And can be used to manufacture electronic component materials such as solder paste and liquid crystal panel sealants. By the way, electronic component materials are usually filled in a container called a syringe and precisely applied / discharged by a dispenser. In a rotating / revolving stirring / defoaming device, in order to process the material accurately, a syringe and Generally, dedicated containers having different shapes are used. Therefore, the material that has been accurately stirred and defoamed by the above-described rotation / revolution type stirring and defoaming device is used by being filled into the syringe from the dedicated container for stirring and defoaming. However, if bubbles are mixed into the material when filling the syringe from the dedicated container, a situation may occur in which the performance of the rotation / revolution type stirring and defoaming device cannot be fully utilized. From this, the advent of a technology capable of filling the syringe with the material processed by the rotation / revolution type stirring and defoaming device from the dedicated container in a short time so that bubbles are not mixed has been awaited. .

  According to one aspect of the present invention, even a high-viscosity material can be efficiently filled so that bubbles do not enter, and moreover, a plurality of syringe containers can be uniformly filled with a material. It is an object of the present invention to provide a possible material filling method and a material filling device that can realize this and has a simple configuration.

(1) The material filling apparatus according to the present invention is
A material filling device for filling a plurality of second containers with a material held in a first container,
A material transfer unit comprising: a first container having a plurality of through holes formed on a side surface; and a second container holding unit configured to hold a plurality of second containers in a region outside the first container;
The material transfer unit is rotated around a predetermined axis of rotation passing through the inside of the first container, and a centrifugal force directed to the side surface is applied to the material held in the first container, and the material A rotational drive mechanism for transferring the plurality of second containers to the plurality of second containers through the through holes;
Including
The inner wall surface of the first container has a lower region and an upper region arranged in a vertical direction,
The lower region is an inclined surface facing the upper region side,
The upper region is an inclined surface facing the lower region side,
The plurality of through holes are formed such that openings are disposed in the upper region.

  According to the present invention, when the material is transferred and filled into the second container, the material can be brought into contact with the plurality of through-holes (substantially) at the same time, and variation in the filling amount of each second container can be reduced. Can do.

(2) In this material filling device,
The plurality of through holes may be formed so that the openings are arranged at positions adjacent to the lower region.

(3) In this material filling device,
The first container holding unit, the relay member, and the second container holding unit may be configured to rotate at the same rotational speed.

It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the material filling apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the material filling apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the material filling apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the material filling apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the material filling apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the material filling apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the material filling apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the material filling apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the material filling apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the principle of a rotation-revolution type stirring deaerator. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the material filling apparatus which concerns on a modification.

  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. That is, all the configurations described in the following embodiments are not necessarily essential to the present invention. Moreover, this invention includes what combined the following content freely.

(1) Configuration of Material Filling Device 1 First, the configuration of the material filling device 1 according to the embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described. 1-3 is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the material filling apparatus 1. FIG. Here, FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the material filling apparatus 1, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the filling apparatus unit 100. The material filling device 1 is configured as a device that holds the material M stored in one storage container 110 in the first container 20 and then distributes and fills the plurality of second containers 120 simultaneously. The storage container 110 applied in the present embodiment is configured such that the upper end is open and the inner side surface 112 is an inclined surface facing the upper end side. The storage container 110 is configured such that a cross section obtained by cutting the inner side surface 112 along a horizontal plane is circular.

(A) Filling device unit 100
The material filling device 1 includes a filling device unit 100. Hereinafter, the configuration of the filling device unit 100 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the filling device unit 100 includes a storage container holding unit 10. The storage container holding unit 10 plays a role of holding the storage container 110. As shown in FIG. 1, the storage container holding unit 10 is configured to hold the storage container 110 with an upper end (opening) facing upward. Although not shown in particular, the storage container holding unit 10 can be configured to include an idling prevention mechanism for preventing the storage container 110 from idling inside.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the filling device unit 100 includes a first container 20. The first container 20 plays a role of relaying the material M when filling the second container 120 with the material M stored in the storage container 110. That is, the material M stored in the storage container 110 is transferred to the first container 20 and held in the first container 20, and then transferred to the second container 120. As will be described in detail later, in the present embodiment, the material M is held in the first container 20 by the action of centrifugal force. The first container 20 can also be referred to as a relay container (relay member).

