JPWO2020089632A5

JPWO2020089632A5 -

Info

Publication number: JPWO2020089632A5
Application number: JP2021523000A
Authority: JP
Publication date: 2022-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 2039-10-31

Claims

a hopper for separating excess slack from a mixture of product and slack, the hopper comprising a first gate movable between an open position and a closed position; and a retaining wall ;
The first gate is
forming a first path for discharging the contents of the hopper comprising a mixture of product and slack from the hopper when the first gate is in the open position;
said first path is closed by said first gate such that product is retained in said hopper when said first gate is in said closed position; and a second path different from said first path is provided. , formed for discharging slack from said hopper ,
there is a lateral offset between where the hopper contents exit the hopper via the first path and where slack exits the hopper via the second path;
configured as
The hopper is further configured such that when the first gate is in the closed position, the first gate and the retaining wall are inclined toward each other such that the retaining wall stops short of the first gate to close the gap. and the distal end of the first gate is laterally offset from the lower end of the retaining wall beyond where the first gate and retaining wall would have intersected if they had continued to extend. configured to extend the first gate through
hopper.

The first passage includes a first opening sized to discharge both product and slack, and the second passage includes a second opening sized to discharge slack but not product. prepare
A hopper according to claim 1.

the hopper is configured such that the second opening is the gap between the first gate and the lower end of the retaining wall when in the closed position;
A hopper according to claim 2.

such that when the first gate is in the open position, the first path directs the contents of the hopper under gravity out of the hopper in a first direction;
when the first gate is in the closed position, the second path is configured to direct slack under gravity from the hopper in a second direction at an angle to the first direction;
A hopper according to any one of claims 1-3.

The retaining wall is at an acute angle to the vertical such that the contents of the hopper pass through the retaining wall and exit the hopper in the first direction when the first gate is in the open position. ,
A hopper as claimed in claim 4 when dependent on claim 3.

The first gate is at an acute angle to the vertical such that when the first gate is in the closed position, slack passes over the first gate and exits the hopper in the second direction. consists of
A hopper according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

a first hinge;
the first gate is configured to be movable between the open position and the closed position by rotation about the first hinge;
A hopper according to any one of claims 1 to 6 .

wherein said hopper is a weigh hopper, pool hopper, booster hopper, timing hopper, output hopper or discharge hopper;
A hopper according to any one of claims 1 to 7 .

a hopper for separating excess slack from a mixture of product and slack, the hopper comprising a first gate movable between an open position and a closed position; and a retaining wall;
The first gate is
forming a first path for discharging the contents of the hopper comprising a mixture of product and slack from the hopper when the first gate is in the open position;
said first path is closed by said first gate such that product is retained in said hopper when said first gate is in said closed position; and a second path different from said first path is provided. , formed for discharging slack from said hopper,
said retaining wall comprising a second gate movable between an open position and a closed position;
said first path extends between said first gate and said second gate when said first gate and said second gate are in their respective open positions;
when said first gate and said second gate are in their respective closed positions, said first path is closed and said second path extends between said first gate and said second gate;
there is a lateral offset between where the hopper contents exit the hopper via the first path and where slack exits the hopper via the second path;
configured as
The hopper is further configured such that when the first gate and the second gate are in their respective closed positions, the first gate and the second gate slope toward each other, and the second gate tilts toward the first gate. The first and second gates continue to extend such that they stop short to form a gap and the distal end of the first gate is laterally offset from the distal end of the second gate. configured to extend said first gates beyond where they would have crossed each other if
hopper.

The first passage includes a first opening sized to discharge both product and slack, and the second passage includes a second opening sized to discharge slack but not product. prepare
A hopper according to claim 9 .

the hopper is configured such that the second opening is the gap between the lower ends of the first gate and the second gate when in the closed position;
A hopper according to claim 10.

such that when the first gate is in the open position, the first path directs the contents of the hopper under gravity out of the hopper in a first direction;
when the first gate is in the closed position, the second path is configured to direct slack under gravity from the hopper in a second direction at an angle to the first direction;
A hopper according to any one of claims 9-11.

The retaining wall is at an acute angle to the vertical such that the contents of the hopper pass through the retaining wall and exit the hopper in the first direction when the first gate is in the open position. ,
A hopper as claimed in claim 12 when dependent from claim 11.

