JPH09183509A - Power supplying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a powder supplying device in which the amount of feeding can be controlled easily. SOLUTION: A powder supplying device concerned 1 is composed of a powder vessel 2 in bottle shape, a bent nozzle pipe 3 in hollow shape coupled with the opening 4 of the vessel 2, and a vibration generating means with a piezo vibrator 7 or magnetostrictive vibrator for vibrating the nozzle pipe 3, wherein one end of the pipe 3 is coupled with the vessel opening 4, and the vessel side of the pipe 3 is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction as facing down in the direction of the gravitation, and the flowout tip side of the nozzle pipe 3 is directed upward with respect to the horizontal direction, and the flowout port is positioned over the level of the filling powder in the vessel.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a powder feeding device, and in particular, a powder feeding device that feeds powder stably upwards from a horizontal direction because the structure is simple and handling of powder is safe and convenient. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of stably supplying powder upward from the horizontal direction, there are a screw conveyor system, a bucket conveyor system, an idle system, and the like.

In the screw conveyor system, the screw inside the pipe is rotated to push the powder upward to supply the powder, and the feed amount is controlled by the rotation speed of the screw.

The bucket conveyor system is a system in which a plurality of buckets are connected to a rotary belt and the powder contained in the buckets is pumped upward.

The air-feeding system is a system in which powder mixed with compressed air is transported upward due to a pressure difference, or a powder is sucked up in a depressurized state.

However, any of the above methods is a method for treating a large amount of powder, and it is necessary to reduce the size and weight in order to handle a small amount of powder and to incorporate it in small electronic equipment such as physicochemical equipment and copying machines. It was difficult and did not meet the recent demand for miniaturization and weighing.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above problems and provides a powder supply device which is small, lightweight, and has a simple structure and which stably supplies a small amount of powder upward from the horizontal direction. Especially.

[0008]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a bottle-shaped powder-filled container is narrowed to have a smaller opening diameter than a body diameter, and is bent into a bent hollow pipe shape connected to the powder-filled container opening. A nozzle tube and a piezoelectric vibrator or a magnetostrictive vibrator as a vibration generating means for vibrating the bent nozzle tube, and the powder filling container side of the bent nozzle tube is centered around the bent portion of the bent nozzle tube. Is inclined to the horizontal direction so as to flow down by its own weight and directed downward in the direction of gravity, the powder outlet side of the bent nozzle tube is directed upward with respect to the horizontal direction, and the outlet is filled in the container. The powder supply device is located above the height of the powder.

According to the present invention, the diameter of the outlet of the powder filling container is made larger than the diameter of the bent nozzle tube, and the two are connected by a funnel-shaped body having an inclination angle greater than the repose angle of the filling powder. Is.

[0010]

According to the present invention, when the powder is not used, the powder in the powder-filled container tends to flow by gravity due to its own weight because the container opening is downward from the horizontal direction. However, inside the bent portion, it is stopped by the outlet-side nozzle facing upward from the horizontal direction.

When powder is used, vibration is applied by the vibration generating means attached to the tip of the bent nozzle tube, and when the traveling wave is generated in the longitudinal direction by the vibration, the powder in the powder filling container is discharged into the nozzle tube. It begins to move downward on the traveling wave generated in the direction of the bent nozzle tube, turns upward according to the bent portion of the bent nozzle tube, and advances from the outlet of the tip of the bent nozzle tube facing upward from the horizontal direction. leak.

According to the present invention, it is possible to generate a traveling wave by vibrating the nozzle tube in the radial direction of the nozzle tube. Although the traveling wave advances toward the powder filling container, the traveling wave is gradually attenuated at this time, so that a reflected wave is not generated at the connecting portion with the powder filling container. Thus, the traveling wave becomes stable, and the powder is transferred in the direction opposite to the traveling direction of the traveling wave.