  The first container 20 includes a side surface 22 that surrounds the upper end of the storage container 110. When the storage container 110 is attached to the storage container holding unit 10 (at least during the material filling process), the filling device unit 100 is configured such that the upper end of the storage container 110 is the inner wall surface of the first container 20 (the inner peripheral surface of the side surface 22). 24) is configured to be arranged in the partitioned area A1 partitioned by (24). In the present embodiment, the first container 20 includes a lower flange portion 26 protruding from the lower end of the side surface 22 (inner peripheral surface 24) and an upper flange portion 28 protruding from the upper end of the side surface 22 (inner peripheral surface 24). It is comprised including. Further, in the present embodiment, the lower collar portion 26 has a shape with an opening at the center in the top view, and the storage container 110 is disposed so as to penetrate the opening (inserted through the opening). .

  And the 1st container 20 relays the material M in the peripheral part (area | region divided by the inner peripheral surface 24, the lower collar part 26, and the upper collar part 28) of division area A1. In other words, the first container 20 temporarily holds the material M at the peripheral edge of the partition region A1.

  In the present embodiment, the inner peripheral surface 24 of the first container 20 includes a lower region 32 and an upper region 34 arranged in the vertical direction. The lower region 32 is an inclined surface facing the upper region 34 side, and the upper region 34 is an inclined surface facing the lower region 32 side. That is, in the 1st container 20, it inclines so that the normal line of the lower area | region 32 may face upwards rather than a horizontal direction, and it inclines so that the normal line of the upper area | region 34 may face downwards rather than a horizontal direction. Moreover, the 1st container 20 is comprised so that the cross section which cut | disconnected the internal peripheral surface 24 (compartment area | region A1) with the horizontal surface may become circular.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the side surface 22 has a plurality of through holes 30 for communicating the inside and the outside of the first container 20 (side surface 22) (the partition area A1 and the internal space of the second container 120). Is formed. In the present embodiment, the through hole 30 is formed so that the opening (opening on the partition area A1 side) is arranged in the upper area 34. In other words, the through hole 30 is arranged avoiding the lower region 32. In the present embodiment, the through hole 30 is formed so that the opening is disposed at the lower end of the upper region 34. In other words, the through hole 30 is formed such that the opening is disposed at a position adjacent to the lower region 32. Moreover, in this Embodiment, all the some through-holes 30 are arrange | positioned at equal intervals on the same horizontal surface.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the filling device unit 100 includes a plurality of second container holding portions 40. The second container holding unit 40 plays a role of holding the second container 120. The 2nd container holding part 40 is comprised so that the 2nd container 120 may be hold | maintained in the area | region outside the 1st container 20 (side 22). In the present embodiment, the second container holding part 40 includes a center fixing part 42 that fixes the center part of the second container 120 and a tip holding part 44 that holds the tip part of the second container 120. ing. The first container 20 and the second container holding part 40 can be collectively referred to as a material transfer unit.

  In the present embodiment, the filling device unit 100 is a process of filling at least the material M into the second container 120, and the relative positions of the storage container holding unit 10, the first container 20, and the second container holding unit 40. It is configured so that the relationship does not change. Specifically, the filling device unit 100 includes a first substrate 52, and the storage container holding unit 10 is fixed to the first substrate 52. The filling device unit 100 has four support members 54 fixed to the first substrate 52, and the first container 20 is fixed to the support member 54. Further, the filling device unit 100 includes a second substrate 56 fixed to the support member 54, and the second container holding unit 40 is fixed to the second substrate 56. Thereby, the filling apparatus unit 100 can be set as the structure by which the relative positional relationship of the storage container holding | maintenance part 10, the 1st container 20, and the 2nd container holding | maintenance part 40 does not change. In the present embodiment, the filling device unit 100 has a configuration in which the first container 20 can be attached and detached.

  In the present embodiment, the filling device unit 100 further includes a material relay pipe 58. The material relay pipe 58 is attached to the outer surface of the first container 20 so that one end communicates with the through hole 30 of the first container 20. Further, the material relay pipe 58 is attached so that the other end is disposed in the second container 120.

(B) Rotation drive mechanism 200
The material filling apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has a rotation drive mechanism 200 that rotationally drives the filling apparatus unit 100. Hereinafter, the configuration of the rotation drive mechanism 200 will be described.