The first gate is at an acute angle to the vertical such that when the first gate is in the closed position, slack passes over the first gate and exits the hopper in the second direction. consists of
A hopper according to any one of claims 9 to 13.

configured to substantially simultaneously move the first gate and the second gate between their respective closed and open positions;
A hopper according to any one of claims 9 to 14.

the length of the first gate is at least 1.2 times, more preferably at least 1.5 times as long as the length of the second gate;
A hopper according to any one of claims 9 to 15.

a first hinge;
the first gate is configured to be movable between the open position and the closed position by rotation about the first hinge;
A hopper according to any one of claims 9-16.

a second hinge,
the second gate is configured to be movable between the open position and the closed position by rotation about the second hinge;
A hopper according to any one of claims 9 to 17.

wherein said hopper is a weigh hopper, pool hopper, booster hopper, timing hopper, output hopper or discharge hopper;
A hopper according to any one of claims 9 to 18.

A device for separating excess slack from a mixture of product and slack, comprising:
A hopper according to any one of claims 1 to 19 ;
a first chute positioned to receive contents exiting said hopper via said first path when said first gate is in said open position;
a second chute positioned to receive slack exiting the hopper via the second path when the first gate is in the closed position;
comprising
Device.

wherein the first chute is configured such that when the first gate is in the open position, the contents of the hopper smoothly pass under gravity from the retaining wall of the hopper onto a receiving surface of the chute; positioned against the retaining wall of the hopper;
21. Apparatus according to claim 20 , depending directly or indirectly on claims 5 or 13 .

Said first chute allows slack entering said first chute to exit said second chute through said first chute, while product entering said first chute passes through said first chute and exits said second chute. 2 formed as a filter configured to not allow to go into the chute,
22. Apparatus according to claim 20 or 21 .

the second chute is arranged concentrically around the first chute;
23. Apparatus according to claim 22 .

A packaging device,
a device according to any one of claims 20 to 23 ;
A package positioned at the lower end of the first chute and positioned such that the contents of the hopper received by the first chute smoothly pass downward under the force of gravity over the receiving surface of the chute and into the packaging material. a filling device;
a sealing device configured to seal the packaging material once the contents of the hopper received by the first chute pass through the receiving surface and into the packaging material;
comprising
packaging equipment.

A method for separating excess slack from a mixture of product and slack, comprising:
a) introducing a mixture of product and slack into a hopper according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and blocking a first path from said hopper while said first gate is in said closed position; retaining product in said hopper by doing so, but allowing slack to exit said hopper through a second path;
b) then moving said first gate to said open position such that the contents of said hopper exit said hopper via said first path;
c) then moving said first gate to said closed position so as to block said first path and expel excess slack remaining in said hopper from said hopper via said second path; When,
comprising
Method.

further comprising repeating all of steps a) through c) sequentially;
the second iteration of step b) occurs at least 400 milliseconds after the first iteration of step c);
26. The method of claim 25 .

After step a)
(i) obtaining a plurality of weight measurements of the contents of the hopper over time;
(ii) determining that the weight of the hopper contents has stabilized based on the plurality of weight measurements;
further comprising
step b) is performed only after said determination has been made;
27. A method according to claim 25 or 26 .

I. concurrently with step b), smoothly passing the contents from the hopper through the first path from the hopper into the packaging material under gravity;
II. Next, sealing the packaging material;
further comprising
28. The method of any one of claims 25-27 .

further comprising filtering out slack from the contents exiting the hopper through the first path;
29. The method of any one of claims 25-28 .

carried out using a device according to any one of claims 20 to 24 ,
30. The method of any one of claims 25-29 .

A method for separating excess slack from a mixture of product and slack, comprising:
a) introducing a mixture of product and slack into a hopper according to any one of claims 9 to 19, and while said first gate and said second gate are in their respective open positions, said hopper retaining product in the hopper by blocking a first path from, but allowing slack to exit the hopper through a second path;
b) then moving said first gate and said second gate to their respective open positions such that the contents of said hopper exit said hopper via said first path;
c) next, opening said first gate and said second gate respectively so as to block said first path and expel excess slack remaining in said hopper from said hopper via said second path; moving to the closed position;
comprising
Method.

step b) includes substantially simultaneously moving the first gate and the second gate to their respective open positions;
32. The method of claim 31.

further comprising repeating all of steps a) through c) sequentially;
the second iteration of step b) occurs at least 400 milliseconds after the first iteration of step c);
33. A method according to claim 31 or 32.

After step a)
(i) obtaining a plurality of weight measurements of the contents of the hopper over time;
(ii) determining that the weight of the hopper contents has stabilized based on the plurality of weight measurements;
further comprising
step b) is performed only after said determination has been made;
34. The method of any one of claims 31-33.

I. concurrently with step b), smoothly passing the contents from the hopper through the first path from the hopper into the packaging material under gravity;
II. Next, sealing the packaging material;
further comprising
35. The method of any one of claims 31-34.

further comprising filtering out slack from the contents exiting the hopper through the first path;
36. The method of any one of claims 31-35.

carried out using a device according to any one of claims 20 to 24,
37. The method of any one of claims 31-36.