JP3125855B2 - Seed gel coating method and seed gel coating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a processing section for coating a seed with a gelling agent which becomes a gel after curing in a gel coating processing apparatus for producing a coated seed in which the seed is coated with a polymer gel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, coated seeds in which seeds are coated with an elastic polymer gel containing a nutrient substance, a bactericide and the like have been known. The coated seeds are effective in protecting the seeds from animal damage and disinfecting the seeds. It has a number of advantages such that the germination rate can be improved by absorbing nutrients in the gel.

In view of the above-mentioned many advantages, the present applicant has proposed a plurality of processing sections in a seed gel coating apparatus for automatically manufacturing coated seeds. FIG.
3 is a front view showing an example of a conventional apparatus proposed by the present applicant. The gel coating processing apparatus indicated by the reference numeral 40 in the figure includes a gantry 41, a seed hopper 42, a seed transfer section 43, a gelling agent tank 44, a gel A processing unit 45, a curing tank 46, a washing tank 47, and the like are provided.

[0004] The seed hopper 42 is disposed on the upper left side of the gantry 41 and supported so as to be able to move up and down via an air cylinder 42a. As shown in a plan view in FIG. It has a circular shape and contains many seeds (not shown). As shown in FIG. 23, the gelling agent tank 44 is disposed on the lower left side of the gantry 41, and contains a high-viscosity liquid gelling agent for seed coating which hardens to form a polymer gel. Is housed in

The gel processing section 45 is disposed substantially at the center of the upper portion of the gantry 41. The gel processing section 45 is supplied with a gelling agent in a gelling agent tank 44 via a tube (not shown). Here, a coated seed in which the gelling agent is coated on the seed for processing is produced.

[0006] The seed transfer section 43 is disposed above the gantry 41 between the seed hopper 42 and the gel processing section 45, and has a substantially intermediate portion rotatably supported in a horizontal plane by a rotary actuator 43a. Turning arm 43b,
Two disposable suction tips 43 detachably attached to the lower surfaces at both ends of the turning arm 43b.
c, 43d. The seed transfer section 43 is configured such that the rotary arm 43b is rotated by 180 ° by a rotary actuator 43a so that one of the suction tips 43 is rotated.
c is located above the seed hopper 42 and the other suction tip 43d is located above the gel processing part 45, and one suction tip 43c is located above the gel processing part 45 and the other suction is performed. The second state in which the chips 43d are located above the seed hopper 42 is alternately repeated.

A hardening tank 46 is horizontally extended from the gantry 41 below the gel processing part 45, and reacts with the gelling agent of the coated seeds in the hardening tank 46 to harden the gelling agent. Then, a liquid hardening agent that turns the coated seeds into coated seeds is flowing. As shown in FIG. 24, a screw feeder 46a that conveys the coated seeds in the curing tank 46 along the extending direction of the curing tank 46 is rotatably accommodated in the curing tank 46.

The washing tank 47 extends horizontally along the hardening tank 46. In the washing tank 47, water for washing the coated seeds in which the gelling agent has hardened in the hardening tank 46 flows. I have. In the washing tank 47, a screw feeder 47a for transporting the coated seeds in a direction opposite to the curing tank 46 is rotatably accommodated.

In the conventional gel coating apparatus 20 having such a configuration, one of the suction tips 43c and 43d located on the seed hopper 42 is set to a negative pressure so that the seed hopper 42
Is moved upward by the air cylinder 42a, and the seed hopper 42
After sucking the seeds inside by the suction tips 43c and 43d, the seed hopper 42 is moved down, and during that time, the suction tips 43d and 43c above the gel processing part 45 are set to a positive pressure to drop the seeds into the gel processing part 45. And the seed transfer section 43
By repeating the first and second states, the suction tips 43c and 43d alternately repeat suction and dropping of seeds.

Then, in the gel processing section 45, the seeds dropped from the suction tips 43c and 43d are covered with a gelling agent supplied from a gelling agent tank 44, and the outer side is coated with a gelling agent. Is dropped from the gel processing section 45 to the curing tank 46 by its own weight. Further, the curing tank 46
While transferring the coated seeds dropped by the water flow created by the screw feeder 46a, the gelling agent that coats the outside of the seeds of the coated seeds during this movement is cured to form coated seeds,
The coated seeds reaching the inside of the hardening tank 46 on the other side in the width direction are transferred to the washing tank 47 side by passing over the hardening tank 46 and the partition 46b (see FIG. 24) of the washing tank 47 by the screw feeder 46a. Let it.

The coated seeds transferred to the washing tank 47 are moved in the washing water of the washing tank 47 by the water flow created by the screw feeder 47a. The coated seeds that have reached the end of the washing tank 47 are passed over the partition wall 47b (see FIG. 24) at the end of the washing tank 47 by the screw feeder 47a, and are transferred to a discharge / fall port 48 (see FIG. 24) for the coated seeds. And discharged out of the gel coating device 40.

In the gel coating apparatus 40 performing such an overall operation, the gel processing section 45 has conventionally been configured as follows. That is, as shown in a side sectional view in FIG. 25, the gel processing section 45 includes a nozzle block 51 and a gel containing block 53 connected to the side of the nozzle block 51.

The nozzle block 51 has a passage 51a which is opened up and down. The large diameter portion 51b and the middle diameter portion 51b are arranged in this order from above the nozzle block 51.
c, and a small-diameter portion 51d.
A valve 51e having a smaller diameter than the small-diameter portion 51d is formed at the lower end, and a male screw 51f is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter portion 51b.

A plunger 55 having a cylindrical shape and a passage 55a formed therein is accommodated in the passage 51a so as to be vertically movable. The plunger 55 is connected to the passage 5
1a is formed with an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the middle diameter portion 51c,
One end of the plunger 55 is formed in a small-diameter portion 55b having an inner diameter corresponding to the valve 51e. In addition, 5 in FIG.
1g is a bush, which is inserted into the middle diameter portion 51c of the passage 51a in order to make the plunger 55 move up and down smoothly.
h indicates an annular rubber seal member.

When the plunger 55 is inserted into the large-diameter portion 51b of the passage 51a from the small-diameter portion 55b side, the inner diameter difference between the small-diameter portion 55b and the plunger 55 closer to the other end than the small-diameter portion 55b. Is formed in the middle diameter portion 51c.
Engages with the step formed by the inner diameter difference between the bush 51g and the small diameter portion 51d, and further restricts downward movement. In this state, the tip of the small diameter portion 55b is connected to the valve 51e.
Is closed, and one end of the plunger 55 is positioned near the middle diameter portion 51c of the large diameter portion 51b, and the passage 5 of the plunger 55 is closed.
The upward movement in 1a causes the small-diameter portion 55b to be separated from the valve 51e and opened. still,
With the tip of the small diameter portion 55b of the plunger 55 closing the valve 51e, the small diameter portion 55b and the small diameter portion 5 of the passage 51a are closed.
1d, an annular space 51k is defined, and this space 51k communicates with a side portion on the gel containing block 53 side through a through hole 51j.

In this state, a cylindrical spring receiver 57 is accommodated in the large diameter portion 51b of the passage 51a.
The spring receiver 57 is formed with an outer diameter smaller than the large diameter portion 51b.
A flange 57a is formed with an outer diameter corresponding to the large diameter portion 51b, and the flange 57a abuts on the other end of the plunger 55 in a state where the flange 57a is accommodated in the large diameter portion 51b of the passage 51a. An annular space 57b is formed so as to protrude above 51a and be defined between the outer periphery of the spring receiver 57 and the inner periphery of the large diameter portion 51b of the passage 51a.

Further, a coil spring 59 is accommodated in the space 57b. The coil spring 59 is provided on the valve 51e side by a cylindrical cap 61 screwed from the outside to a male screw 51f on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 51b. The plunger 55 is pushed through the spring receiver 57 by the elastic force of the coil spring 59 so that the small-diameter portion 55b closes the valve 51e.

The gel containing block 53 has a gel passage 53a opened downward, a gel containing portion 53b is formed at an upper end of the gel passage 53a, and a check valve 53c is provided at a lower end of the gel passage 53a. The gelling agent is supplied from the gelling agent tank 44 connected to the lower end of the gel passage 53a while the backflow is prevented by the check valve 53c.
3b. Then, the gel container 53b
Communicates with the side portion on the nozzle block 51 side through the through hole 53d, and through the through hole 53d and the through hole 51j,
The space 51k of the nozzle block 51 and the gel containing portion 53
b communicates. Further, the inside of the gel containing section 53b is pressurized by the extension operation of an air cylinder (not shown) connected to the side of the gel containing block 53.

The conventional gel processing unit 4 configured as described above
In 5, in each time the plunger 55 moves up and down in the passage 51a and the valve 51e opens and closes, a coated seed in which the seed is wrapped with the gelling agent is produced. Specifically, the gelling agent supplied from the gelling agent tank 44 fills the gel passage 53a of the gel containing block 53 to the space 51k of the nozzle block 51 by the previous opening and closing of the valve 51e, and
In a state in which a gelling agent film is formed at the lower end of 1e, the seed sucked by the suction tip 43c is pulled from above the gel processing part 45 via the cap 61 and the spring receiver 57,
The seed is dropped and thrown into the passage 55a of the plunger 55, and the seed is received by the gelling agent film at the lower end of the valve 51e.

In this state, the inside of the gel accommodating portion 53b is pressurized by the air cylinder (not shown), and the internal pressure of the space 51k rises, whereby the plunger 55 moves in the passage against the elastic force of the coil spring 59. 51a, the small-diameter portion 55b is separated upward from the valve 51e, and
e opens. Along with this, the gelling agent in the space 51k is pushed out from the valve 51e below the nozzle block 51,
The gelling agent wraps the seeds together with the film of the gelling agent that has received the seeds at the lower end of the valve 51e, turns into granular coated seeds, and falls from the valve 51e to the lower curing tank 46.

At about the same time when the coated seeds are dropped from the valve 51e, the pressurization of the gel container 53b by the air cylinder (not shown) is stopped, and the air cylinder contracts to return to the original state. When returning, the space 51
k, the resilience of the coil spring 59 is greater than the pressure in the space 51k, and the coil spring 59
The plunger 55 moves down in the passage 51a by the urging by
The valve 51e is closed by the lower end of the small diameter portion 55b,
The dripping of the coated seed is completed. At this time, at the lower end of the valve 51e, the gelling agent attached to the valve 51e at the time of dropping of the coated seed remains in a film form, and the gel passage 53a has an amount of gel reduced by the dropping from the valve 51e. An agent is supplied from a gelling agent tank 44.

[0022]

As described above, in the gel processing section 45 according to the conventional configuration, the gelling agent supplied from the gelling agent tank 44 is supplied to the gel passage 53a of the gel containing block 53 through the nozzle block 51. In a state where the space 51k is filled, the inside of the gel accommodating portion 53b is pressurized by the air cylinder (not shown) so that the plunger 55 is moved through the passage 5
The valve 51e was moved upward within 1a to open the valve 51e.

For this reason, if the viscosity of the gelling agent changes due to the rise and fall of the air temperature, or if bubbles are mixed in the gelling agent supplied from the gelling agent tank 44 to the gel passage 53a of the gel containing block 53, , The pressure of the gel container 53b by the air cylinder varies, and the plunger 55
There is a difference in the timing and time for opening the valve 51e and the size of the opening of the valve 51e.
The timing at which the gelling agent is dropped from the
The amount of the gelling agent dropped from the ink varies.