Various powders can be stably supplied by setting the upward angle of the bent nozzle tube tip outlet with respect to the horizontal direction in accordance with the physical properties of the powder. The bending angle and the radius of curvature of the bent nozzle tube are angles between 0 degree (U-shaped) and 150 degrees, and the powder physical properties such as fluidity and adhesion of the powder, the required flow rate of the powder, and the surroundings. It is determined by the positional relationship with the equipment installed in and the material of the bent nozzle tube and its processing method.

Since the traveling wave is attenuated on the side opposite to the tip outlet of the bent nozzle tube, that is, on the side connected to the powder filling container, the bending nozzle tube is bonded to the opening or funnel-shaped body of the powder filling container. Since it can be directly connected by welding, screwing, scissors, or the like, the filling powder can be taken out from the outlet without leaking to the outside at the connection between the opening of the powder filling container and the bent nozzle tube.

Only the funnel-shaped body is connected to the bent nozzle tube for charging powder, the outlet side is made higher than the funnel-shaped side of the bent nozzle tube, and the powder flowing out from the outlet of the preceding stage is funnel-shaped of the latter stage. A plurality of bent nozzle tubes may be configured to be received by the body.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First, a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is a powder supply apparatus 1 of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the powder-filled container 2 is narrowed so that the diameter d1 of the opening 4 of the container is smaller than the body diameter d2. The drawing angle is the inner wall 5 of the drawing part of the powder filling container 2.
An angle that is larger than the repose angle of the powder filled with is desirable. A hollow pipe-shaped bent nozzle tube 3 is connected to an opening 4 of the powder filling container 2 by a funnel-shaped body 6. A piezoelectric vibrator 7 is fixed to the tip of the bent nozzle tube 3 on the powder outlet side, and an AC power source 8 is connected to the piezoelectric vibrator 7.

In FIG. 1, the connecting side to the funnel-shaped body 6 is shortened to form a short tube portion 10 around the bent portion 9 of the bent nozzle tube 3 connected to the funnel-shaped body 6 connected to the powder filling container 2. A bent nozzle tube 3 having a bent portion 9 of 45 degrees is connected to the powder filling container 2 by making the outlet side on the opposite side long and forming a long tube portion 11, and an opening is formed so that the axis of the container is oriented in the direction of gravity. 4, the powder outlet side of the bent nozzle tube 3 is inclined in the antigravity direction at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction.

A piezoelectric vibrator 7 is provided as vibration generating means at the tip of the long nozzle portion 11 of the bent nozzle tube 3 on the outlet side in the longitudinal direction. As for the voltage, an AC voltage is applied by an AC power supply 8 having a peak-to-peak voltage of 5 to 100 volts. Frequency is 2
An ultrasonic range of about 0 to 100 kHz is preferable. As shown in FIG. 2 (only the outer wall of the hollow nozzle is shown), the piezoelectric vibrator 7 generates vibration such that the cross-section outer wall of the bent nozzle tube 3 causes radial vibration (r direction) like a two-dot chain line. be able to. A traveling wave as shown in FIG. 3 is generated in the bent nozzle tube 3 excited by the piezoelectric vibrator 7. When plastic such as acrylic is used as the bent nozzle tube 3, a relatively large attenuation characteristic is exhibited, and the traveling wave is attenuated as shown in FIG. Therefore, since there is almost no reflected wave at the tip portion and the traveling wave is not disturbed by the reflected wave, the powder filling container 2 and the bent nozzle tube 3 can be easily bonded or screwed and connected via the funnel-shaped body 6. .

As the piezoelectric vibrator 7 for generating the traveling wave described above, it is possible to use a type in which a ceramic PZT having a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm is sandwiched by electrodes from both sides as shown in FIG. When a voltage is applied between the electrodes, the expansion and contraction vibrations in the inner and outer diameter directions, that is, the r direction are excited by the expansion and contraction force of the ceramics, and the vibrations are transmitted to the bending nozzle tube 3 as a traveling wave. The optimum peak-to-peak voltage and frequency can be calculated from the resonance mode depending on the shape of the piezoelectric vibrator 5. The oscillation frequency can be changed by changing the thickness and shape of the piezoelectric vibrator 7.

