JP2013181842A - Powder measuring and filling apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power measuring and filing apparatus capable of accurately and efficiently filling fine and low-density powder in a container while measuring filling weight in the container.SOLUTION: A container cover 30 connected to an outlet of a measurement hopper 36 through a flexible bellows cylinder 40, and positonally fixed to and supported by a machine casing 16 to cover an opening of a sheath 12 when powder is filled into the sheath 12 (container) from the measurement hopper 36 is provided. Therefore, even if vibrations are transferred to the container cover 30 for covering the opening of the sheath 12 when an excitation device 42 applies the vibrations to the sheath 12, the vibrations are hardly transferred to the measurement hopper 36 connected to the container cover 30 through the bellows cylinder 40, and since the vibrations are also hardly transferred to a weight measuring instrument 32 supporting the measurement hopper, a powder providing and filling device 10 having high durability can be obtained.

Description

  The present invention relates to a powder metering and filling apparatus that efficiently and finely fills a container with a powder, for example, a fine powder having a low specific gravity such as a carbon material.

  For example, when a carbon material constituting a negative electrode of a lithium ion battery is subjected to a firing treatment, a fine powder material having a low specific gravity may be supplied to the container in a case where the container is filled in a sheath. When supplying such a powder material to a container, it is required to pack a fixed amount precisely in order to increase apparatus efficiency and work efficiency.

  A toner supply device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has been proposed. According to this, toner (powder) is supplied into the container at a constant filling speed while vertical vibration is applied to the container. However, the toner supply device described in Patent Document 1 is not provided with a container or a weight measuring device for the powder filled therein. In particular, with a fine powder having a low specific gravity, a constant filling speed ( (g / sec), it is difficult to supply the powder, and there is a drawback that the filling accuracy cannot be obtained.

  Moreover, the powder measuring device shown in patent document 2 is proposed. According to this, powder from the storage tank is supplied to the container placed on the measuring instrument until the set weight is reached, and the container having the set weight is automatically conveyed. Yes. However, this powder metering device has a drawback in that fine and low specific gravity powder cannot be densely filled in the container.

  Moreover, the measuring apparatus of the granular material shown to patent document 3 is proposed. According to this, powder particles are supplied to the weighing hopper while measuring the weight of the weighing hopper, and when the set weight is reached, the supply to the weighing hopper is stopped, and the particles in the weighing hopper The container is filled. However, this granular material measuring apparatus has a drawback that it is not possible to densely fill a container with a fine and low specific gravity powder material.

JP 09-039033 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-285663 JP-A-63-274821

  On the other hand, a technique for filling the container with powder while applying vibration described in Patent Document 1, and measuring the weight of the container described in Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 3, It is conceivable to configure a powder metering and filling device by combining with a technique for supplying powder until the container reaches a set weight. However, in this case, there is a problem in that work efficiency cannot be obtained because the container cannot be replaced while the powder is weighed and filled. When the container is vibrated while supplying the weight-measured powder, there is a problem in that the weight measuring instrument that measures the weight of the container is affected and the durability thereof is impaired.

  The present invention has been made against the background described above. The first object of the present invention is to finely and efficiently finely and finely powder a low specific gravity while measuring the filling weight in the container. An object of the present invention is to provide a powder metering and filling device that can be filled well. The second object is to provide a highly durable powder metering and filling device that can finely and efficiently fill fine and low specific gravity powder into the container while measuring the filling weight in the container. There is to do.

  To achieve this object, the gist of the present invention is that (a) a powder meter capable of finely and efficiently filling a fine and low specific gravity powder into the container while measuring the filling weight in the container. (B) a weighing hopper to which the powder is supplied from a powder supply device; and (c) supporting the weighing hopper, detecting that the weighing hopper has reached a set weight, and A weight measuring device for stopping the supply of powder from the powder supply device; and (d) while the weighing hopper is being measured by the weight measuring device, the container immediately below the weighing hopper is carried out to form a new container. A container transport device that transports the measuring hopper directly below the weighing hopper, and (e) filling the powder from the weighing hopper while the supply of the powder from the powder feeding device to the weighing hopper is stopped. A vibration device for applying vibration to the container It is characterized by.