The dispersion of the gelling agent timing and the amount of the gelling agent may cause only the gelling agent to be dripped without enclosing the seed therein, or increase or decrease of the amount of the gelling agent discharged from the valve 51e. Particle size of the resulting coated seed, ie
Variation in the amount of seed coating by the gelling agent
If the amount of the gelling agent discharged from 1e is too large, dripping occurs from the valve 51e due to the excessively discharged gelling agent after dropping of the coated seed, or the valve 5 caused by the gelling agent or the seeds.
There was a problem that clogging of 1e occurred.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a first object of the present invention is to provide a coated seed in which the seed is coated with a gelling agent, and to control environmental conditions such as ambient temperature and supply. A gel coating method for seeds that can prevent the generation of defective coated seeds of only the gelling agent that does not wrap the seeds without being influenced by mixing of bubbles or the like into the gelling agent. An object of the present invention is to provide a processing unit in a seed gel coating apparatus suitable for use in performing the coating method. Further, a second object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of seed coating with the gelling agent, that is, the particle size of the coated seed, by changing environmental conditions such as ambient temperature, mixing of bubbles and the like into the supplied gelling agent. It is an object of the present invention to provide a processing part in a gel coating processing apparatus for seeds, which can be made uniform without being influenced by the above.

[0026]

The present invention according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, which achieves the first object, relates to a method for gel-coating seeds, and the method according to the third to fifth aspects. The present invention relates to a processing section in a seed gel coating apparatus. The present invention according to claims 6 to 11, which achieves the second object, relates to a processing section in a seed gel coating processing apparatus.

In the seed coating method according to the first aspect of the present invention, the opening of a passage filled with a gelling agent is directed upward, and compressed air is blown from above the opening to form the passage. Forming an air pocket depressed inside the passage in the gelling agent portion facing the opening of the seedling, introducing and reaching the seeds in the air collecting portion of the gelling agent, The opening of the passage where the seed has reached is directed downward, and a predetermined amount of the gelling agent is discharged from the opening of the passage facing downward to the outside of the passage.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the size of the opening of the passage is changed according to the size of the seed.

Further, the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention according to the present invention is characterized in that seeds are introduced into a passage filled with a gelling agent which becomes a polymer gel upon curing. In a seed gel coating apparatus for dropping coated seeds produced by coating the seeds with the gelling agent from the passage, the passage is formed inside, and the passage in which the coated seed is dropped is formed. A nozzle block whose end is open to the outside, a seed input point where the end of the passage is located above the nozzle block, and a coated seed discharge point where the end of the passage is located below the nozzle block. Reversing drive means for inverting the nozzle block upside down, and disposed at a location above the end of the passage at the seed input location of the nozzle block, and at the seed input location A seed injection nozzle for ejecting the seeds together with compressed air into an end of the passage, and discharging the gelling agent in the passage from the end of the passage out of the nozzle block by an amount used for the coated seeds. And a gelling agent discharging mechanism.

In the apparatus for gel-coating seeds according to the present invention, the processing section may be a nozzle block where the end of the passage is opened in the nozzle block.
A nozzle through which the gelling agent discharged from the passage to the outside of the nozzle block is detachably attached with an internal shape corresponding to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage. .

Further, in the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention, a gel suction / discharge chamber in which the gelling agent is externally supplied and filled with the gelling agent is formed inside. A gel housing block, an opening / closing valve disposed in the gel housing block, communicating with the passage of the gel suction / discharge chamber, and shielding the gel suction / discharge chamber;
The gelling agent discharging mechanism is constituted by an expanding / contracting member that expands / contracts the gel suction / exhaust chamber in conjunction with the opening / closing of the on / off valve. The discharge point where the space has the minimum capacity, and the internal space of the gel suction / discharge chamber located when the on-off valve is closed, the maximum capacity obtained by adding the minimum capacity and the amount of the gelling agent used for the coated seed. It is configured to be movable between the suction points.

Further, in the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention, the gelling agent is supplied to the gel suction / discharge chamber from outside the gel supply block. The supply pressure of the gelling agent Y from the outside to the gel suction / discharge chamber is increased or decreased according to the size of the particle size of the coated seed dropped from the passage.

Further, the processing part of the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention according to the present invention is characterized in that the on-off valve and the expanding / contracting member include a gel suction / discharge system of a cylinder connected to the outside of the gel suction / discharge chamber. The piston rods were fixed to the piston rods inserted from the outside to the inside of the chamber. The processing unit in the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention according to claim 8, wherein the cylinder is constituted by an air cylinder in which the cylinder is operated by compressed air, and the expansion and contraction member is located inside the gel suction and discharge chamber. It consisted of a diaphragm attached to the piston rod part. Further, in the processing unit in the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention described in claim 9, compressed air is supplied from a common supply source to the air cylinder and the seed injection nozzle.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the seed gel coating apparatus according to the present invention, wherein the moving stroke of the piston rod caused by the operation of the cylinder is such that the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage is small or large. It should be increased or decreased according to Further, the processing unit in the apparatus for gel coating a seed according to the present invention according to claim 11,
The length of time during which the on-off valve opens the passage between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber by the operation of the cylinder is increased or decreased according to the size of the particle size of the coated seed dropped from the passage.

According to the method for gel-coating seeds of the present invention, the seeds are put into the gelling agent inside the passage whose opening faces upward together with the compressed air from above the passage, As a result, in the gelling agent portion facing the opening of the passage, a hollow air pocket is formed inside the passage and the seeds reach therein, and thereafter, the opening of the passage is turned downward and the inside of the passage is turned downward. When the gelling agent is discharged from the opening to the outside of the passage, the gelling agent around the air reservoir wraps the air reservoir and the seeds therein by its own weight. For this reason, the seeds are reliably included in the coated seeds dropped from the passage, and the generation of defective seeds with only the gelling agent that does not enclose the seeds is reliably prevented.

In addition, the coated seed dropped from the passage
Since the air bubbles turned around with the seeds are wrapped around,
The air required for germination after sowing is secured in the coated seeds, which makes it possible to promote germination of the coated seeds after sowing.

Further, according to the method for gel-coating seeds according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the size of the opening of the passage is changed, the discharge amount of the gelling agent from the passage is changed. By setting the size of the opening to a size corresponding to the size of the seed, the seed is covered with a gelling agent having a sufficient thickness, and the coated seed having a size corresponding to the size of the seed is adjusted to the size of the opening. It can be manufactured easily and at low cost with the simple effort of changing.

Further, according to the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds of the present invention, the seeds are directed toward the passage in which the gelling agent is filled at the seed introduction point of the nozzle block. By ejecting the seeds together with the compressed air from the injection nozzle, a hollow air pocket is formed inside the passage at the gelling agent portion at the end of the passage facing the outside of the nozzle block, and the seed reaches the inside.

Then, after the seeds have been introduced, at the location where the coated seeds of the nozzle block are discharged, a gelling agent discharging mechanism is used.
When the gelling agent in the passage is discharged to the outside of the nozzle block, the gelling agent around the air reservoir wraps the air reservoir and the seeds therein by its own weight, and seeds with the amount of gelling agent used for the coated seeds, Coated seeds containing air bubbles that have turned into air pockets are formed and dropped from the passages. For this reason, similarly to the method for gel-coating seeds of the present invention described in claim 1, the seeds are reliably included in the coated seeds dropped from the passage, and only the gelling agent that does not enclose the seeds is included. The generation of defective seed-covered seeds is reliably prevented.

In addition, as in the case of the method for gel-coating seeds of the present invention described in claim 1, since the air bubbles turned around together with the seeds are wrapped in the coated seeds dropped from the passage, germination after sowing is performed. The air required for the seeding is secured in the coated seeds, whereby the germination of the coated seeds after sowing can be promoted.

According to the processing section of the seed gel coating apparatus of the present invention, the gelling agent discharged to the outside of the nozzle block is provided at the nozzle block where the end of the passage opens. When the internal shape of the nozzle is increased or decreased when the nozzle through which the nozzle passes is detachably attached, the amount of the gelling agent discharged from the passage increases or decreases. For this reason, by setting the internal shape of the nozzle to a size corresponding to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage, the seed is covered with a gelling agent having a sufficient thickness, and accordingly, according to the size of the seed. It is possible to easily and inexpensively produce coated seeds of various sizes with the simple labor of replacing nozzles attached to the nozzle block where the end of the passage opens.

Further, according to the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds of the present invention, the gel supply block is opened and closed by moving the expansion / contraction member from the suction position to the discharge position in the gel suction / discharge chamber. The valve is opened, the gel suction / discharge chamber communicates with the passage, and among the gelling agents supplied from the outside and filled in the gel suction / discharge chamber, the amount of the gelling agent used for the coated seed is:
It is pushed out of the gel suction and discharge chamber into the passage. In addition, due to the movement of the expansion / contraction member from the discharge point to the suction point in the gel supply / discharge chamber of the gel supply block, the on-off valve is closed, and the gel supply / discharge chamber is shielded from the passage. The gelling agent in the gel suction / discharge chamber reduced by the used amount is supplied to the gel suction / discharge chamber by external supply.

Therefore, the passage is always filled with the gelling agent, and the amount of the gelling agent discharged from this passage to the outside of the nozzle block is determined by the amount of the gelling agent pushed out from the gel suction / discharge chamber into the passage, ie, the coating. The amount of the gelling agent used for the seed is the amount of the gelling agent covered with the gelling agent, that is, the particle size of the coated seeds is determined by environmental conditions such as ambient temperature and mixing of bubbles and the like into the supplied gelling agent. It is possible to make it uniform without being affected.

According to the processing section of the seed gel coating apparatus of the present invention, when the supply pressure of the gelling agent supplied to the gel suction / discharge chamber from outside the gel supply block is increased or decreased, The amount of the gelling agent discharged from the passage increases or decreases. For this reason, by setting the supply pressure of the gelling agent to the gel suction / discharge chamber to a size corresponding to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage, the seed is coated with the gelling agent having a sufficient thickness, It is possible to produce coated seeds of a size corresponding to the size of the seeds easily and at a low cost with a simple effort of changing the supply pressure of the gelling agent to the gel suction / discharge chamber. Become.

Further, according to the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds of the present invention described in claim 7, the cylinder connected to the outside of the gel suction / discharge chamber is extended and contracted so that the outside of the gel suction / discharge section is provided. The opening / closing valve fixed to the piston rod and the expansion / contraction member move together with the piston rod inserted from the inside toward the inside, so that the operation of the expansion / contraction member linked to the opening / closing valve can be easily realized.

According to the processing section of the seed gel coating apparatus of the present invention, the cylinder is constituted by an air cylinder operated by compressed air, and the air cylinder located inside the gel storage section. By using the diaphragm attached to the piston rod part as the expansion and contraction member, a commercially available air cylinder is applied, and the gelling agent discharge mechanism can be easily configured simply by adding the gel suction and discharge part and the diaphragm to this. It becomes possible.

Further, according to the processing section of the seed gel coating apparatus of the present invention, the supply source for supplying compressed air to the seed input nozzle is also used as the supply source of compressed air for the air cylinder. However, it is possible to simplify the configuration by using a common power source.

According to the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds of the present invention described in claim 10, when the movement stroke of the piston rod inserted from the outside to the inside of the gel suction and discharge chamber is increased or decreased, The amount of the gelling agent discharged from is increased or decreased. For this reason, by setting the movement stroke of the piston rod to a length corresponding to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage, the seed is covered with the gelling agent having a sufficient thickness, and thus, the size of the seed is reduced. Coated seeds of an appropriate size can be manufactured easily and at low cost with the simple effort of changing the movement stroke of the piston rod.

Further, according to the processing section of the seed gel coating apparatus of the present invention, when the length of time for which the on-off valve opens the passage between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber is increased or decreased, the discharge from the passage is performed. The amount of gelling agent used increases or decreases. Therefore, by setting the opening time between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber by the on-off valve to a length corresponding to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage, the seed is covered with the gelling agent having a sufficient thickness. Therefore, the coated seeds having a size corresponding to the size of the seeds can be easily and without cost by changing the time for the on-off valve to open between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber. Can be manufactured.

[0050]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a processing section in a seed gel coating apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the processing part in the seed gel coating apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows, for example, FIGS.
Applicable to the gel processing section of the gel coating processing device shown in
FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front view showing a schematic configuration of a seed gel coating portion according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same.

