JP2826417B2 - Hopper for foam pulverized particle extrusion machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hopper for a foam crushing and extruding machine, and more particularly to crushing virgin materials or waste materials such as foamed polyethylene and polystyrene into small pieces, and extruding the virgin materials as raw materials. In this case, the present invention relates to a hopper for an extruder that is effectively used for supplying a stable material to the extruder. The term “pulverized foam particles” used herein includes not only granular materials but also all irregular shaped crushed pieces obtained by crushing a foamed resin body by a suitable mechanical crushing means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Extrusion molding of a resin material is well known, and many molding machines for this purpose have been proposed. In normal extrusion molding, a particulate or powdery resin material is melted while being compressed, and is continuously extruded from a die to form a predetermined shape continuously. As shown in FIG. 6, a resin material is put into a material supply hopper 110 attached to an extruder main body 100 having an extrusion screw therein, and provided on the side of the hopper by its own weight or as necessary. Hopper 1 that is rotationally driven by a suitable driving means 120 such as a motor
The resin material in the hopper 110 is continuously supplied into the extruder main body by utilizing the function of the delivery rotary screw 130 and the like positioned on the center axis of the ten.

[0003]

A conventional extrusion molding machine is intended to use a particulate or powdery resin material as a molding material, and the capacity of the hopper 110 is designed on the premise thereof. Therefore, as long as such a material is used, no inconvenience occurs even if the molding is performed continuously.

In recent years, from the viewpoint of protecting the natural environment or preventing pollution, there has been a great deal of interest in the treatment of wastes. Resin foams used for packaging aids, simple containers, and the like have become increasingly important. In general, many studies have been made on a method for treating the waste because of its large bulk capacity and the incineration treatment is not always easy. As one of the processing means, a bulky resin foam is pulverized into pulverized granules of about several millimeters, fed into an extruder as a molding material, and continuously extruded again.

In general, foamed materials such as foamed polyethylene and foamed polystyrene are coarsely pulverized and, if necessary, finely pulverized, and have a very low bulk density. Therefore, when it is intended to continuously extrude a desired product by compressing and melting the same, it is necessary to always wait for the material supply side of the extruder at a material supply side of the extruder to continuously supply the pulverized resin particles having a considerable bulk capacity. Required. However, as described above, since the material supply hopper attached to the commonly used extruder is designed on the assumption that the resin itself is supplied, the capacity thereof is limited to the continuous extrusion of crushed foam particles. In order to stably perform continuous molding, it was necessary for an operator to wait in the vicinity of the hopper and successively supply the crushed foam particles into the hopper according to the availability of the hopper. .

As one means for solving such inconvenience, as shown in FIG. 7, an expanding tubular member 140 which is continuous with the peripheral side wall of the hopper over the entire periphery of the upper end edge of the conventional hopper 110 is joined. A hopper with an increased internal volume is known. Since this product can store pulverized foam particles having a considerable bulk capacity in the hopper, the number of times of manual material supply can be reduced, which is effective. However, as shown, in this type of hopper,
Rotary screw 130 for feeding the material (In the foam crushing particle extruder, since the bulk density of the foam crushing particles, which is the molding material, is small and light in itself, The power transmission system such as the shafts 131 and 132 and the bevel gear 133 for driving the motor is located in the hopper. Although not shown, the supporting member of the power transmission system is also required in the hopper. Becomes For this reason, not only the foam pulverized particles enter the power transmission system and easily cause transmission failure,
At the time of the repair, there is also an inconvenience in operation that the crushed foam particles in the hopper must be removed. Furthermore, the presence of a support member or the like in the hopper causes a hindrance to the movement of the foamed particles in the hopper.

As another means for solving the above-mentioned inconvenience, as shown in FIG. 8, a cylindrical member 150 is erected at an eccentric position on the upper end surface of a conventional hopper 110, and is provided at the tip of the cylindrical member 150. An arrangement in which a second hopper 160 is arranged is known. In this type of hopper, the power transmission system for driving the rotary screw 130 is located outside the hopper, so that the inconvenience associated with the transmission failure has been solved.
As can be seen from the comparison with the hopper of FIG. 7, when the height of the entire hopper is constant, the capacity loss of the hopper is caused by the height of the cylindrical member 150.