  The rotation drive mechanism 200 has a rotation shaft 60 fixed to the filling device unit 100 (first substrate 52). The rotating shaft 60 is a rod-like member extending in the vertical direction. And the rotating shaft 60 is fixed to the filling apparatus unit 100 so that the extension line (extension line of a center line) may pass the center of division area A1. In the present embodiment, the rotating shaft 60 is attached to the support body 300 (the bearing holding member 302 fixed to the support body 300) via the bearing 304. That is, the rotation shaft 60 is attached to the support 300 so as to be rotatable. Thereby, the filling device unit 100 is held by the support body 300 in such a manner that the filling device unit 100 can rotate around the rotation axis passing through the center of the first container 20 (the partition region A1).

  The rotation drive mechanism 200 further includes a motor 70 and a power transmission mechanism 80 that transmits the power of the motor 70 to the rotation shaft 60. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the power transmission mechanism 80 includes a motor shaft pulley 82 fixed to the shaft of the motor 70, a rotating shaft pulley 84 fixed to the rotating shaft 60, and a motor shaft pulley 82. And a belt 86 wound around the rotary shaft pulley 84. In the present embodiment, any known motor can be used as the motor 70. For example, in the present embodiment, an induction motor (induction motor) can be applied as the motor 70. The rotation speed of the induction motor can be set to an arbitrary value by controlling the frequency of the AC power output from the inverter. However, a servo motor or a PM motor can be used as the motor 70.

  As a result, the filling device unit 100 can be rotated around the rotation axis extending in the vertical direction passing through the center of the partition region A1.

(C) Storage container 110
Next, the storage container 110 applicable to this embodiment will be described. The storage container 110 is configured such that the upper end is open and the inner side surface 112 is an inclined surface facing the upper end side. That is, the storage container 110 is configured such that the outer shape of a cross section obtained by cutting the inner side surface 112 along a horizontal plane increases toward the upper end. The storage container 110 is configured such that a cross section obtained by cutting the inner side surface 112 along a horizontal plane is circular.

  In addition, as the storage container 110, a container in which a lid that closes the opening at the upper end can be attached and detached can be applied. By adopting such a configuration, the inside of the storage container 110 can be kept airtight until just before the storage container 110 is attached to the material filling device 1 (storage container holding unit 10), so that contamination of impurities can be prevented.

(D) Second container 120
The second container 120 applicable to the present embodiment is not particularly limited. That is, the second container 120 can use any member configured to be able to hold the material in a desired manner. For example, a syringe container can be used as the second container 120. Alternatively, as the second container 120, a mold or a liquid crystal panel container in which liquid crystal is filled in the internal space can be applied. Moreover, it is also possible to use the second container 120 having a cap attached to the upper end (not shown).

  The second container 120 is held by the second container holding unit 40. Therefore, the second container 120 is fixed with respect to the first container 20, and the first container 20 and the second container 120 operate integrally.

(E) Pressure reducing means The material filling apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment further includes an airtight chamber 92 for storing the filling apparatus unit 100 and a pressure reducing means 94 for reducing the pressure inside the chamber 92. In the present embodiment, the chamber 92 is disposed on the horizontal plate 310 of the support 300. Further, by disposing the magnetic fluid between the bearing holding member 302 and the rotating shaft 60, the inside of the chamber 92 can be held airtight. The decompression means 94 can be realized by a decompression pump, piping, and various valves. Moreover, the material filling apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has a configuration including a sensor 96 (pressure sensor) for measuring the atmospheric pressure in the chamber 92.

(F) Control Unit The material filling apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a control unit 210. The control unit 210 plays a role of overall control of the operation of the material filling apparatus 1. The control unit 210 controls the rotation drive mechanism 200 to adjust the rotation speed of the filling device unit 100. The control means 210 also controls the atmospheric pressure (vacuum pressure) in the chamber 92. The control means 210 can be configured to control the material filling device 1 in sequence. Hereinafter, the control unit 210 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the control unit 210.

  The control unit 210 includes a microprocessor (CPU 212), a rotation speed control unit 214 that controls the rotation drive mechanism 200, and a vacuum pressure control unit 216 that controls the vacuum pressure (atmospheric pressure) in the chamber 92. Then, the CPU 212 controls the operation of the material filling apparatus 1 by outputting various signals to the rotation speed control unit 214 and the vacuum pressure control unit 216 at a predetermined timing.

