JP3341977B2 - Static hopper - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a static elimination hopper for removing static electricity by charging a work such as an O-ring charged in a manufacturing process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a work is a small part made of a dielectric material such as an O-ring, the work is often charged with static electricity by colliding with each other or colliding with other objects in a manufacturing process. Become. However, when the workpieces are charged in this way, inconveniences such as that the workpieces adhere to each other and cannot be easily sorted, or that they adhere to the transport unit and cannot be transported.

Therefore, conventionally, the work A is neutralized using a neutralization hopper as shown in FIG. This static elimination hopper is provided with a plurality of nozzles 1 at a peripheral edge of an upper end opening of a funnel-shaped hopper 1 formed by narrowing a side wall 11 surrounding the periphery downward.
2, ion air B generated by a static eliminator (not shown) is blown from these nozzles 12 into the hopper. When the work A is thrown into the hopper 1 from above and falls, the work A is exposed to the ion air B blown out from the nozzles 12 and is discharged.
Then, the work A having been neutralized is collected by the side wall 11 of the hopper 1 and discharged from the lower end opening.

[0004]

However, in the above-described conventional static elimination hopper, since the work A is only exposed to the ion air B for a short time when it falls into the hopper 1, all the work A to be input is provided. However, there was a problem that the static electricity could not be completely removed. Further, even if the work A is discharged at the time of charging, even if the work A is dropped, the work A is dropped further.
There is also a problem that when it hits, it is charged again. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, when the work A is charged and adheres to the side wall 11 of the hopper 1, the adhered portion adheres to the work A. There is also a problem that it is not possible to discharge from the opening at the lower end of 1. Further, in the case of the light work A, there is a possibility that the work is blown out of the hopper 1 by the ion air B ejected from the nozzle 12, so that there is a problem that the ion air B cannot be sufficiently supplied.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a static elimination hopper that can reliably eliminate a workpiece by supplying ion air from a large number of air holes formed in an inner wall of the hopper. It is intended to be.

[0006]

That is, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a funnel-shaped inner wall of a hopper formed by inclining the lower part of a substantially rectangular cylindrical inner wall inward. Also, a large number of sufficiently small air holes are formed, and ion air supply means for supplying ion air generated by the static eliminator into the hopper through these air holes is provided, and the ion air supply means is provided on the inner wall of the hopper. The outer periphery is covered by an outer wall having a gap, and a hollow portion communicating with each air hole formed by the inner wall and the outer wall of the hopper is provided.The ion air is supplied from the four corners of the hopper along each side of a square. It is sent to the department.

According to the present invention , ion air is supplied into the hopper from a large number of air holes in the inner wall. Therefore, even if a small amount of ion air is blown out from each air hole, the ion air is supplied into the hopper. And the charged work can be reliably discharged. In addition, since the ion air only blows out gently from the individual air holes, there is no danger that a lightweight work is blown out of the hopper. further,
Even if the input work collides with and adheres to the inner wall surface of the hopper, it is pushed back by the ion air blown out from the air holes on the inner wall, and the ion air removes the adhered surface, so that it immediately peels off. Become.

Further , ion air is supplied to the outside of the inner wall of the hopper.
To the hollow part provided in
(Usually atmospheric pressure) to increase the inner wall
Ion air from the numerous air holes formed
You will be able to blow out.

[0009]

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view for explaining a configuration of a charge removing hopper, and FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a flow of ion air in a hollow portion. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the hopper for explaining a state in which ion air is blown out from an air hole. Components having the same functions as those of the conventional example shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

As shown in FIG. 1, the static elimination hopper of this embodiment includes a hopper 1 and a static eliminator 2. The hopper 1 is formed in a funnel shape by inclining the lower part of a substantially rectangular cylindrical inner wall 3 inward, and collects the work A input from a wide upper opening below and discharges the work A from a narrow lower opening. You can do it. Inner wall 3
Is made of a stainless steel plate, and the inner surface is coated with Teflon resin so that the work A can easily slide down. Also, a large number of minute air holes 4 are formed on the entire surface of the inner wall 3. This inner wall 3
Is covered by an outer wall 5 having a certain gap. Therefore, the gap between the inner wall 3 and the outer wall 5 becomes a closed hollow portion 6 if there is no air hole 4. However, the outer wall 5 is provided with inlets 7 at upper and lower positions at four corners, respectively, and communicates with the hollow portion 6 through the inlets 7.