In order to solve the above-mentioned inconvenience, it is conceivable to extend the second hopper 160 upward while maintaining the inclination angle of the bus or to increase the inclination angle of the bus. In this case, it is necessary to change the height of the house in which the extruder is installed, and it is not practical. In the latter method, a bridging phenomenon occurs at the connection between the second hopper 160 and the cylindrical member 150. As a result, there is an inherent danger that the function as the material supply hopper itself will not be achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a hopper for extruders which uses conventional foam crushed particles as a molding material and which solves the above-mentioned disadvantages of a hopper for an extrusion molding machine. It is another object of the present invention to provide a hopper for a foam pulverized particle extruder in which the occurrence of a bridging phenomenon in a hopper is prevented. Another object of the present invention is to provide a hopper for a foam pulverized particle extruder in which the occurrence of a driving failure in a driving force transmission system to a material feeding means provided in the hopper is eliminated as much as possible.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and to achieve the object, the present invention comprises a first funnel-shaped hopper having a lower outlet end connected to a material supply section of an extruder. A second hopper having a bottom opening at an eccentric position on the upper end surface of the first hopper that does not pass through the center axis of the first hopper and having a side wall portion that is expanded upward; A feeding rotary member located on the center axis of the first hopper in the first hopper ;
And expanded above the second hopper
Disclosed is a hopper for a foam pulverized particle extruder , wherein a side wall portion is directly connected to the first hopper .

The shape of the bottom opening of the second hopper is a string that does not pass through the center axis of the upper end surface of the first hopper, and is located on the opposite side of the center axis from the chord. It is a preferred embodiment that the shape is formed by an arc and
Further, in the present invention, the inclination angle formed by the generatrix of each side surface of the first hopper and the second hopper is set to be substantially equal, and a substantially continuous slope is formed at a joint portion between the first hopper and the second hopper. It is also a preferable embodiment to form them.

Further, a third hopper having a larger volume and a generatrix having an inclination angle substantially equal to the inclination angle formed by the generatrix formed on the side surface of each hopper is further joined to the upper part of the second hopper as a separate member. It may be.

[0013]

The present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to examples. FIG. 1 shows an extruder having a hopper structure according to the present invention. The extruder 100 itself is conventionally known, and the foam pulverized particles supplied from the material supply unit 10 are compressed and melted by a screw (not shown) that is rotationally driven through a drive and a reduction unit 11. It is sent to the right in the figure and pushed out of the nozzle 12. A desired molding die is connected to the tip of the nozzle 12, and the molten resin is molded from the nozzle 12 into a desired product in the die. The extruder 100 is arranged on a base 20 installed on the ground G.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the material supply unit 10 is provided with a material supply hopper 110 (hereinafter, referred to as a first hopper) similar to that used in a conventional extruder. 111. A column 102 is erected on a machine frame portion 101 of the extruder 100 close to the material supply unit 10, and a horizontal support 103 is provided at a tip of the column 102,
A motor 121, a speed reducer 122, and the like are provided on the horizontal support 103. A bevel gear 123 is provided at the end of the rotation shaft of the speed reducer 122.
Rotating shaft 13 having bevel gear 124 at its tip engaging with third shaft 3
1 is rotatably locked to the tip of the support table 103.

The rotating shaft 131 is connected to the first hopper 110
Are arranged on the center axis line CL of
A screw-shaped feed member 13 extending from the inside of the first hopper 110 to the material supply unit 10 is provided at the tip of the rotating shaft 131.
0 is connected. A flange 112 is formed on the upper edge of the first hopper 110, and the lid 40 that covers the upper end of the first hopper 110 is attached to the flange 112. As shown in FIG. 5, the lid 40 has a flange portion 41 around the periphery thereof facing the flange 112 of the first hopper 110, and a central portion serving as an opening 42 through which the rotary shaft 131 can pass and a viewing window. And an arc-shaped opening 46 formed by one chord 44 of the lid 40 and an arc 45 located on the opposite side of the chord 44 and the diameter line DL. ing. Therefore, the bow-shaped opening 46 is formed by a chord that does not pass through the center axis of the upper end surface of the first hopper 110 and an arc located on the opposite side of the chord from the chord. Assuming an arcuate shape, the shape is substantially similar to that. 47,
48 is a flange portion 41 of the lid 40 and an arc-shaped opening 46.
Is a mounting bolt hole formed around the periphery.