  In the present embodiment, rotation speed control unit 214 includes a motor control unit 218 that controls the number of rotations of motor 70. For example, when an induction motor is adopted as the motor 70, the motor control unit 218 is realized by an inverter control unit for controlling the operation of the inverter and setting the frequency of the AC power supplied to the motor 70 to a predetermined value. Can do. Alternatively, when a servo motor is employed as the motor 70, the motor control unit 218 is realized by a dedicated driver and hardware, and performs various processes for operating the motor 70 at a desired rotational speed.

  The vacuum pressure control unit 216 can be realized by a pump control unit that controls the operation of the decompression pump and a switching element that switches opening and closing of various valves included in the decompression unit 94. The vacuum pressure control unit 216 can be configured to control the operation of the decompression pump based on the pressure information in the chamber 92 detected by the sensor 96.

  And CPU212 performs the process which transmits various signals (Rotation speed data, vacuum pressure data, etc. of the filling apparatus unit 100) to the rotational speed control part 214 and the vacuum pressure control part 216 at a predetermined timing. Thereby, the filling device unit 100 can be rotated at a predetermined speed (angular speed / number of rotations), and the inside of the chamber 92 can be set to a desired vacuum pressure.

  In addition, the CPU 212 receives operation data (such as rotation speed data, vacuum pressure data, and operation time data of the filling device unit 100) input from the operation unit 224 and stores it in a storage unit (not shown) or a display unit 226. To display various information (operation data input from the operation unit 224, rotation speed of the filling device unit 100, vacuum pressure in the chamber 92, elapsed time, etc.).

(2) Operation | movement of material filling apparatus 1 Next, operation | movement of the material filling apparatus 1 which concerns on this Embodiment is demonstrated with reference to FIGS.

  As a preparation for operating the material filling apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 4, the storage container 110 in which the material M is stored is held in the storage container holder 10, and the second container 120 is held in the second container holder 40. In addition, the partition region A1 of the first container 20 and the second container 120 are communicated with each other through the through hole 30.

  Then, the filling device unit 100 (material transfer unit) is rotated by starting to drive the rotation driving mechanism 200. When the filling device unit 100 rotates, centrifugal force acts on the material M, and the material M is pressed against the inner side surface 112 of the storage container 110. Here, since the inner side surface 112 is an inclined surface facing the upper end side of the storage container 110, when the material M is pressed against the inner side surface 112, a force toward the upper end of the storage container 110 along the inner side surface 112 is exerted. Will work. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the material M moves toward the upper end along the inner side surface 112 while spreading thinly along the inner side surface 112 (while forming a pipe shape). And in this Embodiment, since the upper end of the storage container 110 is opening, the material M is discharged | emitted from the storage container 110 through opening of an upper end.

  By the way, the filling device unit 100 is configured such that the side surface 22 of the first container 20 surrounds the upper end (opening) of the storage container 110. In other words, in the filling device unit 100, the upper end (opening) of the storage container 110 is disposed in the partition area A1. Moreover, since the 1st container 20 is also rotating, the material M is pressed against the peripheral part (inner peripheral surface 24) of division area A1 also in the 1st container 20 by the influence of centrifugal force. Therefore, the material M discharged from the opening at the upper end of the storage container 110 is transferred to the first container 20 and held at the peripheral edge of the partition area A1 as shown in FIG.

  Then, when the material M transferred to the first container 20 receives a centrifugal force in the first container 20 and is pressed against the lower region 32, the surface of the lower region 32 is moved upward (upper region 34 / lower region 32 and It moves toward the boundary region 33) of the upper region 34. By the way, the through hole 30 is formed in the first container 20 so that the opening is disposed in the upper region 34. Therefore, the material M is transferred to the first container 20 and moves in the lower region 32 toward the upper region 34, and enters the boundary region 33 before contacting the through hole 30 (opening) as shown in FIG. 6. Will come. In the first container 20, the upper region 34 has an inclined surface facing the lower region 32, so that when the material M reaches the boundary region 33, the material M loses an upward propulsive force and the periphery of the first container 20. It spreads in the direction and fills the boundary region 33. In this process, the height of the material M is constant in the circumferential direction in the first container 20. In other words, the material M is point-symmetric about the rotation axis of the filling device unit 100 in the first container 20.