Further, in FIG. 6, the piezoelectric vibrator 7 has only one layer, but if a plurality of sandwich type (multilayer type) is used as shown in FIG. The traveling wave propagated is also increased and the powder transport force is increased, so that the flow rate control range can be expanded. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, electrodes may be provided on the circumference of the piezoelectric vibrator 7 and on the circumference.

Further, the vibration mode is not limited to the mode shown in FIG. 2, and may be excited as shown by a chain double-dashed line in the sectional view (only the outer wall is shown) of the bent nozzle tube 3 shown in FIG. 4 or 5. Further, the voltage application time may be changed in a pulsed manner.

As the member of the bent nozzle tube 3, a material having a large attenuation, that is, a plastic material such as acrylic, nylon, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polystyrene, or the like is preferable. Besides the plastic, a material having a large attenuation in a part of the metal member. It is possible to increase the damping by gluing or by forming a groove in a part of the metal member. Alternatively, the hollow straight pipe may be cut and bonded or welded to form a hollow bent nozzle pipe.
In order to maintain the inner diameter of the hollow pipe, heat it with a radius of curvature suitable for the material and processing method, and heat the hollow straight pipe to smooth the inner surface and reduce the resistance obstacle to the moving powder due to the protrusion. It is desirable to process it to form a bent nozzle tube.

The bending nozzle tube 3 is particularly preferably made of acrylic, and the vibration amplitude applied to a part of the acrylic nozzle tube is attenuated by the vibration absorption of the member, that is, the acrylic bending nozzle tube 3. According to the present invention, the amplitude of the excited powder transport member is configured to be attenuated at the end in the traveling wave direction to generate a traveling wave, and the piezoelectric vibrator 7 that is the generator of this traveling wave is generated. By changing the applied voltage, control of the powder flow rate can be realized with a simple and inexpensive structure as in this embodiment.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the piezoelectric vibrator 7 is used.
Is fixed to the tip of the bent nozzle tube 3 (the lower part of the bent nozzle tube 3 in FIG. 11), which is different from the first embodiment. This is a plate-shaped piezoelectric vibrator 7 such as a laminated piezoelectric vibrator, which is shown in FIG.
This is a method of vibrating as shown in FIG. 1 and hitting a part of the bent nozzle tube 3 with a piezoelectric element to generate a traveling wave to transport the powder, and a sufficient transport force is generated as in the other examples. .

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, a plate-shaped piezoelectric vibrator 7 such as a laminated piezoelectric vibrator is fixed to a metal piece 12 having a small vibration damping to form a vibration generator, which is pressed against the bending nozzle tube 3. It differs from the first and second embodiments in that a traveling wave is generated by hitting and hitting a part of the bent nozzle tube 3. As shown in FIG. 12, the composite vibration generator formed by the piezoelectric vibrator 7 and the metal pieces 12, 12 is pressed against the bending nozzle tube 3 and a traveling wave is generated by hitting a part of the bending nozzle tube 3 as shown in FIG. This is a method of transporting the powder. With such a configuration, the vibration generator can be easily attached to and detached from the bending nozzle tube 3, and when the powder filling container 2 or the bending nozzle tube 3 that comes into direct contact with the powder is to be disposable, the vibration generating portion is removed. Can be reused. Further, when it is desired to sterilize the powder filling container 2 and the bent nozzle tube 3 with radiation, high temperature, gas, etc., the vibration generator portion can be removed to easily sterilize the powder contact portion. In addition, 13 and 13 are metal pieces 12,
It is a stopper for attaching 12 to the bent nozzle tube 3. Further, the metal piece 12 may be a plastic material having a small damping.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, a piezoelectric vibrator 7 is fixed to a conical tube 14 whose inside is processed into a conical shape by using a material such as a metal material or a plastic material having a small vibration damping, and a vibration generator is formed. The conical tube 14 is fitted into the bent nozzle tube 3 in which a part of the outside is processed into a conical shape with the same size and angle as the conical tube 14 and an external thread is processed in the adjacent portion, The conical tube 14 using the outer screw 3
In the first embodiment, where the traveling wave is generated by tightening one end of the nozzle with a stopper 13 and hitting a part of the conical portion of the conical tube 14 and the conical portion of the curved nozzle tube 3 by pressure contact Different from the second and third embodiments. As shown in FIG. 13, the composite vibration generator of the piezoelectric vibrator 7 and the conical tube 14 is pressed against the bending nozzle tube 3 and a traveling wave is generated by hitting a part of the bending nozzle tube 3 by this. This is a method of transporting powder. With this structure, the vibration generator and the bent nozzle tube 3 can be easily attached and detached as in the third embodiment. The piezoelectric vibrator 7 and the conical tube 14 can be fixed by adhesion.

