JP4046578B2 - Powder raw material supply equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a powder raw material supply apparatus.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, beverage supply machines that supply beverages have been equipped with powder raw material supply devices, and powder raw materials such as powdered tea and coffee supplied from this supply device are mixed with water, hot water, etc. It is the composition which prepares. FIG. 8 shows such a conventional powder raw material supply apparatus. The powder raw material supply apparatus includes a raw material storage container 1 for storing a powder raw material therein, and a powder discharge screw 2 that is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) is disposed below the raw material storage container 1. The powder raw material 3 stored in the raw material storage container 1 is conveyed by the rotation of the screw 2 and is discharged from the discharge port 4 disposed at the tip of the screw 2.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the powder raw material supply apparatus as described above, as shown in FIG. 9, when the powder raw material 3 is pushed out by the powder discharge screw 2 in the vicinity of the discharge port 4, the raw material 3 becomes a lump 3a. It may be discharged from the discharge port 4 so as to collapse, and the powder raw material 3 may not be stably discharged in a powder form. In that case, the concentration of the beverage supplied from the beverage supply machine changes with each supply. There was a risk of doing so. Further, a part of the powder raw material 3 discharged so as to collapse from the discharge port 4 may adhere to the peripheral portion at the tip of the discharge port 4 and contaminate the peripheral portion. Furthermore, steam of hot water mixed with the powder raw material 3 or moisture of the outside air may come into contact with the powder raw material 3 that is about to be discharged from the discharge port 4, and the raw material 3 may solidify and block the discharge port 4. It was.
The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a powder raw material supply apparatus that can stably and quantitatively release a powder raw material in a powder form.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Powder material supply device according to the present invention, the powder material is conveyed by a rotating screw to the discharge port in the powder material supply device that emits from the outlet, fixed to the tip of the screw located in the outlet, rotation of the screw A plurality of blade portions arranged at predetermined intervals around the shaft and having an outer diameter that closes the discharge port, and a gap for discharging the powder raw material is formed between the blade portions. , Equipped with powder discharge guide blades that pulverize and release the powder raw material while rotating with the screw , and at the front end in the rotation direction of each blade portion of the powder discharge guide blade is sharp toward the front in the rotation direction And the taper part which functions as a cutting blade which cuts a powder raw material is formed .
[0005]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows the overall structure of a powder raw material supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This powder raw material supply apparatus has a raw material storage container 12 for storing a powder raw material 11 such as powdered tea or coffee. On the inner wall surface on the front side and the rear side of the raw material storage container 12, gently inclined slope portions 12a and 12b are formed, respectively. In addition, a powder discharge screw 13 having a cylindrical shaft portion 13a and a spiral protrusion 13b formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion 13a as a conveying member for the powder material 11 is provided below the raw material storage container 12. Has been placed. The powder discharge screw 13 is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown).
[0006]
A cylindrical powder guide 14 is attached to the lower front portion of the raw material storage container 12 so as to communicate with the inside of the storage container 12 and guide the discharge of the powder raw material 11. One end of the above-described powder discharge screw 13 is inserted into the powder guide 14. A powder discharge guide blade 16 as a pulverizing means is fixed to the tip of the powder discharge screw 13 inserted in the powder guide 14, and the powder discharge guide blade 16 rotates together with the powder discharge screw 13. Yes. The powder discharge guide blade 16 is located at a position about 1 mm inside the tip portion 14 a of the powder guide 14.
[0007]
Further, an agitator 17 for agitating the powder raw material 11 in the storage container 12 is disposed above the powder discharge screw 13 in the raw material storage container 12. The stirrer 17 includes a resin rod-shaped elastic member 17a and a resin rectangular stirring frame 17b formed integrally therewith. A stainless steel auxiliary stirring member 18 is attached to the stirring frame 17b. Although not shown, the upper end of the elastic member 17 a is fixed to the upper end of the rear surface of the raw material storage container 12. The lower end of the elastic member 17 a is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the powder discharge screw 13. When the powder discharge screw 13 rotates, the lower end of the elastic member 17a alternately abuts against the shaft portion 13a and the spiral protrusion 13b of the screw 13 to intermittently move up and down, whereby the stirrer 17 and the auxiliary stirring member 18 Are configured to swing together.