The gel-coated portion of the first embodiment indicated by reference numeral 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a seed X (see FIG. 8).
Has a nozzle block 3 for coating with a gelling agent Y (see FIG. 5), and a gel containing block 5 in which the gelling agent Y supplied to the nozzle block 3 is stored. Also, the first
The gel coating processing section 1 of the embodiment has a gel supply piston 7 for pushing out the gelling agent Y stored in the gel containing block 5 into the nozzle block 3 and a cylinder block 9 for operating the gel supply piston 7. ing. further,
The gel coating processing section 1 of the first embodiment has a reversing drive section 11 for integrally reversing the nozzle body 2 composed of the nozzle block 3, the gel containing block 5, the gel supply piston 7, and the cylinder block 9 up and down. ing.

As shown in FIG. 1, the nozzle block 3 has a substantially L-shaped passage 3a having both ends opened downward and sideways.
The passage 3a has a bent portion formed in the bent portion of the passage 3a.
Are in communication. At the lower end of the passage 3a on the lower surface of the nozzle block 3, a nozzle 3e for discharging the gelling agent Y is provided.
(Corresponding to a nozzle) is screwed, and a concave portion 3 c having a female screw 3 d having a diameter larger than that of the passage 3 a is formed on a side surface of the nozzle block 3.

The gel containing block 5 is provided with the concave portion 3c.
5a having an external thread 5b on the peripheral surface with an outer diameter corresponding to
And a base portion 5c connected to the connecting portion 5a and having an outer diameter larger than that of the connecting portion 5a. Inside the gel containing block 5, a large-diameter portion 5e located at the connecting portion 5a and a base portion 5c are formed. A through hole 5d composed of a small diameter portion 5f located therethrough is provided. An annular bulge 5h protrudes from an end surface 5g of the base 5c on the opposite side to the connecting portion 5a and a peripheral end surface 5g of the small diameter portion 5f, and the small diameter portion 5f connects the gel passage 5j. The gel passage 5j is connected to the storage tank 13 for the gelling agent Y via a high-pressure tube 13a.

The gel passage block 5j is mounted on the nozzle block 3 by screwing the male screw 5b of the connecting portion 5a into the female screw 3d of the recess 3c. Located at the bottom of
The large-diameter portion 5e and the concave portion 3c of the connecting portion 5a are configured to be shielded from the outside of the gel containing block 5 and the nozzle block 3 and communicate with each other.

The cylinder block 9 includes an adapter 9a
And the gel containing block 5 through the adapter 9a.
Has an air cylinder 9j connected thereto.

The adapter 9a has a concave portion 9b having an inner diameter corresponding to the bulging portion 5h of the gel containing block 5, and a base of the adapter 9a located on the side of the air cylinder 9j from a substantially central portion of the bottom surface of the concave portion 9b. A through hole 9d extends through substantially the center of the end face 9c. The base 5 of the gel containing block 5 is provided at the end of the adapter 9a where the concave portion 9b is opened.
A flange 9e is formed in a shape corresponding to the end surface 5g of the groove 9c, and an annular groove 9f is formed in the distal end surface of the flange 9e at the periphery of the concave portion 9b, and the annular seal material 9g is accommodated in the groove 9f. Have been.

The adapter 9a is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in a state in which the bulging portion 5h of the gel containing block 5 is inserted into the concave portion 9b, and the distal end face of the flange 9e is brought into contact with the end face 5g of the gel containing block 5. As shown in FIG. 2, the gel 9 is fixed to the gel containing block 5 by screws 9h inserted through four corners of the flange 9e. When the adapter 9a is fixed to the gel containing block 5, as shown in FIG. 1, the peripheral surface of the sealing material 9g in the concave groove 9f partially protruding from the flange 9e is expanded by the gel containing block 5. The small-diameter portion 5f and the concave portion 9b communicate with each other to define a gel suction / discharge chamber 5k, and the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k.
k is shielded from the outside of the gel containing block 5 and the adapter 9a.

The air cylinder 9j (corresponding to a cylinder)
Has a cylinder body 9k and a piston rod 9s, a female screw 9t is formed at the tip of the piston rod 9s, and a flange portion 9m is formed at a portion of the cylinder body 9k opposite to the side where the piston rod 9s protrudes and retracts. Is formed. The air cylinder 9j introduces compressed air into the cylinder body 9k from one of the air introduction ports 9p, so that the piston rod 9s
The piston rod 9s is configured to extend from k and to introduce compressed air into the cylinder body 9k from the other air introduction port 9r, so that the piston rod 9s contracts into the cylinder body 9k.

The gel supply piston 7 is provided in the gel suction / discharge chamber 5.
and a piston rod 7a, a diaphragm 7d, and an on-off valve 7h.

The piston rod 7a has a base 7b having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 5f of the base 5c and a length larger than the axial dimension of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k.
b, and has a connecting rod 7c having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 9d of the adapter 9a and a length greater than the axial dimension of the through hole 9d.
Is formed with a male screw that can be screwed to the female screw 9t of the piston rod 9s.

The diaphragm 7d (corresponding to an expansion member)
Is a disk-shaped flange portion 7e formed with an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the concave portion 9b, and protrudes from the center of the flange portion 7e, and has an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the through hole 9d. Hole 9d
And a slide portion 7f formed to have a length smaller than the axial dimension of the connecting portion 7c. The slide portion 7f extends through the center of the flange portion 7e and the slide portion 7f and has an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the connecting rod 7c. A hole 7g is provided.

The on-off valve 7h is provided with a small diameter portion 5f of the base 5c.
Of the outer diameter of the connecting portion 5a is smaller than the inner diameter of the large diameter portion 5e of the connecting portion 5a, and a through hole 7j having a step is formed substantially in the center of the on-off valve 7h.

In the gel supply piston 7 described above, the connecting rod 7c of the piston rod 7a is inserted into the through hole 7g of the diaphragm 7d from the flange 7e side, and the male screw 7e at the tip of the connecting rod 7c protruding from the slide part 7f. Spacer 7r
And the bolt 7s is screwed and tightened, so that the flange portion 7e is connected to the base portion 7b of the piston rod 7a.
Is pressed against the end face of the step portion of the connecting rod 7c. In this state, the male screw 7e at the tip of the connecting rod 7c is
It is constituted so that it may project further. The on-off valve 7h is attached to the tip of the base 7b by a screw 7k inserted into the through hole 7j.

In the present embodiment, the coated seed Z (FIG. 10) is formed by the gel containing block 5 and the gel supply piston 7.
The gelling agent Y is used in the nozzle block 23 in an amount used for
A gelling agent discharging mechanism 4 for discharging the gelling agent to the outside is configured. In the present embodiment, the piston rod 7a of the gel supply piston 7 and the piston rod 9 of the air cylinder 9j
s constitutes the piston rod in the claims, and the piston rod 7a of the gel supply piston 7
Corresponds to the piston rod portion located inside the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k in the claims.

The inversion drive section 11 (corresponding to inversion drive means) includes the relay member 11a and the rotary actuator 1
1e.

The connecting member 11a has a shape corresponding to the flange 9m of the cylinder body 9k.
And a cylindrical shaft holder 11c protruding from a substantially central portion of the connecting plate 11b, and a tightening screw 11d for fixing the shaft protrudes into the shaft holder 11c on the peripheral surface of the shaft holder 11c. It is screwed in the length to be.

The rotary actuator 11e includes:
It has a disk-shaped actuator body 11f and a rotating shaft 11g, and the rotating shaft 11g is connected to the shaft holder 11c.
The actuator body 1 is formed with an outer diameter that can be inserted into the
It protrudes outward from both end surfaces of 1f, respectively. Then, the rotary actuator 11e introduces compressed air into the inside of the actuator body 11f from one air introduction port 11h, whereby the rotating shaft 11g rotates in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 1 and the other air introduction port 11j. When the compressed air is introduced into the actuator body 11f from above, the rotation shaft 11g rotates in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1, and the rotation of the rotation shaft 11g is rotated by 180 degrees by a rotation restriction mechanism (not shown) inside the actuator body 11f. It is configured to be restricted to the range of °.

The reversing drive unit 11 connects the relay member 11a to the rotary actuator 11e by inserting the rotating shaft 11g into the shaft holder 11c and tightening the tightening screw 11d. In this state, the flange portion of the cylinder body 9k is By attaching 9m to the connecting plate 11b with the screw 9n, the entire reverse driving unit 11 is connected to the cylinder block 9.

When assembling the above gel-coated portion 1, first, a diaphragm 7d is attached to a connecting rod 7c of a piston rod 7a, and a double nut 7m is screwed to a tip of the connecting rod 7c. To press the flange portion 7e of the diaphragm 7d against the end face of the step portion between the base portion 7b of the piston rod 7a and the connecting rod 7c.

Next, the tip of the connecting rod 7c and the diaphragm 7
d, while inserting the slide portion 7f into the through hole 9d from the distal end surface 9a side of the adapter 9a of the cylinder block 9, the flange portion 7e of the diaphragm 7d and the base portion 7b of the piston rod 7a are recessed 9b of the adapter 9a of the cylinder block 9.
Insert As a result, the slide portion 7f of the diaphragm 7d of the gel supply piston 7 is supported movably in the axial direction in the through hole 9d, and the base end surface 9c of the adapter 9a.
The male screw 7e on the distal end side of the double nut 7m of the connecting rod 7c protrudes.

Subsequently, the base end surface 9c of the cylinder block 9
The male screw 7e of the connecting rod 7c protruding from the cylinder is screwed and connected to the female screw 9t at the tip of the piston rod 9s of the air cylinder 9j, and the cylinder body 9k and the adapter 9a are connected by screws or the like (not shown) to form a cylinder block. 9 is completed. Next, while inserting the tip of the base 7b of the piston rod 7a from the side of the bulging portion 5h into the through hole 5d of the gel containing block 5, the bulging portion 5h is inserted into the concave portion 9b of the adapter 9a, and the flange 9 is screwed with the screw 9h. 9e is fixed to the gel containing block 5.

As a result, the gel sucking / discharging chamber 5k is defined inside the gel containing block 5 and the adapter 9a. The gel sucking / discharging chamber 5k communicates with the outside of the gel containing block 5 via the gel passage 5j. The suction and discharge chamber 5k communicates with the large diameter portion 5e of the gel containing block 5.

Subsequently, an on-off valve 7h is attached to the tip of the base 7b of the piston rod 7a with a screw 7k, and the connecting portion 5a of the gel containing block 5 is provided with the concave portion 3 of the nozzle block 3.
c is screwed on to complete the nozzle body 2. Further, the cylinder block 9 of the completed nozzle body 2 and the reversing drive unit 1
1, the nozzle body 2 is rotatably supported by the reversing drive unit 11, and the assembly of the gel coating processing unit 1 is completed.

In the gel-coated processing section 1 assembled in this manner, the moving range of the gel supply piston 7 is such that the on-off valve 7h is the large-diameter section 5e of the gel containing block 5.
And the gel suction / discharge chamber 5 in close contact with the end face of the step portion of the small diameter portion 5f.
As shown in a partially cut-away front view of FIG. 3, the on-off valve 7 h is separated from the end face of the step portion of the gel containing block 5 by the suction point A for shielding k from the large diameter portion 5 e of the gel containing block 5. The large-diameter portion 5 of the gel containing block 5 is
e and the discharge point B that communicates therewith.

Further, as shown in a partially cutaway front view in FIG. 4, the nozzle main body 2 is in a state where the rotary shaft 11g is completely rotated by the rotary actuator 11e in the direction of the arrow A to the end. Nozzle 3e or gel passage 5
As shown in FIG. 1, the seed feeding point C in which j faces upward, and the coated seed in which the discharge nozzle 3 e and the gel passage 5 j face downward as shown in FIG. It is rotated between 180 ° with the discharge point D.