  According to the powder weighing and filling apparatus of the present invention, when the powder is supplied from the powder supply apparatus to the weighing hopper, the weight measuring apparatus detects that the weighing hopper has reached the set weight, and the powder. The supply of powder from the supply device is stopped. While the weighing hopper is being measured by the weight measuring device, the container at the filling position immediately below the weighing hopper is unloaded by the container conveying device, and a new container is conveyed to the filling position directly below the weighing hopper. And while supply of the powder from the said powder supply apparatus to the measurement hopper is stopped, a vibration is given to the container with which powder is filled from the measurement hopper by the vibration apparatus. As a result, fine and low specific gravity powder is densely and efficiently filled into the container while measuring the filling weight in the container.

  Here, preferably, when connected to the outlet of the weighing hopper via a bellows cylinder and supported in a fixed position on the frame, when the container is filled with the powder from the weighing hopper Is provided with a container cover covering the opening of the container. In this way, when vibration is applied to the container by the vibration device, even if vibration is transmitted to the container cover that covers the opening of the container, the weighing hopper connected to the container cover via the bellows tube Since it is difficult to transmit vibration to the weight measuring device that supports the weighing hopper, it is possible to obtain a highly durable powder weighing and filling apparatus. That is, the second object is achieved. Further, when the powder is filled into the container from the weighing hopper, the opening of the container is covered with the container cover, so that contamination of the work environment is suppressed.

  Preferably, when the container is filled with the powder from the weighing hopper, the container is raised until the opening of the container is pressed against the lower surface of the container cover. When the powder is supplied to the weighing hopper, a container lifting / lowering device that is lowered to a position where the container is not buffered with the container conveyed by the container conveying device is provided. With this container lifting device, when powder is supplied from the powder supply device to the weighing hopper, the container located at the filling position immediately below the weighing hopper can be replaced.

  Preferably, a suction device is connected to the container cover via a suction pipe. Thereby, in the state where the opening of the container cover is covered with the container cover when the container is filled with powder from the weighing hopper, the inside of the container is set to a negative pressure, so that contamination of the work environment is further suppressed. .

It is a front view which shows the powder metering filling apparatus of one Example of this invention. It is a principal part of the powder metering and filling apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 1, and is a front view for explaining a state in which the sheath is lowered. It is a principal part of the powder measurement and filling apparatus of the Example of FIG. 1, Comprising: It is a side view explaining the state by which the sheath is raised. It is a time chart explaining the principal part of the action | operation of the powder metering filling apparatus of the Example of FIG.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the drawings are appropriately simplified or modified, and the dimensional ratios, shapes, and the like of the respective parts are not necessarily drawn accurately.

  In FIG. 1, a powder metering and filling device 10 is a device for automatically and quantitatively filling powder, which is a carbon material used for a negative electrode of a lithium ion battery, into a sheath 12, and the powder in the sheath 12. The sheath 12 is fed into a firing furnace for firing and is disposed in a part of the closed transfer circuit. The sheath 12 is, for example, a carbon square container having a size of about 300 × 300 × 155 mm and opening upward. Since the powder is a carbon material having a relatively small particle size and a low specific gravity, it has a property of containing air and becoming bulky when filled.

  The powder metering and filling device 10 includes a machine frame 16 including a base 14, a rotary valve 18 with an electric actuator that is supported on an upper portion of the machine frame 16 and functions as a powder supply device, and a first butterfly valve 19 with an electric actuator. The flexible bellows cylinder 20 made of cloth or rubber and the supply hopper 22 are fixed to the machine frame 16, and the sheath 12 is carried into or out of the filling position. Are fixed to the machine frame 16 via a support bracket 28 and a roller conveyor 26 that has a plurality of conveying rollers 24 constituting a part in the horizontal direction and functions as a container conveying device. A container cover 30 is provided for fixing the position. The container cover 30 airtightly covers the opening of the sheath 12 when the sheath 12 is raised. The rotary valve 18, the first butterfly valve 19, and the bellows cylinder 20 constitute an airtight first powder supply path between the supply hopper 22 and the weighing hopper 36. The upper surface of the weighing hopper 36 is covered with a sealing sheet (not shown) connected to the bellows cylinder 20.

  As shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, the powder metering and filling device 10 includes a weight measuring device 32 fixed on the base 14 and four support columns erected on the weight measuring device 32. 34, a weighing hopper 36 supported on the upper portion of the column 34, a second butterfly valve 38 constituting an airtight second powder supply path between the weighing hopper 36 and the container cover 30, and a cloth or rubber A flexible bellows tube 40 is provided, and the powder supplied to the weighing hopper 36 is sequentially measured according to the number of rotations of the rotary valve 18, and when the weight reaches a preset weight, the rotary valve 18. Can be stopped.