[0008]
As shown in FIG. 2A, the powder guide 14 gradually decreases in diameter toward the tip end portion 14a, and the powder release guide blade 16 fixed to the tip of the powder release screw has the powder guide 14 as shown in FIG. Has a diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter in the vicinity of the tip portion 14a. Moreover, the powder discharge | release guide blade | wing 16 has the four fan-shaped blade | wing parts 19 arrange | positioned at predetermined intervals. A gap 20 is formed between the respective blade portions 19, and the powder raw material 11 is discharged from each gap 20 as shown in FIG. 2 (b). Here, the powder discharge guide vanes 16 are configured to rotate clockwise as indicated by solid arrows in FIG. 2B, and as cutters at the front end portions of the respective vane portions 19 in the rotational direction. An inclined taper portion 19a is formed. The taper portion 19a is sharp toward the front side in the rotational direction, and functions not only as a discharge promotion but also as a cutting blade. In addition, the powder discharge guide blade 16 has a size that can partially block the discharge port portion and secure a discharge amount that is not significantly different from the transfer amount of the powder raw material 11 transferred to the discharge port portion.
[0009]
Moreover, as FIG. 3-5 shows, the auxiliary | assistant stirring member 18 has the square frame-shaped base 21 which has a lateral width larger than the stirring frame of a stirrer. Both side surfaces of the base portion 21 are formed in an L shape from a horizontal portion 21a and a vertical portion 21b extending vertically upward with respect to the horizontal portion 21a. Side cutting plates 22 and 23 extending obliquely inward and downward are formed at the bottom of each horizontal portion 21a, and the lower ends of the side cutting plates 22 and 23 extend in the front-rear direction. Are formed as stirring portions 22a and 23a. On the other hand, a pair of convex portions 24 are formed at the upper ends of the respective vertical portions 21b so as to face each other. A stirring arm 25 is formed at the front end of the base 21 so as to extend in the horizontal direction in the vicinity of the base 21 and obliquely extend outward and upward at the tip. The stirring arm 25 has a rectangular opening 25a. have. In addition, a front cutting plate 26 is formed at the front end of the base 21 so as to extend obliquely inward and downward and have a rectangular opening 26a. Further, a rear cutting plate 27 extending obliquely inward and downward is formed at the rear end of the base portion 21.
[0010]
As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the side cutting plates 22 and 23 of the auxiliary stirring member 18 having the above-described configuration, the front cutting plate 26, and the rear cutting plate 27 are used as a stirrer. The auxiliary stirring member 18 can be easily attached to the stirring frame 17b by sandwiching and fixing the 17 stirring frames 17b from front, rear, left and right. When the auxiliary stirring member 18 moves downward with respect to the stirring frame 17b, the upper surfaces of the front and rear portions of the stirring frame 17b come into contact with the lower surfaces of the front and rear portions of the base 21, respectively. The stirring member 18 is prevented from coming off from the stirring frame 17b. Further, the horizontal portion 21a and the vertical portion 21b on the side surface of the base portion 21, the stirring portions 22a and 23a of the side cutting plates 22 and 23, the pair of convex portions 24, the stirring arm 25, and the like are each 1 mm thick. In the following, the width is 5 mm or less, and the powder raw material in the raw material storage container is not compressed when rocking.
[0011]
Next, the operation of the powder raw material supply apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. When the release of the raw material is required, the powder discharge screw 13 is driven to rotate for a predetermined time by a motor (not shown) so that the screw 13 pushes the powder raw material 11 in the raw material storage container 12 toward the discharge port 15. Transport. At this time, the powder discharge guide blade 16 rotates with the powder discharge screw 13 and pulverizes and discharges the powder raw material 11 conveyed to the discharge port 15. That is, as shown in FIG. 2B, the powder raw material 11 is discharged from the respective gaps 20 formed between the four blade portions 19 of the powder discharge guide blade 16 by a certain amount. Thereby, the powder raw material 11 can be stably and quantitatively released in a powder form, and as a result, the powder raw material 11 is mixed with water, hot water or the like to prevent the concentration of the beverage to be adjusted from changing. Can do. Therefore, even when a powder raw material 11 having a small particle size, a large bulk specific gravity, and a small angle of repose, that is, a powder raw material 11 that is relatively easily bonded, is used when the powder raw material 11 is extruded by the powder discharge screw 13. 11 is prevented from being lumped and released from the tip portion 14a of the powder guide 14 so as to collapse irregularly. As a result, it is possible to prevent a part of the powder raw material 11 released so as to fall down from adhering to the peripheral edge portion of the tip end portion 14a of the powder guide 14 and contaminating the peripheral edge portion as in the prior art.