Further, in the present embodiment, the diaphragm 7d is brought into close contact with the outer periphery of the flange portion 7e and the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion 9b of the cylinder block 9 at the closed position A of the on-off valve 7h. The watertightness and airtightness are always ensured. In the present embodiment,
The difference between the capacity of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k closer to the nozzle block 3 than the flange portion 7e that expands and contracts as the gel supply piston 7 moves from the suction point A to the discharge point B is the coated seed discharge point D of the nozzle block 3. In this case, the amount of the gelling agent Y required for one covered seed to be applied below the nozzle block 3 from the discharge nozzle 3e is substantially equal to the amount.

Further, reference numeral 15 in FIG.
7A, 17B and 17C denote solenoid valves, 19 denotes an air compressor, respectively, and the air compressor 19
(Corresponding to a drive source) supplies compressed air to the storage tank 13 and the solenoid valves 17A and 17B, respectively, and as shown in FIG. 4, the seed supply nozzle via a pressure reducer and a solenoid valve 17C (not shown). A low-pressure compressed air is also supplied to the intermediate portion of No. 15.

The solenoid valves 17A and 17B are
As shown in FIG. 1, by controlling a sequencer (not shown),
The compressed air from the air compressor 19 is supplied to the air cylinder 9
j or one of the air inlets 9p, 11h of the rotary actuator 11e, or the other air inlet 9r, 11 of the air cylinder 9j or the rotary actuator 11e.
, j, and are selectively transmitted. As shown in FIG. 4, the solenoid valve 17C is configured to be opened and shut off under the control of the sequencer to communicate and shut off the air compressor 19 and the seed supply nozzle 15 side.

The storage tank 13 is compressed by the compressed air from the air compressor 19 as shown in FIG.
The internal gelling agent Y is configured to be pressure-fed to the gel passage 5j via the high-pressure tube 13a.

Further, the seed input nozzle 15 is
As shown in FIG.
Above the discharge nozzle 3e. The seed input nozzle 15 is provided with a solenoid valve 17C.
When the air is released, the compressed air supplied from the air compressor 19 to the intermediate portion via the decompressor blows out the air at a low pressure toward the lower end facing the discharge nozzle 3e of the seed input point C. A configuration in which the seeds X supplied from a seed hopper (not shown) to the upper end of the seed insertion nozzle 15 are intermittently dropped one by one onto the discharge nozzle 3e of the seed insertion point C while being placed on pressured air. Have been.

Next, the operation (operation) of the gel coating section 1 of the first embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to the partially cutaway front views of FIGS.

First, the solenoid valve 17C is closed, the solenoid valve 17B is switched to the air inlet 11j side, and compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced from the air inlet 11j into the inside of the actuator body 11f of the rotary actuator 11e. And the rotating shaft 1
1 g is rotated in the direction of arrow B. At the same time, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air introduction port 9p side, and compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced into the cylinder body 9k of the air cylinder 9j from the air introduction port 9p to extend the piston rod 9s.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle main body 2 is positioned at the coated seed discharge point D and the discharge nozzle 3e
And the gel passage 5j faces downward, the gel supply piston 7 is located at the discharge point B of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k, and the on-off valve 7h is located at the step between the large diameter portion 5e and the small diameter portion 5f of the gel containing block 5. Separated from the end face, the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k communicates with the large diameter portion 5e of the gel containing block 5.

Then, the gel passage 5 is moved from the inside of the storage tank 13 by the sending pressure according to the compressed air from the air compressor 19.
The gelling agent Y is fed into the gel sucking / discharging chamber 5k, and the large diameter portion 5 of the gel containing block 5 passes through the gap between the step portion of the gel containing block 5 and the on-off valve 7h.
e and the entire passage 3a are filled with the gelling agent Y. At this time, unnecessary air bubbles in the gelling agent Y filled in the passage 3a are generated in the nozzle block 3 at the coated seed discharge point D.
The air is discharged to the outside of the nozzle block 3 from an air vent hole 3b opening upward of the nozzle block 3.

Next, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air inlet 9r side, compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced into the cylinder body 9k of the air cylinder 9j from the air inlet 9r, and the piston rod 9s is contracted. Let it.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the gel supply piston 7 moves from the discharge point B of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k to the suction point A, and the open / close valve 7h is moved to the end face of the step portion of the gel containing block 5. The gel suction / discharge chamber 5k is shielded from the large-diameter portion 5e of the gel containing block 5 in contact.

Then, the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k is moved more than the on-off valve 7h.
Of the gelling agent Y filled in the large-diameter portion 5e on the side through the gap between the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k and the on-off valve 7h,
The large-diameter portion 5e moves to the large-diameter portion 5e and remains in the large-diameter portion 5e. Most of the other components are pushed by the on-off valve 7h and flow into the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k with the movement of the on-off valve 7h and the diaphragm 7d. Therefore,
The amount of the gelling agent Y in the large-diameter portion 5e is reduced by the amount of the gelling agent Y that is pushed by the on-off valve 7h and flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k,
The filling pressure of the gelling agent Y filled in the large diameter portion 5e and the passage 3a becomes a negative pressure, whereby the gelling agent Y at the lower end of the discharge nozzle 3e is slightly pulled up, and the discharge pressure of the discharge nozzle 3e is reduced. It is recessed in a substantially arc shape inside.

When the piston rod 9s is contracted, as described above, the gel suction / discharge chamber 5 is moved more than the open / close valve 7h.
In addition to the fact that most of the gelling agent Y in the large diameter portion 5e on the k side flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k, the gelling agent Y that is pressure-fed from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 5j enters the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k. The gelling agent Y in the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k is moved by the diaphragm 7 so that the gelling agent Y flows in and is pushed out by the flowing gelling agent Y.
It flows into the concave portion 9b on the smaller diameter portion 5f side than d. Thereby, the gelling agent Y is filled in the entire gel suction / discharge chamber 5k closed by the on-off valve 7h, and the filling pressure of the gelling agent Y becomes
When the pressure of the gelling agent Y from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 5j is exceeded, further pressure feeding of the gelling agent Y to the gel passage 5j stops.

Next, the solenoid valve 17B is switched to the side of the air inlet 11h, and compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced from the air inlet 11h into the inside of the actuator body 11f of the rotary actuator 11e, and the rotating shaft 11g is moved to the above position. Rotate in the direction of arrow a. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, the nozzle body 2 rotates from the coated seed discharge location D to the seed input location C, and the discharge nozzle 3
e and the gel passage 5 j face upward, and the discharge nozzle 3 e faces the seed input nozzle 15.

Next, the solenoid valve 17C is opened, and the compressed air of a weak pressure from the air compressor 19 is discharged from the seed injection nozzle 15 to the discharge nozzle 3e at the seed injection point C.
8 and put on the air of this weak pressure,
As shown in (1), one seed X from the seed hopper is dropped onto the discharge nozzle 3e at the seed input location C. Then, the substantially central portion of the gelling agent Y of the discharge nozzle 3e, which is recessed in a substantially arcuate shape, is further recessed inward by the weak pressure air from the seed feeding nozzle 15, and the air reservoir P having a predetermined size is formed. Is generated, and the seed X reaches the air reservoir P.

Then, the solenoid valve 17C is closed to stop the ejection of the weak pressure air from the seed introduction nozzle 15 toward the ejection nozzle 3e at the seed introduction location C, and then the solenoid valve 17B is moved to the air introduction port 11j side. And the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced into the inside of the actuator body 11f of the rotary actuator 11e from the air introduction port 11j, and the rotating shaft 11
g is rotated in the direction of arrow B. Thereafter, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air inlet 9p side, and the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced into the cylinder body 9k of the air cylinder 9j from the air inlet 9p to extend the piston rod 9s.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the nozzle body 2 rotates from the seed input point C to the coated seed discharge point D so that the discharge nozzle 3e and the gel passage 5j face downward. Moves from the suction point A to the discharge point B of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k, the opening / closing valve 7h is separated from the end face of the step portion between the large diameter portion 5e and the small diameter portion 5f of the gel containing block 5, and the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k is It communicates with the large diameter portion 5e of the storage block 5.

Then, the gelling agent Y in the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k is pushed by the diaphragm 7d and flows into the passage 3a through the gap between the step portion of the gel containing block 5 and the on-off valve 7h. The gelling agent Y in the passage 3a is discharged downward from the discharge nozzle 3e such that the gelling agent Y is pushed out by the gelling agent Y flowing into the nozzle 3e. Then, at the time of discharge from the discharge nozzle 3e, the gelling agent Y around the air reservoir P hangs down first by its own weight and wraps the air reservoir P and the seed X therein, whereby the seed X and The gelling agent Y enclosing the air bubbles Q formed by the rotation of the air reservoir P drips down from the discharge nozzle 3e in a drop shape, and the gelling agent Y dripping down in a drop shape by the discharge force of the gelling agent Y is generated. As shown in FIG. 10, a granular coated seed Z enclosing the bubble Q and the seed X therein is dropped from the discharge nozzle 3e.

In this state, the on-off valve 7h is located at the discharge point B and the large-diameter portion 5e and the small-diameter
Since the gap between the gel suction and discharge chamber 5k and the small-diameter portion 5f is not shielded by the on-off valve 7h, the gelling agent Y filled in these portions is not separated from the end face of the stepped portion of f. The filling pressure is changed from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 5j.
Below the pressure of the gelling agent Y. Therefore, the gelling agent Y from the storage tank 13 flows from the gel passage 5j to the gel suction / discharge chamber 5
k, the gelling agent Y corresponding to the amount of the gelling agent flows into the large diameter portion 5e and the passage 3a of the gel storage block 5 through the gap between the step portion of the gel storage block 5 and the on-off valve 7h. Then, the amount of the gelling agent Y that hangs down in a drop shape from the discharge nozzle 3e and is reduced is replenished into the passage 3a.

Next, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air inlet 9r side, and compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced into the cylinder body 9k of the air cylinder 9j from the air inlet 9r to contract the piston rod 9s. Let it.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 11, the gel supply piston 7 moves from the discharge location B of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k to the suction location A, and the opening / closing valve 7h moves to the end face of the step portion of the gel containing block 5. The gel suction / discharge chamber 5k is shielded from the large-diameter portion 5e of the gel containing block 5 in contact.

Then, the amount of the gelling agent Y decreases by the amount flowing into the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k accompanying the movement of the on-off valve 7h, and the filling pressure of the gelling agent Y in the large diameter portion 5e and the passage 3a becomes negative. ,
As a result, the gelling agent Y remaining on the lower end of the discharge nozzle 3e after being dropped from the discharge nozzle 3e is slightly lifted upward, and is depressed in a substantially arc shape inside the discharge nozzle 3e.

When the piston rod 9s is contracted, the large-diameter portion 5e on the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k side with respect to the on-off valve 7h.
Most of the gelling agent Y flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k through the gap between the step portion of the gel containing block 5 and the on-off valve 7h, and from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 5j.
The gelling agent Y in the gel sucking / discharging chamber 5k is moved from the discharging point B to the suction point A so that the gelling agent Y pumped to the gel flows into the gel sucking / discharging chamber 5k and is pushed out by the flowing gelling agent Y.
Flows into the concave portion 9b on the smaller diameter portion 5f side than the diaphragm 7d formed by the movement.

As a result, the gelling agent Y is filled in the entire gel suction / discharge chamber 5k closed by the on-off valve 7h, and the filling pressure of the gelling agent Y increases from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 5j.
When the pressure of the gelling agent Y exceeds the pressure for feeding the gelling agent Y to the gel passage 5j, further pressure feeding of the gelling agent Y to the gel passage 5j is stopped. Then, the state returns to the state shown in FIG. 6 before the seed X is dropped on the discharge nozzle 3e.