  When the filling device unit 100 is further rotated, the amount of the material M that is transferred to the first container 20 and moves toward the boundary region 33 increases, and the material M expands in accordance with the amount of the material M. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. M contacts the through hole 30 (opening). Then, the material M is discharged from the through hole 30 (material relay pipe 58). Here, in the present embodiment, in the filling device unit 100, the partition region A1 and the internal space of the second container 120 are communicated with each other through the through hole 30. Therefore, the material discharged from the through hole 30 is transferred to the internal space of the second container 120 as shown in FIG.

  That is, in the material filling device 1 according to the present embodiment, the material M stored in the storage container 110 is transferred to the peripheral portion of the partition region A1 of the first container 20 using centrifugal force, and further, the through hole The material M stored in the storage container 110 is filled in the second container 120 by being transferred to the second container 120 via 30 (material relay pipe 58).

Moreover, this material filling apparatus 1 is the material which fills the several 2nd container 120 with the material M accommodated in the storage container 110 with which the upper end is opening and the inner surface becomes the inclined surface which faces the upper end side. A filling device,
The material container M is relayed at the peripheral edge of the partition area A1 that has the storage container holding part 10 that holds the storage container 110 with the upper end facing upward and the side surface 22 that surrounds the upper end and is partitioned by the inner peripheral surface 24. A filling device unit 100 having a first container 20 and a second container holding unit 40 that holds a plurality of second containers 120 in a region outside the first container 20;
A rotation drive mechanism 200 that rotates the filling device unit 100 around a rotation axis that passes through the center of the partition region A1 and extends in the vertical direction;
Including
A through hole 30 is formed on the side surface of the first container 20,
The inner wall surface 24 of the first container 20 has a lower region 32 and an upper region 34 arranged in the vertical direction,
The lower region 32 is an inclined surface facing the upper region 34 side,
The upper region 34 is an inclined surface facing the lower region 32 side,
It can be said that the plurality of through holes 30 are material filling devices formed so that the openings are arranged in the upper region 34.

  The material filling apparatus 1 includes a chamber 92 and a decompression unit 94 that decompresses the interior of the chamber 92. Therefore, the step of filling the second container 120 with the material M stored in the storage container 110 can be performed in a state where the inside of the chamber 92 is decompressed. Specifically, after the storage container 110 and the second container 120 are held in the filling device unit 100, the inside of the chamber 92 is depressurized, and then the motor 70 is driven to fill the material M in a reduced pressure environment. It becomes possible to do.

(3) Material Filling Method Next, the material filling method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In the material filling method according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the filling container unit 100 holds the storage container 110 and the second container 120 in which the material M is stored (the storage container holding unit 10 stores the storage container 110). And the second container holding unit 40 holds the second container 120) (step S110) and the filling device unit 100 (material transfer unit) is rotated to fill the second container 120 with the material M. Process (step S120). Note that the rotation speed and rotation time of the filling device unit 100 may be values that are necessary for the process of filling the material M into the second container 120, and specific values can be derived by experiments.

(4) Material M
The material M applicable to the present embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it behaves as a fluid, and its composition and use are not particularly limited. Examples of the material M include an adhesive, a sealant, a liquid crystal material, a solder paste, a curable resin material used for molding, a dental impression material, a dental cement (such as a hole filling agent), a highly viscous liquid medicine, Various materials such as granular materials can be applied.

(5) Effects Hereinafter, functions and effects achieved by the present embodiment will be described.

  According to the material filling device 1, the second container 120 is filled with the material M stored in the storage container 110 using centrifugal force. Therefore, a large force can be applied to the material M, so that even the highly viscous material can be efficiently filled (transferred) into the second container 120. Further, since a large force is applied to the material M, the amount of the material remaining in the storage container 110 and the first container 20 can be extremely reduced, and the material M can be efficiently used.

  Moreover, according to the material filling apparatus 1, all material filling processes can be realized using centrifugal force. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a member such as a spatula at the time of filling the material, so that the material filling process can be performed so that impurities are not mixed into the material.

  Further, according to the material filling apparatus 1, the material M contacts only the first container 20 (the first container 20 and the material relay pipe 58) except for the first and second containers 110 and 120 during the material filling process. Become. Therefore, the number of parts that require cleaning can be reduced.