[0012]
Further, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the powder extruded by the powder discharge screw 13 by the tapered portions 19a formed at the front ends in the rotational direction of the four blade portions 19 of the powder discharge guide blade 16 respectively. The raw material 11 can be cut and released, so that even if the powder raw material 11 is compressed and solidified in front of the powder discharge screw 13, the powder raw material 11 can be made into a fine and uniform powder. Its release can be facilitated.
Further, since the discharge port portion 15 is partially blocked by the powder discharge guide blade 16, it is light when the powder raw material 11 is discharged, when the discharge is stopped, or when the discharge is stopped. It is prevented that the powder raw material 11 is released so as to collapse due to an impact or vibration, and the steam of hot water or moisture of the outside air that causes the powder raw material 11 to solidify is reduced from entering the discharge port 15. can do.
[0013]
In addition, the powder discharge guide blade 16 partially closes the discharge port 15 and has a size that can secure a discharge amount that is not significantly different from the transfer amount of the powder raw material 11 transferred to the discharge port 15. Since the powder raw material 11 can be avoided from being compressed at the discharge port portion 15, the powder raw material 11 can be conveyed and discharged more stably.
Since the powder raw material 11 can be discharged little by little with fine powder in this way, the rotational speed of this motor can be adjusted by adjusting the rotational speed of a motor (not shown) that rotationally drives the powder discharge screw. The discharge amount of the powder raw material 11 determined accordingly can be set with high accuracy and the setting range can be expanded.
Further, since the powder discharge guide blade 16 is fixed to the tip of the powder discharge screw 13 and rotates together with the screw 13, there is no need to newly provide a power source dedicated to the powder discharge guide blade 16.
[0014]
Further, at the time of discharging the raw material as described above, as the powder discharge screw 13 rotates, the stirrer 17 and the auxiliary stirring member 18 disposed on the upper portion of the screw 13 are moved to the lowered position A indicated by a solid line in FIG. The powder raw material 11 in the raw material storage container 12 is agitated by swinging up and down and up and down so as to swing between the rising position B indicated by a broken line. At this time, due to the structure in which the powder raw material 11 is conveyed from the rear to the front by the rotation of the powder discharge screw 13, the raw material adheres to the gently sloping slope portion 12 a formed on the inner wall surface on the front side of the raw material storage container 12. The stirrer arm 25 of the auxiliary stirrer member 18 swings from the lower part to the upper part along the slope of the slope part 12a, so that the slope of the stirrer 17 in the part other than the movable range of the stirrer frame 17b can be reduced. The powder raw material 11 on the part 12 a can be slid down to the lower part of the raw material storage container 12. Thereby, it can prevent that the powder raw material 11 adheres and stagnates on the slope part 12a.
[0015]
In addition, the upper part of the powder discharge screw 13 on the inner wall surface on the front side and the rear side of the raw material storage container 12 is a portion where the powder raw material 11 adheres and stagnates particularly near the wall, and is most easily hollowed out. The front cutting plate 26 and the rear cutting plate 27 can cut and crush the powder raw material 11 in those portions. That is, as shown in FIG. 7A, when the stirrer 17 and the auxiliary stirring member 18 descend, the powder raw material 11 deposited by the lower end of the front cutting plate 26 is cut and pulverized. Adhesion and stagnation are prevented. Further, since the rectangular opening 26a is formed in the front cutting plate 26, the powder raw material 11 is prevented from being compressed by the front cutting plate 26 during swinging, and FIG. ), The accumulated powder raw material 11 can be cut and broken by the periphery of the opening 26a of the front cutting plate 26 when the auxiliary stirring member 18 rises.
[0016]
Further, the powder raw material 11 is conveyed from the rear to the front by the rotation of the powder discharge screw 13, so that the powder raw material 11 needs to move smoothly at the rear of the raw material storage container 12. The vertical portions 21b on both side surfaces of the material can agitate the powder raw material 11 near the rear upper wall of the raw material storage container 12, so that the portion of the powder raw material 11 can be removed even in a portion other than the movable range of the elastic member 17a of the stirrer 17. Stagnation and cavitation can be prevented, and the raw material 11 can be transported more smoothly. Further, the pair of convex portions 24 formed on the vertical portions 21b on both sides facilitates the stirring of the powder raw material 11 forward in the rear portion of the raw material storage container 12, and further widens the swing range. Can do.