Accordingly, thereafter, the rotation of the nozzle body 2 from the coated seed discharge point D to the seed input point C shown in FIG. 7 and the discharge nozzle from the seed input nozzle 15 to the seed input point C shown in FIG. 3e, the rotation of the nozzle body 2 from the seed input point C to the coated seed discharge point D, and the supply of the gel from the suction point A to the discharge point B of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k shown in FIG. The movement of the piston 7 and the movement of the gel supply piston 7 from the discharge point B to the suction point A of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k shown in FIG. Thereby, supply of the gelling agent Y to the discharge nozzle 3e,
As shown in FIG. 10, the gelling agent Y enclosing the seed X and the air bubbles Q, that is, the dripping of the coated seed Z from the discharge nozzle 3e and the replenishment of the gelling agent Y for the dropped amount are sequentially repeated. Done.

As described above, according to the gel coating processing section 1 of the first embodiment, the nozzle block 3 in which the passage 3a filled with the gelling agent Y is formed is replaced with the nozzle block 3 in which the passage 3a is opened. The rotation of the rotary actuator 11e of the reversing drive unit 11 is performed to rotate the seed X into the seed feeding point C where the discharge nozzle 3e attached to the portion faces upward. After the air droplets P are formed at the center of the gelling agent Y at the center of the discharge nozzle 3e and the seeds X reach this, the nozzle block 3 is rotated by the rotary actuator 11e, and the discharge nozzle 3e is moved downward. The gel sucking / discharging chamber 5k which rotates to the facing coated seed discharging point D and communicates with the passage 3a of the gel containing block 5 connected to the nozzle block 3.
Of the gel supply piston 7 is moved from the suction point A to the discharge point B, and the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k is moved.
The gelling agent Y inside is pushed out to the passage 3a.

Therefore, due to the movement of the diaphragm 7d from the suction point A to the discharge point B at the coated seed discharge point D of the nozzle block 3, the capacity difference of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k at both points A and B of the diaphragm 7d is substantially equal. , 1
An amount of the gelling agent Y used to make one coated seed Z is supplied from the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k to the open / close valve 7h and the large diameter portion 5e in the valve open state.
And the same amount of the gelling agent Y is discharged from the discharge nozzle 3e through the passage 3a, and the discharged gelling agent Y wraps the air reservoir P and the seeds X therein, The seed X and the granular coated seed Z enclosing the bubble Q formed by the rotation of the air reservoir P are reliably manufactured and dropped from the discharge nozzle 3e.

Therefore, environmental conditions such as the temperature around the device,
It is ensured that the defective seed coated with only the gelling agent Y that does not envelop the seeds X is generated without being influenced by air bubbles and the like in the gelling agent Y that is pumped from the inside of the storage tank 13. In addition, a uniform amount of the gelling agent Y used to form one coated seed Z is dropped from the passage 3a without being influenced by the above-mentioned items, and the gelling agent Y is used. The coating amount of the seed X, that is, the particle size of the coated seed Z can be made uniform.

Further, according to the gel coating section 1 of the first embodiment, the weakening air is ejected from the seed input nozzle 15 toward the ejection nozzle 3e, thereby the gelling agent Y in the ejection nozzle 3e. An air pocket P is generated therein, and bubbles Q are provided in the coated seed Z produced by dropping from the discharge nozzle 3e, so that oxygen necessary for germination of the seed X can be secured in the coated seed Z. In addition, it is possible to prevent the gelling agent Y solidified by drying or the like from being clogged and clogging the discharge nozzle 3e.

In addition, the gel-coated portion 1 of the first embodiment
According to the method, the weak air is ejected from the seed input nozzle 15 only at the seed input location C of the nozzle block 3 in which the discharge nozzle 3e faces upward, and the gelling agent in the discharge nozzle 3e is discharged. Since the air reservoir P can be generated in Y, the air reservoir P having a size corresponding to the bubble Q can be easily and reliably formed in the gelling agent Y in the discharge nozzle 3e to have a uniform particle size. The coated seed Z can be manufactured more reliably.

Next, the processing part in the seed gel coating apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a seed gel coating section according to the second embodiment of the present invention, which is applicable to the gel processing section of the gel coating apparatus shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, for example. .

The gel coating portion of this embodiment, which is indicated by reference numeral 21 in FIG. 12, is a nozzle block 2 for coating the seed X (see FIG. 19) with the gelling agent Y (see FIG. 16).
3, a gel storage block 25 in which the gelling agent Y to be supplied to the nozzle block 23 is stored, and a gelling agent Y stored in the gel storage block 25,
A gel supply piston 27 (see FIG. 13) which is pushed into the inside;
Air cylinder 2 for operating this gel supply piston 27
9 and a reversing drive unit 31 for reversing the nozzle block 23 up and down.

The gel containing block 25 has a prismatic shape with four corners cut off diagonally, and as shown in a partially cutaway front view in FIG. 13, a gel supply block 33 on the nozzle block 23 side and an air cylinder. It comprises a piston block 35 on the 29 side.

In the gel supply block 33, a columnar bulge 33b is formed substantially at the center of the base surface 33a on the piston block 35 side, and the bulge 33b faces the base end 33a. Tip surface 3 on nozzle block 23 side
A through hole 33d extends through 3c. The through hole 3
3d is a large-diameter portion 33e on the tip surface 33c side and a bulging portion 33e.
b-side small-diameter portion 33f, these large-diameter portion 33e and small-diameter portion 3
3f, the gel passage 3 extends from the lower peripheral surface of the gel supply block 33 to the small diameter portion 33f.
The gel passage 33h is connected to the storage tank 13 for the gelling agent Y via the high-pressure tube 13a.

On the tip surface 35a of the piston block 35 on the gel supply block 33 side, the bulging portion 33b
Is formed at a depth greater than the height of the bulging portion 33b, and from a substantially central portion of the bottom surface of the concave portion 35b, a base end surface 35c of the air cylinder 29 side facing the distal end surface 35a. A through-hole 35d extends through substantially the center.

The gel supply piston 27 is housed in the gel housing block 25 and has a piston rod 27.
a, a diaphragm 27e, and an on-off valve 27m.

The piston rod 27a has a small diameter portion 33.
a base 27b having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of f and a length greater than the axial dimension of the small diameter portion 33f;
b, a connecting rod 27c having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 35d and a length greater than the axial dimension of the through hole 35d, and a connecting rod 27c protruding from the other end of the base 27b. A valve mounting rod 27e having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of 27b and substantially the same length as the axial dimension of the middle diameter portion 33g is provided, and a male screw 27d is formed at the tip of the connecting rod 27c. .

The diaphragm 27e (corresponding to the expanding / contracting member) has a disk-shaped flange portion 27f formed with an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the concave portion 35b, and is provided so as to project from the center of the flange portion 27f. A sliding portion 27g having an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the through hole 35d and having a length smaller than the axial dimension of the through hole 35d;
A through hole 27h having an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the connecting rod 27c is formed through the center of the slide portion 27g and the center portion 7f. An annular groove 27j is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the slide portion 27g.
7k are accommodated.

The on-off valve 27m has a disk shape having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the small-diameter portion 33f and smaller than the inner diameter of the middle-diameter portion 33g.
A through-hole 27n having substantially the same diameter as the valve mounting rod 27e of 7a is provided therethrough, and an annular concave groove 27p is formed on one surface of the on-off valve 27m at a peripheral portion of the through-hole 27n.

In the gel supply piston 27 described above, the connecting rod 27c of the piston rod 27a is inserted into the through hole 27h of the diaphragm 27e from the flange 27f side, and the male screw 2 at the tip of the connecting rod 27c protruding from the slide part 27g.
By screwing the bolt 27r to 7d and tightening it,
The flange part 27f is the base part 27b of the piston rod 27a.
Is pressed against the end face of the step portion of the connecting rod 27c, and in this state, the male screw 27d at the tip of the connecting rod 27c further projects from the bolt 27r.

Further, the gel supply piston 27 is
The valve mounting rod 27e is inserted into the through hole 27n of the on-off valve 27m from the other side opposite to the p side, and the coil spring 27s is fitted on the tip of the valve mounting rod 27e protruding from one surface of the on-off valve 27m. One end is inserted into the concave groove 27p, and the other end of the coil spring 27s is engaged with an E-ring 27t fitted to the distal end peripheral surface of the valve mounting rod 27e, so that the on-off valve 27m is connected to the base of the piston rod 27a. It is configured to be pressed against the end face of the step portion between the valve 27b and the valve mounting rod 27e.

In the present embodiment, the gel storage block 25 and the gel supply piston 27 discharge the gelling agent Y to the outside of the nozzle block 23 by the amount used for the coated seeds Z (see FIG. 21). A mechanism 24 is configured.

The air cylinder 29 has a cylinder body 29a and a piston rod 29b which protrudes and retracts from the cylinder body 29a.
By introducing compressed air from the lower air inlet 29c, the piston rod 29b projects from the cylinder body 29a, and by introducing compressed air from the other air inlet 29d, the piston rod 29b is moved from the cylinder body 29a.
The female screw 29e corresponding to the male screw 27d of the connecting rod 27c is formed at the tip of the piston rod 29b.

The nozzle block 23 has a large-diameter portion 23a having an outer diameter corresponding to the large-diameter portion 33e of the gel supply block portion 33, and a medium-diameter portion 23b connected to the large-diameter portion 23a.
And a small-diameter portion 23c connected to the middle-diameter portion 23b to form a stepped cylindrical shape. Further, inside the nozzle block 23, the large-diameter portion 23a to the medium-diameter portion 23a
A recess 23d (corresponding to a passage) opened toward the large-diameter portion 23a is formed concentrically with the large-diameter portion 23a and the middle-diameter portion 23b. A tapered portion 23e whose inner diameter narrows from a size substantially equal to the middle diameter portion 33g to a size substantially equal to the recessed portion 23d from the large diameter portion 23a to the middle diameter portion 23b is formed.

Further, a female screw hole 23f communicating with the concave portion 23d is formed in the peripheral surface of the middle diameter portion 23b, and an annular groove 23g is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 23a. The seal member 23h is accommodated. A nozzle 23j (corresponding to a nozzle) for discharging the gelling agent Y is screwed into the female screw hole 23f.

As shown in FIG. 12, the inversion drive section 31 (corresponding to inversion drive means) includes a pinion 31a fitted to the small diameter portion 23c of the nozzle block 23, a rack 31b meshed with the pinion 31a, and This rack 31b
Is provided with an air cylinder 31h that slides on the pinion 31a.

The rack 31b is attached to a side edge of a slider 31c.
On d, it is movably supported by guide rails 31e along the extending direction of the rack 31b.

The air cylinder 31h is attached to a support plate 31f provided upright at one end of the substrate 31d, and its piston rod 31j is slidably fitted with the support plate 31f. , Slider 3
1c is fixed to the concave portion 31g. The air cylinder 31h is configured such that the piston rod 31j protrudes by introducing compressed air from the air inlet 31k, and the piston rod 31j contracts by introducing compressed air from another air inlet 31m. I have.

The reversing drive unit 31 includes an air cylinder 31
When the piston rod 31j is in the extended state, the rack 31b is moved by the pinion 31a into the female screw hole 2 in the circumferential direction of the small-diameter portion 23c of the nozzle block 23 due to the forward and backward movement of the h.
In the contracted state of the piston rod 31j, the slider 31c abuts on the support plate 31f, and the rack 31b is shifted in phase by 180 ° from the pinion 31a meshed with the extended state of the piston rod 31j. It is configured to mesh with the pinion 31a.

When assembling the gel coating section 21, the valve mounting rod 27e of the gel supply piston 27 is first set.
The opening / closing valve 27m is mounted on the end surface of the gel supply block 33 in a state where the opening / closing valve 27m is pressed against the end surface of the step portion of the base portion 27b of the piston rod 27a and the valve mounting rod 27e by the E-ring 27t and the coil spring 27s. The connecting rod 27c of the gel supply piston 27 is inserted into the through hole 33d from the side of the connecting rod 27c, and the connecting rod 27c is connected to the connecting rod 27c.
The closer base portion 27b is projected outward from the gel supply block 33 from the bulging portion 33b.