  The powder weighing and filling apparatus 10 is fixed on the base 14 and the supply of powder from the supply hopper 22 to the weighing hopper 36 is stopped, but the powder is supplied from the weighing hopper 36 into the sheath 12. Within this period, a vibration device 42 is provided for vibrating the sheath 12 during powder filling to densely fill the powder. The vibration device 42 is guided in the vertical direction by a support frame 46 that supports a fixed plate 44 that is positioned above the weight measuring device 32 with a predetermined space therebetween, and a vertical guide device 48 provided on the fixed plate 44. A first movable plate 52 that is moved up and down by a vertical actuator 50 and a second movable plate 56 that is supported by the first movable plate 52 via a shock absorber 54 such as a vibration-proof rubber, and stands at a roller conveyor 26 at a lowered position. Although not buffered with the upper sheath 12, a plurality of, for example, four support rods 58 for lifting the sheath 12 in the raised position, and a vibration generator 60 fixed to the second movable plate 56 are provided. The vibration generator 60 includes, for example, an electromagnetic vibrator, an electric vibrator including an eccentric shaft with an eccentric center of gravity and an electric motor that rotationally drives the eccentric shaft.

  The container cover 30 is connected to a suction device 64 such as a blower via a suction pipe 62, the sheath 12 is raised, and the opening thereof is brought into contact with the sponge on the lower surface of the container cover 30, so that the container cover In the state where the opening of the sheath 12 is air-tightly covered by 30, the inside of the sheath 12 is set to a negative pressure.

  The control device 70 causes the powder 12 to be supplied and filled in the sheath 12 according to a program stored in advance as shown in the time chart of FIG. First, the rotary valve 18 is rotated by the start switch operation (not shown) or the start signal generated in response to the arrival of the sheath 12 at a predetermined position, and the first butterfly valve 19 is opened. Supply of the powder to the weighing hopper 36 is started, and the supply amount of the powder is measured by the weight measuring device 32. That is, even after the second butterfly valve 38 is closed, the vibration generator 60 continues to vibrate, and the weighing by the weight measuring device 32 and the operation of the rotary valve 18 and the first butterfly valve 19 are started just before the end of the vibration. (at time t1). Thereby, a vibration period is lengthened and precise filling is performed. Sections t1 to t4 indicate weighing sections. In this weighing section, for example, as shown in the sections t2 to t3, the sheath 12 after filling is moved to the weighing hopper 36 by the roller conveyor 26 after the vertical actuator 50 is lowered. It is unloaded from the filling position immediately below, and a new empty sheath 12 is loaded into the filling position. When it is determined that about 30 seconds have elapsed and the powder supplied to the weighing hopper 36 has reached a preset set weight, for example, 6 kg, as shown at time t4, the rotary valve 18 and the first butterfly valve 19 is closed, and the quantitative supply of powder is terminated. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the sheath 12 is lowered in such an operating section.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3, when the sheath 12 is raised by the support bar 58 driven upward by the vertical actuator 50 until it comes into contact with the container cover 30 (at time t5), the second butterfly valve 38 is opened. At the same time as the powder in the weighing hopper 36 is supplied into the sheath 12, the vibration generator 60 generates vibration, and the vibration is transmitted to the sheath 12 via the support bar 58. When such excitation continues for about 20 seconds, the second butterfly valve 38 is closed (at time t6), but the excitation continues for about 10 seconds thereafter.

  As described above, according to the powder weighing and filling apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, when the powder is supplied from the supply hopper 22 (powder supply apparatus) to the weighing hopper 36, the weighing hopper 36 is set to the set weight. The arrival of the powder is detected by the weight measuring device, and the supply of the powder from the supply hopper 22 is stopped. While the weighing hopper 36 is being measured by the weight measuring device 32, the roller conveyor 26 (container conveying device) unloads the sheath 12 (container) at the filling position directly below the weighing hopper 36, and the new sheath 12 is removed. It is carried into a filling position directly below the weighing hopper 36. While the supply of the powder from the supply hopper 22 to the weighing hopper 36 is stopped, vibration is applied to the sheath 12 filled with the powder from the measurement hopper 36 by the vibration generator 60. Thereby, the fine and low specific gravity powder is densely and efficiently filled into the container while measuring the filling weight in the sheath 12.