  Further, according to the material filling device 1, the storage container 110 has an inclined surface with the inner side surface 112 facing the upper end side, and the upper end (opening) is the first container when held by the storage container holding unit 10. What is necessary is just to be comprised so that arrangement | positioning in 20 division area | region A1 is possible, and the shape is not limited. Therefore, it is possible to provide a material filling device that can correspond to various containers (storage containers 110). Further, according to the material filling apparatus 1, the material M is transferred from the first container 20 to the second container 120. Therefore, it is sufficient that the storage container 110 is configured to be able to transfer the material M to the first container 20, and strict processing accuracy is not required.

  Further, according to the material filling device 1, when the material M is discharged from the storage container 110, the material M is in a thinly expanded state and moves toward the upper end (opening) along the inner surface 112 ( (See FIG. 5). That is, the material M receives a centrifugal force with a small thickness. Therefore, even when there are bubbles mixed in the material M, the bubbles can be released by the action of centrifugal force, so that the material M can be defoamed in the material filling step.

  In the present embodiment, the material filling apparatus 1 includes a chamber 92 and a decompression unit 94. For this reason, bubbles mixed in the material M can be efficiently discharged during the material filling process.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a plurality of through holes 30 are formed in the first container 20 (side surface 22), and the inside of the partition region A 1 and the plurality of second containers 120 is formed through the plurality of through holes 30. The space is in communication. Therefore, it is possible to provide an efficient material filling apparatus that can distribute the material M stored in the storage container 110 to the plurality of second containers 120 and simultaneously fill the material M. In addition, when the 1st container 20 is comprised so that the horizontal cross section of the internal peripheral surface 24 may become circular, since the distance of the center of the 1st container 20 and each through-hole 30 becomes equal, several through-holes In the vicinity of 30, the same amount of force is applied to the material M. Therefore, the same amount of material M can be discharged from each of the plurality of through holes 30, and the plurality of second containers 120 can be filled with the material M evenly.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the first container 20 has the through hole 30 so that the opening is disposed in the upper region 34, and is transferred to the first container 20. When the material M reaches the boundary region 33 between the lower region 32 and the upper region 34, the variation in height is reduced. Moreover, according to the material filling apparatus 1, the material M can be expanded upward (through hole 30) so that the height in the first container 20 does not vary greatly thereafter. Therefore, at the start of the process of transferring the material M to the second container 120, the material M can be brought into contact with all the through holes 30 (substantially) at the same time. From this, the transfer of the material M to all the second containers 120 is started (almost) at the same time, and variation in the amount of the material M filled in each of the second containers 120 can be reduced. It becomes possible.

  In particular, according to the present embodiment, even when the material M is unevenly distributed in the storage container 110, the process of evenly distributing and filling the material M into the plurality of second containers 120 is performed in a short time. Is possible. Therefore, even a material processed by a so-called rotation / revolution type stirring and defoaming apparatus can be equally distributed and filled in the plurality of second containers 120. Specifically, as a rotation / revolution type stirring and defoaming apparatus that is currently mainstream, as shown in FIG. 10 (A), a storage container 800 in which a material M is stored is centered on a revolving axis L1 extending vertically. 2. Description of the Related Art An apparatus that is configured to rotate around a rotation axis L2 that obliquely intersects with a revolution axis L1 is known. In this apparatus, since a high centrifugal force acts on the material M, the material M is collected in a region farthest from the revolution axis L1, and the material is unevenly distributed in the storage container 800. When the viscosity of the material M is high, the material M does not flow greatly even after the storage container 800 is taken out from the stirring and defoaming apparatus, and therefore, as shown in FIG. In some cases, the material is unevenly distributed.

  By the way, according to the present embodiment, the variation in the height of the material M can be reduced in the first container 20. Therefore, even when the material M stored in the storage container 110 is processed by the rotation / revolution type stirring and defoaming apparatus, the material M filling process (rotation drive of the filling apparatus unit 100) is immediately started. The material M can be evenly distributed and filled in the plurality of second containers 120. In the example shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, a cover body is attached to the storage container 800, so that the material M can be prevented from leaking during stirring and defoaming. In addition, since a through hole is formed in the center of the lid, if the storage container 800 rotates and revolves in a reduced pressure atmosphere, the material M is stirred and degassed while the inside of the storage container 800 is decompressed. Therefore, high defoaming performance can be realized.

(6) Modified Example Next, a modified example of the material filling apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the material filling apparatus according to the present modification.