Next, the connecting rod 2 projecting from the bulging portion 33b
7c, attach a diaphragm 27e to the bolt 27r.
Of the flange 2 of the diaphragm 27e.
7f is connected to the base 27b of the piston rod 27a and the connecting rod 27.
c, and press the connecting rod 2 in this state.
7c and the slide portion 27g of the diaphragm 27e are inserted into the through hole 35d from the tip end surface 35a side while the flange portion 27f of the diaphragm 27e and the gel supply block portion 3 are inserted.
3 into the recess 35 of the piston block 35.
b, and the gel supply block 33 and the piston block 35 are connected.

As a result, a gel suction / discharge chamber 25a in which the small diameter portion 33f of the gel supply block 33 and the recess 35b of the piston block 35 communicate concentrically is defined inside the gel storage block 25. 25a communicates with the outside of the gel containing block 25 via the gel passage 33h, and the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a is
And the piston block 3
The male screw 27d at the distal end side of the bolt 27r of the connecting rod 27c protrudes from the base end surface 35c of No.5. Further, a slide portion 27g of the diaphragm 27e of the gel supply piston 27 is supported so as to be movable in the axial direction in the through hole 35d, and a space between the slide portion 27g and the through hole 35d is sealed by a seal member 27k. .

As shown in FIG. 13, the range of movement of the gel supply piston 27 is such that the suction portion E where the flange 27f of the diaphragm 27e abuts against the bottom surface of the recess 35b.
14, the flange portion 27f of the diaphragm 27e is regulated between the discharge portion F and the end portion of the bulging portion 33b as shown in a partially cutaway front view.

The on-off valve 27m is connected to the suction point E
In FIG. 13, as shown in FIG.
3, the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a is closed in close contact with the end surface of the step portion between the small diameter portion 33f and the middle diameter portion 33g, and at the discharge point F, as shown in FIG. The chamber 25a is communicated with the middle diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block 33.

Next, the base end face 3 of the piston block 35
The external thread 27d of the connecting rod 27c protruding from 5c is
While screwing and connecting to the female screw 29e at the tip of the piston rod 29b of the air cylinder 29, the gel supply block 3
The large diameter portion 23a of the nozzle block 23 is attached to the large diameter portion 33e
After screwing a cylindrical holding plate 23k fitted into the middle diameter portion 23b of the nozzle block 23 from the small diameter portion 23c side to the distal end surface 33c of the gel supply block portion 33, the female screw hole of the nozzle block 23 is formed. Nozzle 23 for discharge at 23f
Screw j. As a result, the large diameter portion 23a of the nozzle block 23 is changed to the large diameter portion 33e of the gel supply block 33.
, And is rotatably supported by the sealing member 23h. A space between the large-diameter portions 23a and 33e is sealed by a sealing member 23h.

Then, the small diameter portion 23 of the nozzle block 23
12c, the pinion 31a is fitted, and as shown in FIG. 12, four long screws 37a, 37a inserted through the mounting plate 37 are passed through the four corners of the cylinder body 29a and the piston block 35, and the piston block 35 The long screws 37a, 37a projecting from the distal end face 35a of the cylinder body 29a, the piston block part 35, and the gel supply block part are screwed to the upper corner of the base end face 33a of the gel supply block part 33. 33 are integrally connected and supported by the mounting plate 37. Thereby, the nozzle block 23 is arranged in a state where the pinion 31a meshes with the rack 31b.

The rotation of the nozzle block 23 is performed when the piston rod 31j is in the contracted state as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 15, when the discharge nozzle 23j is directed upward, the seed injection point G and when the piston rod 31j is in the extended state, as shown in a partially cutaway front view in FIG. 18 between the facing coated seed discharge point H
Regulated between 0 °.

In the present embodiment, the diaphragm 27e is in close contact between the outer periphery of the flange portion 27f and the inner peripheral surface of the recess 35b of the piston block portion 35, and watertightness and airtightness between the two are always ensured. The difference in volume between the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a closer to the nozzle block 23 than the flange portion 27f that expands and contracts with the movement of the gel supply piston 27 from the suction point E to the discharge point F is equal to the nozzle block 23. At the coated seed discharge point H, the amount of the gelling agent Y required for one coated seed Z to be lowered below the nozzle block 23 from the discharge nozzle 23j is substantially equal to the amount.

Further, in the present embodiment, the solenoid valve 17A sends compressed air from the air compressor 19 to one air inlet 29c of the air cylinder 29 by controlling a sequencer (not shown) as shown in FIG. Alternatively, it is configured to switch and selectively transmit the air to the other air introduction port 29d. Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the solenoid valve 17B controls the sequencer so that the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is supplied to one air inlet 31k of the air cylinder 31h or to the other. 31m of air inlet,
Each is configured to switch and selectively transmit.

Further, in the present embodiment, the solenoid valve 17C is opened and shut off under the control of the sequencer, so that the air compressor 19 and the seed supply nozzle 15C are opened.
It is configured to communicate with and block the side.

In this embodiment, the storage tank 1
3, the internal gelling agent Y is compressed by the high-pressure tube 1 by the compressed air from the air compressor 19 as shown in FIG.
It is constituted so that it may be pressure-fed to the gel passage 33h via 3a.

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Is disposed above the discharge nozzle 23j at the seed input point G. When the solenoid valve 17C is opened, the seed injection nozzle 15 is
With compressed air supplied to the intermediate portion through a decompressor, air is blown out at a weak pressure toward the lower end facing the discharge nozzle 23j of the seed input point G, and is placed on the air at this weak pressure, The seeds X supplied from the seed hopper (not shown) to the upper end of the seed input nozzle 15 are intermittently dropped one by one to the discharge nozzle 23j at the seed input point G.

In the present embodiment, the piston rod 27a of the gel supply piston 27 and the piston rod 29b of the air cylinder 29 constitute a piston rod according to the present invention. Corresponds to the piston rod portion located inside the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a in the claims.

Next, the operation (action) of the gel coating section 21 of the second embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.
A description will be given with reference to partially cutaway front views of FIGS.

First, the solenoid valve 17C is closed, the solenoid valve 17B is switched to the air inlet 31k side, and compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced from the air inlet 31k into the air cylinder 31h. The rod 31j is extended. At the same time, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air inlet port 29c side, and compressed air from the air compressor 19 is supplied from the air inlet port 29c to the cylinder body 29 of the air cylinder 29.
a, and the piston rod 29b is extended.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 16, the nozzle block 23 is located at the covering seed discharge point H, the discharge nozzle 23 j faces downward, and the gel supply piston 27
Is located at the discharge point F of the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a,
7m is separated from the end surface of the step portion between the small diameter portion 33f and the middle diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block 33, and the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a
Communicates with the middle diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block 33.

Then, the gel passage 3 is moved from the inside of the storage tank 13 by the feed pressure according to the compressed air from the air compressor 19.
The gelling agent Y that is pressure-fed to 3h is filled in the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a on the medium diameter portion 33g side of the diaphragm 27e, and through the gap between the step portion of the gel supply block 33 and the on-off valve 27m. The gelling agent Y is filled in the entirety of the middle diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block 33 and the concave portion 23d of the nozzle block 23.

Next, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air introduction port 29d side, and compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced into the cylinder body 29a of the air cylinder 29 from the air introduction port 29d, and the piston rod 29b
Is operated to contract.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 17, the gel supply piston 27 moves from the discharge point F of the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a to the suction point E, and the open / close valve 27m is moved to the end face of the step portion of the gel supply block 33. , And the gel suction / discharge chamber 25
a is shielded from the middle diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block 33.

As a result, the gel suction / discharge chamber 2 is located closer to the opening / closing valve 27m.
Gelling agent Y filled in 33g portion of medium diameter portion 5a side
Some of them move to the middle diameter part 33g side through the gap between the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a and the opening / closing valve 27m and remain in the middle diameter part 33g, and most of the others move to the movement of the opening / closing valve 27m and the diaphragm 27e. As a result, the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a is pushed by the opening / closing valve 27m.
Flows into. Therefore, the amount of the gelling agent Y in the medium diameter portion 33g is reduced by the amount of the gelling agent Y that has been pushed by the on-off valve 27m and flowed into the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a, and the medium diameter portion 33g and the recess 23d of the nozzle block 23 are reduced. The filling pressure of the gelling agent Y charged into the nozzle becomes a negative pressure, whereby the gelling agent Y at the lower end of the discharge nozzle 23j is slightly lifted upward, and a substantially arc-shaped recess is formed inside the discharge nozzle 23j. No.

When the piston rod 29b is contracted, most of the gelling agent Y in the middle diameter portion 33g on the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a side of the opening / closing valve 27m flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a as described above. In addition to the storage tank 13
The gelling agent Y in the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a is pushed into the piston block portion 35 such that the gelling agent Y pumped from the inside into the gel passage 33h flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a and is pushed out by the flowed gelling agent Y. Then, the gas flows into the concave portion 35b on the side of the smaller diameter portion 33f than the diaphragm 27e. As a result, the entirety of the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a closed by the on-off valve 27m is filled with the gelling agent Y.
Gelling agent Y from inside storage tank 13 to gel passage 33h
, The further pressure feed of the gelling agent Y to the gel passage 33h is stopped.

Next, the solenoid valve 17B is switched to the air inlet 31m side, and the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced into the air cylinder 31h from the air inlet 31m to contract the piston rod 31j. As a result, as shown in FIG. 18, the nozzle block 23 rotates from the covered seed discharge point H to the seed input point G, and the discharge nozzle 23j faces upward, and the discharge nozzle 23
j faces the seed input nozzle 15.

Next, the solenoid valve 17C is opened, and the compressed air of weak pressure from the air compressor 19 is supplied from the seed injection nozzle 15 to the discharge nozzle 23 at the seed injection point G.
j, and put on the air of this weak pressure, and as shown in FIG.
Then, it is dropped onto the discharge nozzle 23j at the seed input point G. Then, the discharge nozzle 2 which is depressed in a substantially arc shape inside.
The substantially central part of the gelling agent Y of 3j
The air is weakened further by the air, and the air P is further depressed inward to generate an air reservoir P having a predetermined size, and the seed X reaches the air reservoir P.

Then, after closing the solenoid valve 17C and stopping the ejection of the weak pressure air from the seed introduction nozzle 15 toward the ejection nozzle 23j at the seed introduction point G, the solenoid valve 17B is connected to the air introduction port 31k side. And the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced from the air inlet 31k into the air cylinder 31h,
The piston rod 31j is extended. After that, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air inlet 29c side,
The compressed air from the air compressor 19 is supplied to the air inlet 29.
c to the cylinder body 29a of the air cylinder 29 to extend the piston rod 29b.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 20, the nozzle block 23 moves from the seed input point G to the coated seed discharge point H.
And the discharge nozzle 23j faces downward.
The gel supply piston 27 is located at the suction position E of the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a.
To the discharge point F, the on-off valve 27m is separated from the end surface of the step portion between the small diameter portion 33f and the middle diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block 33, and the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a is moved to the middle diameter portion of the gel supply block 33. Communicate with 33g.

Then, the gelling agent Y in the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a is pushed by the diaphragm 27e, and
3 flows into the recess 23d side of the nozzle block 23 through the gap between the step portion and the on-off valve 27m, and the recess 23d
The recess 2 is pushed out by the gelling agent Y flowing into the side.
The 3d gelling agent Y is discharged downward from the discharge nozzle 23j. Then, at the time of discharge from the discharge nozzle 23j, the gelling agent Y around the air reservoir P hangs down first by its own weight, wrapping the air reservoir P and the seeds X therein,
As a result, the seed X and the gelling agent Y enclosing the air bubbles Q formed by the rotation of the air reservoir P hang down in a drop shape from the discharge nozzle 23j, and the force of the discharge of the gelling agent Y causes a drop shape. The hanging gelling agent Y is dropped from the discharge nozzle 23j as a granular coated seed Z enclosing the bubble Q and the seed X inside as shown in FIG.