With such a structure, the powder that has dropped from the powder filling container 2 and reached the bent nozzle tube 3 is transported in the direction opposite to the traveling wave (A in FIG. 1).

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 14 shows that the bent nozzle tubes 3 and 3 are connected to the funnel-shaped bodies 6 and 6 which are opened by removing the powder filling container and used as powder inlets, and the funnel-shaped bodies 6 and 6 on the outlet side. A powder having a multi-stage structure in which the powder flowing out from the outlet of the bent nozzle tube in the previous stage is made higher and is received by the funnel-shaped body in the latter stage, and the two powders are moved to the upper stage by another step. It is a body feeding device. A multi-stage bent nozzle tube may be constructed in this way.

[0035]

【Example】

The member of the bending nozzle tube 3 was made of acrylic resin, and a device having a nozzle tube bending angle of 45 degrees was manufactured. The hollow pipe-shaped portion of the bent nozzle tube 3 had an outer diameter of 15 mm, an inner diameter of 9 mm, and a length of 240 mm. With a radius of curvature of 20 mm, the radius of curvature is 45 mm so that the inner diameter of the bent portion 9 can be held at a point of 1 to 3 from both ends.
The bending nozzle tube 3 was bent by bending each time. Then, the piezoelectric vibrator 7 is fixed to the end of the bent nozzle tube 3 using the long tube portion 11 side as the powder outlet, and the short tube portion 10 side end is connected to the powder filling container 2 via the funnel-shaped body 6. The device shown in FIG. 1 was manufactured by screwing.

Powder filling container 2 in which bent nozzle tube 3 is connected
Is directed downward in the gravity direction so that the powder flows down by its own weight, and the powder outlet side of the bent nozzle tube 3, that is, the long tube portion 11 is angled 45 degrees in the antigravity direction with respect to the horizontal direction. And tilt it upwards.

When powder is used, vibration is applied by the vibration generating means attached to the tip of the bent nozzle tube 3, and when a traveling wave is generated in the longitudinal direction by the vibration, it flows out from the powder filling container 2 by its own weight. The powder, which has been stationary inside the bent portion 9 via the short tube portion 10, starts moving along with the traveling wave generated in the bent nozzle tube 3, and is moved at the bent portion 9 of the bent nozzle tube 3. In accordance with the bending, the direction of the bent nozzle pipe is changed to the upper direction, the inside of the long pipe portion 11 is advanced, and the pipe is continuously raised from the outlet of the bent nozzle pipe tip facing upward from the horizontal direction.

In the experiment, abrasive powder having an average particle diameter of 120 microns and containing 82% of aluminum oxide component was used. As a result of conducting an experiment by operating the vibration generating means at the tip of the bent nozzle tube 3, this powder continuously flowed out at 15 grams per minute from the outlet at the tip of the upward long tube portion 11 inclined at 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction. Then, until the last powder in the container reached the curved portion 9, the powder continuously rose and flowed out from the tip.