A second hopper 50 having an opening 51 having the same shape as the bow-shaped opening 46 of the lid 40 at a lower end and a square opening 52 at an upper end (FIGS. 2 and 4) is provided below the second hopper 50. The opening 51 at the end is formed in the bow-shaped opening 46 formed in the lid 40.
Is coupled to the lid 40 in a state in which That is, a flange 53 is formed around the opening 51 at the lower end of the second hopper 50, and the second hopper 50 is flange-joined to the lid 40 via the flange 53.

As described above, the second hopper 50 has a bow-shaped opening 51 formed by a chord (corresponding to the chord 44) and an arc (corresponding to the arc 45) at the lower end, and has an upper end at the upper end. As shown in FIG. 4, a rectangular opening 52 is formed. Further, flanges 59 are provided on four sides of the square opening 52. The side 53 of the rectangular opening 52 on the rotation shaft 131 side and the chord portion of the lower end opening 51 are vertical planes parallel to the plane including the rotation axis CL of the screw 130 as shown in FIGS. Connected by a side wall 57,
The other three sides 54, 55, 56 and the arc portion of the lower end opening 51 are connected by a side wall 58 that forms a smooth curved surface having no sharply bent portion. In this embodiment, the inclination angle α (FIG. 2) or the inclination angle β (FIG. 3) formed by each generatrix of the curved side wall 58 is determined by the inclination angle formed by the corresponding generatrix of the side wall of the first hopper. α ′ or the inclination angle β ′ are designed to have substantially the same value. Therefore, the side wall 58 forming the curved surface of the second hopper 50 and the side wall portion forming the slope of the first hopper 110 located corresponding thereto form a substantially continuous slope at the joint portion.

Further, as is apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3,
The height of the second hopper 50, ie, the opening 5 at the upper end thereof
The position of No. 2 corresponds to the motor 12 disposed on the support 102 standing upright on the machine frame portion 101 of the extrusion molding machine 100.
1, the speed reducer 122, etc., is configured to be positioned higher than the highest part of the driving means of the member 130. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 80 denotes an open / close shutter provided near the lower end opening of the second hopper 50.

As shown in FIG. 1, a third hopper 70 having a larger capacity is joined to the square opening 52 of the second hopper 50 via a flange 59 provided therein. The hopper 70 is locked by columns 21 and 22 erected on the ground G. In this embodiment, the third hopper 70 has a generally funnel-like shape which is widened upward as a whole, and its inclination angle is designed to be substantially equal to the inclination angle formed by each generatrix of the side walls of the other hoppers. The hopper is formed of a material having air permeability and flexibility, such as cloth. Further, although not particularly shown, foam pulverized particles sent from a pulverizing device for pulverizing the resin foam by means of an air stream or the like are supplied to an upper opening 71 of the third hopper 70 by an appropriate means such as a cyclone. Appropriate supply nozzles are provided for supplying the hopper 70 via the separating means or directly.

A preferred embodiment of the hopper for a foam pulverized particle extruder according to the present invention has the above configuration. Therefore, the foam pulverized particles sent from the pulverizer by means of an air stream or the like can be stored in the third hopper 70 having a large capacity in addition to the first and second hoppers, and can be extruded. A long-term continuous supply to the machine becomes possible. At this time, the stored crushed foam particles can fall along the slope having a substantially continuous slope angle (the slope angle formed by each bus bar) to the third, second, and first hoppers, and flow down. It is possible to greatly reduce the occurrence of the bridge phenomenon in the process.

Further, the third hopper and the first hopper are not connected by a simple columnar body as in the conventional hopper structure, but are somewhat deviated laterally from the center axis of the first hopper. At the lower end, the lower end has an arcuate opening, the upper end has a larger rectangular opening, and the two are connected by the second hopper joined by the side wall having the curved surface as described above. And at the same time, the power transmission mechanism of the material feeding means such as a screw can be arranged in the upper space of the first hopper where the second hopper is not located. It is possible to prevent the crushed particles of the foam, which is the molding material, from digging into and cause a conduction failure, and even if a failure occurs, the maintenance becomes easy.