In this state, since the on-off valve 27m is located at the discharge point F and is separated from the end surface of the step portion between the small diameter portion 33f and the middle diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block 33, the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a is not connected. Open / close valve 2 between the middle diameter part 33g
7 m, the filling pressure of the gelling agent Y filled in these portions is lower than the pressure of the gelling agent Y from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 33h. For this reason, the gelling agent Y from the storage tank 13
3h, the gelling agent Y flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a, and the gelling agent Y corresponding to the flow rate flows through the gap between the step portion of the gel supply block 33 and the on-off valve 27m. Part 33g and recess 2 of nozzle block 23
The gelling agent Y that has flowed into 3d and dripped down from the discharge nozzle 23j in a drop-like manner is replenished to the concave portion 23d of the nozzle block 23.

Next, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air inlet port 29d side, and compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced into the cylinder body 29a of the air cylinder 29 from the air inlet port 29d, and the piston rod 29b is turned on.
Is operated to contract.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 22, the gel supply piston 27 moves from the discharge point F of the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a to the suction point E, and the on-off valve 27m is moved to the end face of the step portion of the gel supply block 33. , And the gel suction / discharge chamber 25
a is shielded from the middle diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block 33.

Then, the amount of the gelling agent Y is reduced by the amount flowing into the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a due to the movement of the on-off valve 27m, and the filling pressure of the gelling agent Y in the middle diameter portion 33g and the concave portion 23d of the nozzle block 23 is reduced. Becomes negative pressure, whereby the gelling agent Y remaining on the lower end of the discharge nozzle 23j after dripping from the discharge nozzle 23j is slightly pulled up,
It is retracted in a substantially arc shape inside the discharge nozzle 23j.

When the piston rod 29b is contracted, most of the gelling agent Y in the middle diameter portion 33g on the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a side of the opening / closing valve 27m opens and closes the step portion of the gel supply block portion 33. The gelling agent Y which flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a through the gap of the valve 27m and is pressure-fed from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 33h flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a. The gelling agent Y in the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a flows into the recess 35b in the piston block 35 on the medium diameter portion 33g side of the diaphragm 27e moved from the discharge point F to the suction point E so as to be pushed out.

As a result, the entire gel suction / discharge chamber 25a closed by the on-off valve 27m is filled with the gelling agent Y, and the charging pressure of the gelling agent Y causes gelation from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 33h. When the pressure of the agent Y is exceeded, the gel passage 33
h before further pumping of the gelling agent Y to the h is stopped, the direction of the discharge nozzle 23j and the gel passage 33h is changed from below to above, and the seed X is dropped from the seed input nozzle 15 to the discharge nozzle 23j. The state returns to the state shown in FIG.

Therefore, thereafter, the rotation of the nozzle block 23 from the covered seed discharge location H to the seed input location G shown in FIG. 18 and the discharge nozzle from the seed input nozzle 15 to the seed input location G shown in FIG. Dropping of seed X into 23j,
The rotation of the nozzle block 23 from the seed input point G to the coated seed discharge point H shown in FIG.
gel supply piston 2 from suction point E to discharge point F
7, and the movement of the gel supply piston 27 from the discharge point F to the suction point E of the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a shown in FIG. Thereby, the supply of the gelling agent Y to the discharge nozzle 23j and the flow of the gelling agent Y having the seed X and the bubble Q wrapped therein, that is, from the discharge nozzle 23j of the coated seed Z, as shown in FIG. And the replenishment of the gelling agent Y for the dropped amount is sequentially and repeatedly performed.

As described above, according to the gel coating portion 21 of the second embodiment, the nozzle block 23 in which the concave portion 23d filled with the gelling agent Y is formed is inserted into the female screw hole 23f in which the concave portion 23d opens. Discharge nozzle 23 attached to
The j is turned upward by the contraction operation of the air cylinder 31h of the reversing drive unit 31 to the seed input point G facing upward, and one seed X is dropped from the seed input nozzle 15 to the discharge nozzle 23j together with the compressed air to discharge. An air reservoir P is formed at the center of the gelling agent Y at the center of the nozzle 23j, and after the seeds X reach this, the nozzle block 23 is covered by the extension operation of the air cylinder 31h so that the discharge nozzle 23j faces downward. The diaphragm 27e of the gel supply piston 27 is moved from the suction point E to the discharge point F inside the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a that is rotated to the seed discharge point H and communicates with the recess 23d of the gel storage block 25 connected to the nozzle block 23. The gelling agent Y in the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a is moved
And extruded.

For this reason, by moving the diaphragm 27e from the suction position E to the discharge position F at the coated seed discharge position H of the nozzle block 23, the capacity difference of the gel suction and discharge chamber 25a at both positions E and F of the diaphragm 27e is substantially equal. The amount of gelling agent Y used to make one coated seed Z
Flows into the concave portion 23d from the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a via the opening / closing valve 27m and the middle diameter portion 33g in the valve open state, and the same amount of the gelling agent Y is discharged from the discharge nozzle 23j, and this discharged. The air reservoir P and the seeds X therein are wrapped by the gelling agent Y, and the seed X and the granular coated seed Z enclosing the air bubbles Q formed by the rotation of the air reservoir P are reliably produced. Then, it is dropped from the discharge nozzle 23j.

Therefore, the gel-coated portion 2 of the second embodiment
1, the same effect as that of the gel-coated portion 1 of the first embodiment can be obtained.

In the gel coating portions 1 and 21 of the first and second embodiments described above, the diaphragms 7d and 27
e and the opening / closing valves 7h and 27m may be configured to be attached to individual members and moved by different driving sources. But,
Like the gel-coated portions 1 and 21 of the first and second embodiments, the piston rods 9s and 2 of the air cylinders 9j and 29 are provided.
Diaphragms 7d and 27e are fitted to the piston rods 7a and 27a of the gel supply pistons 7 and 27 connected to the gel supply piston 9b, respectively.
h, 27m, a single air cylinder 9j, 2
By the expansion and contraction operation of 9, the opening and closing operations of the on-off valves 7h and 27m and the movement of the diaphragms 7d and 27e between the suction points A and E and the discharge points B and F can be linked easily at low cost.

Further, the amount of the gelling agent Y used for the coated seed Y is
From the gel suction / discharge chambers 5k, 25a to the passage 3a or the recess 23d.
The structure for discharging to the outside of the nozzle blocks 3 and 23 via the discharge nozzles 3e and 23j is the same as that of the gel coating portions 1 and 21 of the first and second embodiments. The diaphragms 7d and 27e attached to the piston rods 7a and 27a connected to the piston rods 9s and 29b need not be the air cylinders 9j and 29e.
May be changed to another structure that is linked to the operation. But,
With the configuration as in the first and second embodiments, a commercially available air cylinder is applied, and
a, 27a, diaphragms 7d, 27e, adapter 9a, piston block 35, etc.
The gelling agent discharge mechanisms 4 and 24 can be configured simply and inexpensively.

Further, the air cylinders 9j and 29 may be changed to those using an operation source other than compressed air, such as a hydraulic cylinder or an electromagnetic solenoid. However, by using the air cylinders 9j and 29 that expand and contract by compressed air from the air compressor 19 as in the gel coating processing sections 1 and 21 of the first and second embodiments, the discharge nozzle from the seed input nozzle 15 can be used. The air compressor 1 is a source of weak air ejected into the insides 3e and 23j, and a source for pumping the gelling agent Y from the inside of the storage tank 13 into the gel suction / discharge chambers 5k and 25a via the gel passages 5j and 33h.
9 also serves as a power source for the air cylinders 9j and 29,
It is possible to simplify the device configuration by using a common power source.

In the gel coating sections 1 and 21 of the first and second embodiments described above, the ejection nozzles 3e and 2
3j may be omitted and the gelling agent Y may be directly discharged from the end of the passage 3a of the nozzle block 3 or the female screw hole 23f of the nozzle block 23, but the discharge nozzles 3e,
If 23j is used, the discharge amount of the gelling agent Y from the nozzle block 23 is determined by the inner diameters of the discharge nozzles 3e and 23j, so that the accuracy of the particle size of the coated seed Z to be manufactured can be improved.

When the discharge nozzles 3e and 23j are used, a plurality of types of discharge nozzles 3e and 2j having different inner diameters are used.
If 3j is prepared, select nozzle blocks 3 and 2
Since the discharge amount of the gelling agent Y from the discharge nozzles 3e and 23j increases and decreases according to the inner diameters of the discharge nozzles 3e and 23j attached to 3, the configuration of the gel coating processing unit 1 is largely changed. Instead, the size of the particle size of the coated seed Z dropped downward from the discharge nozzles 3e and 23j can be easily adjusted with simple labor according to, for example, the size of the seed X to be included.

Similarly, in the gel coating processing sections 1 and 21 of the first and second embodiments, the gelling agent Y supplied from the storage tank 13 to the gel suction / discharge chambers 5k and 25a via the gel passages 5j and 33h. Increase / decrease of sending pressure, air cylinder 9j, 29
Increase / decrease of the expansion / contraction stroke of the piston rods 9s, 29b, and the gel supply piston 27
After moving to, the time required to return to the suction points A and E, that is, the length of time during which the on-off valves 7h and 27m are open may be increased or decreased singly or simultaneously. Even in such a case, the discharge amount of the gelling agent Y from the discharge nozzles 3e and 23j increases or decreases, so that the size of the particle size of the coated seed Z can be easily, easily, and cost reduced. Can be adjusted without applying

[0169] Incidentally, the gel passage 5
The pressure of the gelling agent Y supplied to the gel suction / discharge chambers 5k and 25a via the j and 33h can be increased or decreased by providing a speed controller to a high-pressure tube 13a connecting the air compressor 19 and the storage tank 13 with a speed controller. This can be performed by adjusting the pressure of compressed air sent from the air compressor 19 to the storage tank 13 by a speed controller. Further, the piston rod 9 by the air cylinders 9j and 29 is used.
The expansion / contraction stroke of s, 29b is increased or decreased by the air cylinder 9
This can be done by changing the cylinder length of the cylinder bodies 9k, 29a of j, 29.

Further, the length of time during which the on-off valves 7h, 27m are open can be increased or decreased by controlling the sequencer (not shown) or by controlling the air introduction ports 9p, 9 of the air cylinders 9j, 29.
r, 29c, and 29d, a speed controller is interposed, and these air cylinders 9 are controlled by the speed controller.
j, 29, the inflow pressure of the compressed air flowing into the cylinder bodies 9k, 29a is adjusted.
It can be performed by changing the expansion / contraction speed of s, 29b.

Further, in the first and second embodiments, one seed X is coated with the gelling agent Y. However, a plurality of gel coating units 1 and 21 are operated in parallel.
It is good also as composition which performs coating processing of gelling agent Y to a plurality of seeds X in parallel. Further, the configuration of the gel coating processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied includes the seed hopper 42, the seed transfer unit 43, and the gelling agent tank 4 described in the related art.
The present invention is not limited to the gel coating apparatus 41 having the curing tank 46, the washing tank 47, and the like, and the present invention can be applied to a gel coating apparatus in which the configuration and the presence or absence of each part other than the gel processing section 45 are different.

[0172]

As described above, according to the method for gel-coating seeds according to the first aspect of the present invention, the opening of the passage filled with the gelling agent is directed upward, and Blowing compressed air from, to form an air pocket recessed inside the passage in the gelling agent portion facing the opening of the passage,
The seed is introduced into and allowed to reach the air reservoir portion of the gelling agent, the opening of the passage where the seed reaches the air reservoir portion of the gelling agent Y is directed downward, and the opening of the passage facing downward is opened. Thus, a predetermined amount of the gelling agent is discharged to the outside of the passage.