The static eliminator 2 is a device for ionizing air or other gas to generate ion air B. The ion air B generated here is supplied to the hollow portion 6 of the hopper 1 through each of the injection ports 7. It is supposed to. The supply of the ion air B causes the hollow portion 6
Is slightly higher than the atmospheric pressure, and the ion air B is gently blown into the hopper 1 from each air hole 4 of the inner wall 3 as shown in FIG. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the ion air B is fed into the hollow portion 6 from each of the four corners of the hopper 1 along each side of the square, so that the ion air B is supplied to the hollow portion 6 almost uniformly. It can be blown out evenly from the hole 4. However, the ion air B blown out from the individual air holes 4 has a gentle air volume that does not blow off the lightweight work A. However, even if only a small amount of ion air B is blown out from each air hole 4 as described above, the inner wall 3
Since a large number of air holes 4 are formed in the hopper 1,
Inside, a sufficient amount of ion air B can be supplied.

According to the static elimination hopper having the above-described structure, the ion air B is gently blown out from the large number of air holes 4 of the inner wall 3 so that the ion air B is formed on the inner surface of the inner wall 3 as shown in FIG. Layer C is formed, and the entire inside of the hopper 1 can be sufficiently filled with the ion air B from here. Therefore, the work A input into the static elimination hopper
Is in the atmosphere of the ion air B throughout the entire period of passing through the hopper 1, so that static electricity can be reliably removed. Further, since the ion air B is only gently blown out from the individual air holes 4, there is no possibility that the light work A is blown out of the hopper 1 by the ion air B. Further, the input work A
Even if the workpiece A collides with and adheres to the inner wall 3 of the hopper 1, the work A is pushed back, albeit slightly, by the ion air B blown out from the air hole 4, and the ion air B also reliably removes the charge on the adhered surface side. So they come off immediately.

The shape of the hopper 1 is not limited to the inverted quadrangular pyramid shape as in the above embodiment, but may be an inverted conical shape or the like in which the upper input portion is large and the lower discharge portion is restricted to some extent. Any shape may be used. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the lower end of the hopper 1 is always opened and the work A is discharged at any time has been described. However, the input work A is temporarily stored in the hopper 1 and optionally stored at an appropriate time. Can be discharged at a time.

Further, the air hole 4 may be any hole as long as it is small enough to prevent the work A from being fitted or caught. Also, it is preferable to form as many air holes 4 as possible in the widest possible range of the inner wall 3. However, in some cases, the formation range may be limited to some extent, and the formation density, the size of the holes, and the like may be changed according to the formation location.

Further, in order to blow out the ion air B evenly from each air hole 4 of the inner wall 3, it is optimal to use the hollow portion 6 as in the above embodiment. Other structures may be used as long as B can be blown out.

[0018]

As is clear from the above description, according to the static elimination hopper of the present invention, ion air is supplied into the hopper from a large number of air holes in the inner wall. This prevents the inner wall surface from colliding and being charged again. Further, there is no possibility that the lightweight work is blown out of the hopper by the ion air.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention, and is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a charge removing hopper.

FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view of a hopper for explaining a flow of ion air in a hollow portion.

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention, and is a partially enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a hopper for explaining a state in which ion air is blown out from an air hole.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a conventional example and showing a structure of a static elimination hopper.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a hopper, showing a conventional example, showing a state in which a workpiece adheres to a side wall.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hopper 2 Static eliminator 4 Air hole 6 Hollow part A Work B Ion air

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65G 65/30-65/48 B29C 31/02

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An inner wall of a funnel-shaped hopper is formed by inclining a lower portion of a substantially rectangular cylindrical inner wall inward, and a number of air holes sufficiently smaller than a work are formed on the inner wall of the hopper. Ion air supply means for supplying the ionized air into the hopper through these air holes, wherein the ion air supply means is covered by an outer wall having an inner wall with a gap formed between the inner wall and the outer wall of the hopper. A static elimination hopper, wherein a hollow portion communicating with each formed air hole is provided, and the ion air is sent to the hollow portion along four sides of the hopper from four corners of the hopper.