The above is a description of one embodiment of the hopper for a foam crushed particle extruder according to the present invention, and there are many other variations. For example, the whole hopper is 3
Although the third hopper 70 has been described as an integrated structure of two hoppers, the third hopper 70 is not necessarily required.
It can be easily understood that the same effect can be obtained by forming the shape itself having a larger height as necessary.

Although the lid 40 has been described as being provided for the first hopper, this lid is provided mainly for the purpose of preventing the crushed foam particles in the hopper from being scattered outside. It will also be understood that these are not necessarily essential depending on the properties of the molding material. In that case, the flange portion of the second hopper and the flange portion of the first hopper may be directly joined,
The first and second hoppers may be manufactured as a single piece with a single plate (in this case, a lid that can be locked to the open portion of the first hopper is separately prepared and detachably attached). The cover may be attached).

Furthermore, although the upper opening of the second hopper 50 has been described as having a rectangular shape, it is not limited to a rectangular shape. In short, it is long if the side wall can have a shape that does not cause a bridge in the molding material. Any shape such as a circle may be used, and at the same time, the inclination angles of the side walls of each hopper do not necessarily have to be all equal.
It will also be readily appreciated that the objectives can be achieved satisfactorily with slightly different angles of inclination by each hopper. At the same time, the shape of the opening formed by the chord 44 and the arc 45 formed in the lid 40 (the lower end opening of the second hopper when the lid 40 is not used) is also necessarily a shape formed by a straight chord and an arc. If the shape of the side wall on the side of the central axis does not obstruct the power transmission system of the screw, the side wall may have an elliptical or oval shape as a whole. The side wall may have a concave curved surface.

Although not particularly shown, a rotary bearing for supporting the rotary shaft 131 may be provided in the opening 42 provided at the center of the lid 40 and through which the rotary shaft 131 can pass.
A closing member made of a transparent resin material or the like may be provided in the opening 43 serving as a viewing window.

[0026]

As described above, the hopper of the present invention has a structure as described above, and thus continuously and stably supplies the foamed particles having a low bulk density to the extruder. It is possible to do. Further, it is possible to eliminate as much as possible a trouble in the power transmission system to the screw or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an extruder equipped with a hopper for a foam pulverized particle extruder according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional side view showing one embodiment of the hopper.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional rear view of the hopper.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the hopper.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a lid.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an extrusion molding machine equipped with a conventional hopper.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a conventional foam crushed particle extruder equipped with a hopper.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a conventional foam crushed particle extruder equipped with a conventional hopper.

[Explanation of symbols]

100: foam crushed particle extruder, 10: material supply unit, 110: first hopper, 130: rotary screw, 50, 160: second hopper,

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B29C 47/00-47/96 B29C 31/00-31/10 B29C 45/00-45/84 B29B 17 / 00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A substantially funnel-shaped first hopper having a lower outflow end connected to a material supply section of an extruder, and an upper end face of the first hopper passing through a central axis of the first hopper. A second hopper having a bottom opening at an eccentric position and a side wall portion diverging upwardly, and a delivery hopper located on the center axis of the first hopper in the first hopper. A rotating member ; and
The side wall portion of the hopper which is opened upward is
A hopper for a foam crushing and extruding machine, characterized in that the hopper is directly connected to a hopper. 2. A substantially funnel-shaped first hopper having a lower outflow end connected to a material supply section of an extruder, a chord not passing through a central axis of an upper end face of the first hopper, and a chord. A second hopper having a bottom opening formed by an arc positioned on the opposite side to the center axis and having a side wall portion expanding upward, wherein the bottom opening is connected to the first hopper. preparedness and second hopper are connected to the upper end, and a rotary member for feeding located on the center axis line of the first hopper in a first hopper and the second hot
The upper side wall portion of the par with the first hopper
A hopper for extruding a crushed foamed granule, which is directly connected to a hopper. 3. The generatrix of each side surface of the first hopper and the second hopper has a substantially equal inclination angle, and forms a substantially continuous slope at a joint portion between the first hopper and the second hopper. Characterized by the fact that
A hopper for a foam crushed particle extruder according to claim 1 or 2.