  In addition, according to the powder metering and filling device 10 of the present embodiment, the flexible accordion tube 40 is connected to the outlet of the weighing hopper 36 and supported by the machine frame 16 in a fixed position. When the sheath 12 (container) is filled with powder from the weighing hopper 36, a container cover 30 that covers the opening of the sheath 12 is provided. For this reason, when vibration is applied to the sheath 12 by the vibration device 42, even if vibration is transmitted to the container cover 30 covering the opening of the sheath 12, the measurement is connected to the container cover 30 via the bellows tube 40. Since it is difficult to transmit to the hopper 36 and vibration is not easily transmitted to the weight measuring device 32 supporting the weighing hopper 36, the highly durable powder weighing and filling apparatus 10 can be obtained. Further, since the second movable plate 56 to which the vibration generator 60 is fixed is supported by the first movable plate 52 via a buffer body 54 such as a vibration isolating rubber, the vibration is further transmitted to the weight measuring device 32. Since it is difficult, the durability of the weight measuring device 32 is further enhanced. Further, when powder is filled into the sheath 12 from the weighing hopper 36, the opening of the sheath 12 is covered with the container cover 30, so that contamination of the work environment is suppressed.

  Further, according to the powder metering and filling device 10 of the present embodiment, when powder is filled into the sheath 12 (container) from the metering hopper 36, the opening of the sheath 12 is pushed against the lower surface of the container cover 30. The upper / lower actuator that raises the sheath 12 until it hits, but lowers the sheath 12 to a position not buffered with the sheath 12 conveyed by the roller conveyor 26 (container conveying device) when the powder is supplied from the supply hopper 22 to the measuring hopper 50, a first movable plate 52, a second movable plate 56, and a container lifting device 59 including a support bar 58 are provided. When the powder is supplied from the supply hopper 22 to the weighing hopper 36 by the container lifting device 59, the sheath 12 positioned at the filling position immediately below the weighing hopper 36 can be replaced.

  Further, according to the powder metering and filling device 10 of the present embodiment, since the suction device 64 is connected to the container cover 30 via the suction tube 62, the powder is filled into the sheath 12 from the metering hopper 36. When the opening of the container cover 30 is covered with the container cover, the inside of the sheath 12 is set to a negative pressure, so that contamination of the work environment is further suppressed.

  As mentioned above, although one Example of this invention was described in detail with reference to drawings, this invention is not limited to this Example, It can implement in another aspect.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the sheath 12 is a rectangular container, but may be a cylindrical container. Further, the powder supply device has a supply hopper 22 and a rotary valve 18, and the powder is dropped by its own weight. Also good.

  Moreover, in the above-mentioned Example, it replaced with the roller conveyor 26 and container conveying apparatuses, such as a pallet conveyor and a belt-type conveyor, may be provided.

  In the above-described embodiment, the sheath 12 is raised and lowered with respect to the container cover 30, but the container cover 30 may be raised and lowered with respect to the sheath 12.

  It should be noted that the above description is merely an embodiment, and other examples are not illustrated. However, the present invention is implemented in variously modified and improved modes based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the present invention. Can do.

10: Powder metering and filling device
12: Sheath (container)
16: Machine frame 18: Rotary valve 22: Supply hopper (powder supply device)
26: Roller conveyor (container transport device)
30: container cover 32: weight measuring device 34: support 36: weighing hopper 40: bellows cylinder 42: vibration device 59: container lifting device 62: suction pipe 64: suction device

Claims (4)

A powder metering and filling device capable of finely and efficiently filling fine and low specific gravity powder into the container while measuring the filling weight in the container,
A weighing hopper to which the powder is supplied from a powder supply device;
A weight measuring device that supports the weighing hopper, detects that the weighing hopper has reached a set weight, and stops the supply of powder from the powder supply device;
A container conveying device for carrying out a container immediately below the weighing hopper and conveying a new container directly under the weighing hopper while the weighing hopper is being measured by the weight measuring device;
A vibration device for applying vibration to a container filled with the powder filled from the weighing hopper while supply of the powder from the powder feeding device to the weighing hopper is stopped. Powder metering and filling device characterized by   The container is connected to the outlet of the weighing hopper via a bellows cylinder and supported in a fixed position on the frame. When the container is filled with the powder from the measuring hopper, the opening of the container is opened. The powder metering / filling device according to claim 1, wherein a covering container cover is provided.   When the container is filled with the powder from the weighing hopper, the container is raised until the opening of the container is pressed against the lower surface of the container cover. 3. The powder weighing and filling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a container lifting device that is lowered to a position not buffered with the container transported by the container transport device.   The powder metering and filling device according to claim 3, wherein a suction device is connected to the container cover via a suction tube.

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