  In this modification, the material filling apparatus includes a first container 420 shown in FIG. 11 instead of the first container 20. Hereinafter, the configuration of the first container 420 will be described.

  The first container 420 has a side surface 422. The inner peripheral surface 424 of the side surface 422 is an inclined surface facing the upper surface 480 side described later. In other words, the side surface 422 is configured such that the outer shape of the horizontal cross section of the inner peripheral surface 424 increases vertically upward. Alternatively, it can be said that the side surface 422 is inclined such that the normal line of the inner peripheral surface 424 faces upward from the horizontal plane.

  The first container 420 has a bottom surface 470. The bottom surface 470 extends to the lower end of the side surface 422 (inner peripheral surface 424). The bottom surface 470 includes a central portion 472, a peripheral edge portion 474, and an extending portion 476 that connects the central portion 472 and the peripheral edge portion 474. In the first container 420, the peripheral edge portion 474 (the lower end portion of the side surface 422) is arranged vertically below the central portion 472. The extending portion 476 is inclined so that the height decreases as the peripheral portion 474 is approached.

  The first container 420 has an upper surface 480. The upper surface 480 is a bowl-shaped member that extends to the upper end of the side surface 422 (inner peripheral surface 424). In this modification, a plurality of through holes 430 are formed in the peripheral edge portion of the upper surface 480.

  Even when the first container 420 is used, the material M can be brought into contact with all the through holes 30 (substantially) at the same time when the process of transferring the material M to the second container 120 is started. From this, the transfer of the material M to all the second containers 120 is started (almost) at the same time, and variation in the amount of the material M filled in each of the second containers 120 can be reduced. It becomes possible.

  In addition, the bottom surface 470 of the first container 420 has an extending portion 476 that is inclined. Therefore, even when a large amount of material M remains in the first container 420 during the material filling process, the material M can be prevented from spilling out of the first container 420.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Material filling apparatus, 10 ... Storage container holding part, 20 ... 1st container, 22 ... Side surface, 24 ... Inner wall surface, 26 ... Lower collar part, 28 ... Upper collar part, 30 ... Through-hole, 32 ... Lower area | region, 33 ... Boundary region, 34 ... Upper region, 40 ... Second container holding portion, 42 ... Center fixing portion, 44 ... Tip holding portion, 52 ... First substrate, 54 ... Support member, 56 ... Second substrate, 58 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS Material relay pipe 60 ... Rotating shaft 70 ... Motor 80 ... Power transmission mechanism 82 ... Motor shaft pulley 84 ... Rotating shaft pulley 86 ... Belt 92 ... Chamber 94 ... Pressure reducing means 96 ... Sensor 100 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Filling device unit 110 ... Storage container 112 ... Inner side surface 120 ... Second container 200 ... Rotation drive mechanism 210 ... Control means 214 ... Rotational speed control unit 216 ... Vacuum pressure control unit 218: Motor control unit, 224 ... Operation unit, 226 ... Display unit, 300 ... Support, 302 ... Bearing holding member, 304 ... Bearing, 420 ... First container, 422 ... Side surface, 424 ... Inner peripheral surface, 430 ... Through Hole, 470 ... Bottom, 472 ... Central part, 474 ... Peripheral part, 476 ... Extension part, 480 ... Top face, 800 ... Storage container, A1 ... Partition area, M ... Material

Claims (3)

A material filling device for filling a plurality of second containers with a material held in a first container,
A material transfer unit comprising: a first container having a plurality of through holes formed on a side surface; and a second container holding unit configured to hold a plurality of second containers in a region outside the first container;
The material transfer unit is rotated around a predetermined axis of rotation passing through the inside of the first container, and a centrifugal force directed to the side surface is applied to the material held in the first container, and the material A rotational drive mechanism for transferring the plurality of second containers to the plurality of second containers through the through holes;
Including
The inner wall surface of the first container has a lower region and an upper region arranged in a vertical direction,
The lower region is an inclined surface facing the upper region side,
The upper region is an inclined surface facing the lower region side,
The plurality of through holes are material filling devices formed such that openings are arranged in the upper region. The material filling device according to claim 1,
The material filling device, wherein the plurality of through holes are formed so that openings are disposed at positions adjacent to the lower region. The material filling device according to claim 1,
The material filling device configured to rotate the first container holding unit, the relay member, and the second container holding unit at the same rotational speed.

Images