[0017]
Although not shown in the drawing, gradual slopes are formed on the lower portions of the inner wall surfaces on both sides of the raw material storage container 12, and the powder raw material 11 on each slope is mixed with the stirring frame 17 b of the stirrer 17. Even in a part other than the movable range, the side cutting plates 22 and 23 formed on both sides of the auxiliary stirring member 18 are agitated and slid down to the lower part of the raw material storage container 12, whereby the powder raw material 11 is placed on the respective slopes. It is possible to prevent adhesion and stagnation. Further, the stirring parts 22a and 23a formed at the lower ends of the side cutting plates 22 and 23 can stir the powder raw material 11 at the lower part of the inner wall surface on both sides of the raw material storage container 12 in the front-rear direction. The range of motion has expanded. Further, since the auxiliary stirring member 18 has a larger width than the stirring frame 17 b of the stirrer 17, the powder raw material 11 at the side walls of the raw material storage container 12 is formed by the horizontal portions 21 a on both side surfaces of the auxiliary stirring member 18. Can be further agitated by swinging from below at portions other than the movable range of the stirring frame 17 b of the stirrer 17.
Further, the auxiliary stirring member 18 can cope with a powder raw material of a type that is easily combined, and can effectively prevent stagnation and adhesion of the powder raw material to the inner wall surface of the raw material storage container 12.
[0018]
In addition, a grinding | pulverization means can also be provided in the discharge port of the front lower part of a raw material storage container, without providing a powder guide.
[0019]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the discharge port is fixed to the tip of the screw located at the discharge port, and has a plurality of blade portions arranged at predetermined intervals around the rotation axis of the screw. A powder discharge guide vane having a closed outer diameter and a gap for discharging the powder raw material between the blades and pulverizing and discharging the powder raw material while rotating with the screw is provided. Since the taper portion that is sharp toward the front side in the rotational direction and functions as a cutting blade that cuts the powder raw material is formed at the end portion on the front side in the rotational direction of each blade portion of the guide blade , A fixed amount of powder can be released stably.
In addition, as described above, the powder discharge guide vane has an outer diameter that closes the discharge port and has a plurality of gaps for discharging the powder raw material, so that it is possible to discharge the pulverized fine powder raw material However, it is prevented that the powder raw material is released so as to collapse due to slight impact or vibration, and the steam of hot water or the humidity of the outside air that causes solidification of the powder raw material enters the discharge port. Can be reduced.
In addition, by forming a tapered portion that is sharp toward the front side in the rotational direction and functions as a cutting blade for cutting the powder raw material, at the end portion on the front side in the rotational direction of each blade portion of the powder discharge guide blade , Even if the powder raw material is compressed and hardened in front of the screw , the powder raw material can be made into a fine and uniform powder and the release thereof can be promoted.
Furthermore, since the powder discharge guide blade is fixed to the screw and rotates together with the screw, it is not necessary to newly provide a power source dedicated to the pulverizing means.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the overall structure of a powder raw material supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are front views showing a structure in the vicinity of a powder discharge guide blade in the embodiment, in which FIG. 2A shows a non-release state of a powder raw material, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a side view of an auxiliary stirring member in the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of an auxiliary stirring member in the embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a front view of an auxiliary stirring member in the embodiment.
FIGS. 6A and 6B show a state where the auxiliary stirring member in the embodiment is attached to the stirrer, where FIG. 6A is a side view thereof, and FIG. 6B is a front view thereof.
7A and 7B show a state where the powder raw material is being cut by the front cutting plate of the auxiliary stirring member in the embodiment, FIG. 7A is a view showing the lowering as viewed from the side, and FIG. It is a figure which shows the time of seeing.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the overall structure of a conventional powder raw material supply apparatus.
FIG. 9 is a front view showing a structure in the vicinity of a discharge port of a conventional powder raw material supply apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Powder raw material, 12 Raw material storage container, 13 Powder discharge screw, 13a Shaft part, 13b Spiral protrusion, 14 Powder guide, 14a Tip part, 15 Outlet part, 16 Powder discharge guide blade, 17 Stirrer, 17a Elastic member, 17b Stirring Frame, 18 auxiliary stirring member, 19 blade part, 19a taper part, 20 gap.

Claims (1)

In the powder raw material supply device for conveying the powder raw material to the discharge port by a rotating screw and discharging from this discharge port,
It has an outer diameter that is fixed to the tip of the screw located at the discharge port, has a plurality of blade portions arranged at a predetermined interval around the rotation axis of the screw, and closes the discharge port. In addition, a gap for discharging the powder raw material is formed between the blade portions, and a powder discharge guide blade that pulverizes and discharges the powder raw material while rotating together with the screw.
A taper portion which is sharp toward the front side in the rotational direction and functions as a cutting blade for cutting the powder raw material is formed at the front end portion in the rotational direction of each blade portion of the powder discharge guide blade. The powder raw material supply apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.

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