Next, using the above embodiment, the long nozzle portion 11 is made vertical with the outlet of the bent nozzle tube 3 directed right above, and the opening of the powder filling container 2 is directed downward and a short length on the container axis. Pipe section 10
Was tilted at an angle of 45 degrees and the bent portion 9 was turned downward, and the same powder was tested. In this experiment, the powder flowed out of the upward outlet at 1 gram per minute. Then, as in the above-mentioned embodiment, the powder continuously rises and flows out from the tip end portion until the last powder in the container reaches the bent portion 9.

In this experiment, the amount of outflow of powder was determined by the piezoelectric vibrator 7.
It changed in proportion to the voltage applied to the powder, and the flow rate of the powder could be controlled. Further, the powder continuously flowed out from the outlet of the bent nozzle tube 3, and when the power was turned off, the powder flow stopped in response to the vibration stop of the piezoelectric vibrator 7.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, the powder filling container is vibrated in the radial direction by the vibration generating means at the outlet end portion of the powder outflow nozzle tube member, and the traveling wave is By controlling the vibration force of the traveling wave by a powder supply device with a bent nozzle tube that attenuates toward the end directly connected and the powder outlet port facing upward with respect to the horizontal direction, it is possible to control the powder at a predetermined flow rate. However, it can be stably moved upward and taken out.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating vibration of the outer wall of the nozzle tube.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a traveling wave generated in a nozzle tube.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing uniaxially symmetric vibration generated in a nozzle tube.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing asymmetrical vibration generated in the nozzle tube.

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an embodiment of a piezoelectric vibrator.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing another example of the piezoelectric vibrator.

FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing another example of the piezoelectric vibrator.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a vibration mode of a vibration generating means of the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing another vibration mode of the vibration generating means of the apparatus shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a piezoelectric vibrator portion according to a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 is a partially cutaway side view showing a piezoelectric vibrator portion according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Powder supply device 2: Powder filling container 3: Bent nozzle tube 4: Opening part 5: Inner wall of throttle part 6: Funnel-shaped body 7: Piezoelectric vibrator 8: AC power supply 9: Bent part 10: Short tube part 11 : Long tube part 12: Metal piece 13: Stopper 14: Conical tube

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A bottle-shaped powder-filled container, a hollow pipe-shaped bent nozzle tube connected to the opening of the powder-filled container, and a vibration generating means using a piezoelectric vibrator or a magnetostrictive vibrator for vibrating the bent nozzle tube. And narrowing the opening diameter of the powder filling container to be smaller than the body diameter and connecting one end of the bending nozzle pipe to the opening of the powder filling container, centering around the bending portion of the bending nozzle pipe. , The powder-filled container side of the bent nozzle tube is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction so that the filled powder naturally flows down, and is directed downward in the direction of gravity, and the tip end side of the bent nozzle tube with respect to the horizontal direction. And a powder supply device having a structure in which the outlet is located above the height of the filling powder in the container. 2. The powder at the tip of the bent nozzle tube is vibrated by a piezoelectric oscillator or a magnetostrictive oscillator provided at the tip of the bent nozzle tube, and the traveling wave traveling in the direction of the powder filling container The powder supply device according to claim 1, wherein a required amount of powder can be constantly and continuously discharged from the body flow outlet. 3. The powder according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the opening of the powder-filled container is larger than that of the bent nozzle tube, and the two are connected by a funnel-shaped body having an inclination angle greater than the repose angle of the filled powder. Supply device. 4. The powder supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the traveling wave is attenuated by absorbing the vibration of the bent slant pipe member itself. 5. The powder supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vibration generating means is a piezoelectric vibrator or a magnetostrictive vibrator and is vibrated at an ultrasonic region frequency.