Therefore, seeds are injected into the gelling agent inside the passage whose opening is directed upward together with the compressed air from above the passage, whereby the gelling agent portion facing the opening of the passage is filled with the seed inside the passage. When the seeds reach into the air pocket, which is depressed in the air passage, the gelling agent inside the passage is discharged downward from the opening with the opening of the passage facing downward. Gelling agent wraps the air pocket and the seeds therein by its own weight. For this reason, the seeds are reliably included in the coated seeds dropped from the passage, and therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the generation of defective seeds only with the gelling agent that does not wrap the seeds. it can.

In addition, the coated seed dropped from the passage
Since the air bubbles turned around with the seeds are wrapped around,
The air required for germination after sowing is secured in the coated seeds, whereby the germination of the coated seeds after sowing can be promoted.

According to the seed coating method of the present invention, the size of the opening of the passage is changed according to the size of the seed. By setting the size according to the size of the seed,
The amount of the gelling agent discharged from the passage is set to an amount such that the seed is covered with the gelling agent having a sufficient thickness, and thereby, the size of the opening of the coated seed having a size corresponding to the size of the seed is changed. It can be easily and inexpensively manufactured with such simple labor.

Further, according to the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention, the seeds are put into a passage filled with a gelling agent which becomes a polymer gel upon curing. In a seed gel coating apparatus for dropping coated seeds produced by coating the seeds with the gelling agent in the passage, from the passage, the passage is formed inside, and the coated seed is dropped. A nozzle block in which the end of the passage is open to the outside, a seed input point in which the end of the passage is located above the nozzle block, and a coated seed discharge point in which the end of the passage is located below the nozzle block Reversing drive means for inverting the nozzle block up and down between the seed input point and the seed input point of the nozzle block at a position above the end of the passage at the seed input point A seed injection nozzle for ejecting the seeds together with compressed air at an end of the passage in the passage, and discharging the gelling agent in the passage by an amount used for the coated seed from the end of the passage to the outside of the nozzle block. And a mechanism for discharging a gelling agent.

[0177] Therefore, at the seed introduction position of the nozzle block, the seeds are ejected from the seed introduction nozzle together with the compressed air toward the passage filled with the gelling agent, so that the end of the passage facing the outside of the nozzle block. A hollow air pocket is formed inside the passage in the gelling agent portion of the portion, and the seeds reach therein. Then, after the seeds are introduced, the gelling agent in the passage is discharged to the outside of the nozzle block by the gelling agent discharging mechanism at the coated seed discharging portion of the nozzle block, and the gelling agent around the air reservoir is reduced by its own weight. The air reservoir and the seeds therein are wrapped, and the seeds and the air bubbles that have turned into the air reservoir are formed with the amount of gelling agent used for the coated seeds, and the seeds are dropped from the passage.

Therefore, similarly to the method for gel-coating seeds according to the present invention described in claim 1, the seeds can be surely included in the coated seeds dropped from the passage, and the gel that does not wrap the seeds can be obtained. It is possible to reliably prevent the generation of coated seeds of defective products only with the agent, and also, the coated seeds dropped from the passages are wrapped with air bubbles that have turned into air pockets along with the seeds, so that germination after seeding Necessary for the seeds is ensured in the coated seeds, whereby the germination of the coated seeds after sowing can be promoted.

According to the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention as set forth in claim 4, the coating to be dropped from the passage at the nozzle block where the end of the passage opens in the nozzle block. A nozzle through which the gelling agent discharged from the passage to the outside of the nozzle block passes is detachably attached in an internal shape according to the size of the seed particle size.

Therefore, when the nozzle through which the gelling agent discharged to the outside of the nozzle block passes is removably attached to the nozzle block where the end of the passage opens, if the internal shape of this nozzle is increased or decreased, The amount of the gelling agent discharged from the passage increases or decreases. For this reason, by making the internal shape of the nozzle a size corresponding to the size of the particle size of the coated seed dropped from the passage, the seed is coated with a gelling agent having a sufficient thickness,
Therefore, a coated seed having a size corresponding to the size of the seed can be manufactured easily and at a low cost by replacing the nozzle attached to the nozzle block where the end of the passage opens. can do.

Further, according to the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention, a gel suction / discharge chamber is formed in the inside, in which the gelling agent is supplied and filled from the outside through the passage. A gel containing block, an opening / closing valve disposed in the gel containing block, communicating with and blocking the gel sucking / discharging chamber, and an opening / closing valve provided in the gel sucking / discharging chamber, and interlocking with the opening / closing of the open / close valve. The gelling agent discharge mechanism is constituted by an expansion / contraction member that expands / contracts the gel suction / discharge chamber,
The expansion / contraction member is located when the on-off valve is opened and the discharge space where the internal space of the gel suction and discharge chamber has a minimum capacity, and the internal space of the gel suction and discharge chamber which is positioned when the on-off valve is closed is the minimum space. It was configured to be movable between a suction point having a maximum capacity obtained by adding the capacity and the amount of the gelling agent used for the coated seed.

For this reason, when the expansion / contraction member moves from the suction point to the discharge point in the gel supply / discharge chamber of the gel supply block, the opening / closing valve opens, and the gel supply / discharge chamber communicates with the passage. Of the gelling agent filled in,
The amount of gelling agent used for the coated seeds is extruded from the gel suction / discharge chamber into the passage. In addition, due to the movement of the expansion / contraction member from the discharge point to the suction point in the gel supply / discharge chamber of the gel supply block, the on-off valve is closed, and the gel supply / discharge chamber is shielded from the passage. The gelling agent in the gel suction / discharge chamber reduced by the used amount is supplied to the gel suction / discharge chamber by external supply.

Accordingly, the gelling agent is always filled in the passage, and the amount of the gelling agent discharged from the passage to the outside of the nozzle block is determined by the amount of the gelling agent pushed out from the gel suction / discharge chamber into the passage, that is, the coating amount. The amount of the gelling agent used for the seed is the amount of the gelling agent covered with the gelling agent, that is, the particle size of the coated seeds is determined by environmental conditions such as ambient temperature and mixing of bubbles and the like into the supplied gelling agent. It can be made uniform without being affected.

According to the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention, the gelling agent is supplied to the gel suction and discharge chamber from outside the gel supply block. The supply pressure of the gelling agent Y from the outside of the block to the gel suction / discharge chamber is increased or decreased according to the size of the particle size of the coated seed dropped from the passage.

For this reason, by increasing or decreasing the supply pressure of the gelling agent supplied from outside the gel supply block to the gel suction / discharge chamber,
The amount of the gelling agent discharged from the passage increases / decreases, and therefore, the supply pressure of the gelling agent to the gel suction / discharge chamber is set to a size according to the size of the particle size of the coated seed dropped from the passage. Is coated with a gelling agent of sufficient thickness. Therefore, the coated seed having a size corresponding to the size of the seed can be easily changed with a simple operation of changing the supply pressure of the gelling agent to the gel suction / discharge chamber,
In addition, it can be manufactured at low cost.

Further, according to the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention, the on-off valve and the expanding / contracting member are provided in a cylinder connected to the outside of the gel suction / discharge chamber. The gel suction / discharge chamber was fixed to a piston rod inserted from the outside to the inside.

[0187] For this reason, the cylinder connected to the outside of the gel suction / discharge chamber is extended and contracted, so that the piston rod inserted from the outside of the gel suction and discharge section toward the inside and the on-off valve fixed to the piston rod. The expansion and contraction member moves together, whereby the operation of the expansion and contraction member linked to the on-off valve can be easily realized.

According to the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention, the cylinder is constituted by an air cylinder operated by compressed air.
Since the expansion and contraction member is constituted by a diaphragm attached to the piston rod portion located inside the gel suction / discharge chamber, a commercially available air cylinder is applied, and a gel suction / discharge portion and a diaphragm are added thereto. Only by this, the gelling agent discharge mechanism can be simply configured.

Further, according to the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention, compressed air is supplied from a common supply source to the air cylinder and the seed injection nozzle. Therefore, the supply source for supplying the compressed air to the seed injection nozzle is also used as the supply source for the compressed air to the air cylinder, and the configuration can be simplified by using a common power source.

Further, according to the processing section of the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention, the movement stroke of the piston rod due to the operation of the cylinder causes the particle diameter of the coated seeds to be dropped from the passage. The amount of the gelling agent discharged from the passage is increased or decreased by increasing or decreasing the movement stroke of the piston rod. Further, according to the processing unit in the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention described in claim 11, the length of time during which the on-off valve opens the passage between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber due to the operation of the cylinder is the following. Since the configuration is increased or decreased in accordance with the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage, gelation discharged from the passage is increased or decreased by increasing or decreasing the length of time during which the on-off valve opens between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber. The amount of the agent increases or decreases.

Therefore, by setting the movement stroke of the piston rod and the opening time between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber by the open / close valve to a length corresponding to the size of the particle size of the coated seed dropped from the passage, the seeds can be removed. Coated with a gelling agent of sufficient thickness. Therefore, a coated seed having a size corresponding to the size of the seed can be easily formed by changing the movement stroke of the piston rod or changing the time during which the on-off valve opens the passage between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber. In addition, it can be manufactured at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing a schematic configuration of a gel coating portion of a seed according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a seed gel-coated portion shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway front view of a seed gel coating portion showing a discharge point of the gel supply piston shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway front view of a seed gel coating portion showing a seed input portion of the nozzle body shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG. 1;

9 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG. 1;

11 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a seed gel coating portion according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

13 is a partially cutaway front view of the gel coating portion of the seed shown in FIG.

14 is a partially cutaway front view of a seed gel coating portion showing a discharge point of the gel supply piston shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a partially cutaway front view of a seed gel coating portion showing a coated seed discharge point of the nozzle block shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 17 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 18 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG.

19 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG.

20 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG.

21 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG.

FIG. 22 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel coating section shown in FIG.

FIG. 23 is a front view showing an example of a gel coating apparatus.

FIG. 24 is a plan view of the gel coating apparatus shown in FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a side sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional gel coating section applied to the gel coating apparatus shown in FIG. 23;

[Explanation of symbols]

1,21 Gel coating part 3,23 Nozzle block 3a Passage 3e, 23j Discharge nozzle (nozzle) 4,24 Gelling agent discharge mechanism 5,25 Gel containing block (gelling agent discharge mechanism) 5k, 25a Gel suction / discharge chamber 7, 27 Gel supply piston (gelling agent discharge mechanism) 7a, 27a Piston rod of gel supply piston (piston rod portion located inside gel suction / discharge chamber) 7d, 27e Diaphragm (expansion / contraction member) 7h, 27m Open / close valve 9j, 29 Air cylinder (cylinder) 9s, 29b Piston rod of air cylinder 11, 31 Reversing drive unit 15 Seed injection nozzle 19 Air compressor (supply source) 23d Recess (passage) A, E Suction point B, F Discharge point C, G Seed Input point D, H Covered seed discharge point P Air pool X Seed Y Gelling agent Z Covered seed

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A01C 1/06

Claims (11)

(57) [Claims] 1. An opening of a passage filled with a gelling agent is directed upward, and compressed air is blown from above the opening, so that the gelling agent portion facing the opening of the passage is depressed inside the passage. Forming an air pocket, feeding seeds into the air pocket portion of the gelling agent, and allowing the seeds to reach the air pocket portion of the gelling agent. A method for gel-coating seeds, comprising discharging a predetermined amount of the gelling agent from the opening of the passage toward the outside of the passage. 2. The gel coating method according to claim 1, wherein the size of the opening of the passage is changed according to the size of the seed. 3. A coated seed produced by putting seeds into a passage filled with a gelling agent that becomes a polymer gel upon curing, and coating the seeds with the gelling agent in the passage, In a gel coating apparatus for seeds to be dropped from the passage, a nozzle block in which the passage is formed inside, and an end of the passage to which the coated seed is dropped is open to the outside; A reversing drive means for vertically reversing the nozzle block between a seed input point located at an upper part of the block and a coated seed discharge point at an end of the passage located at a lower part of the nozzle block; A seed input nozzle disposed at a position above an end of the passage at a seed input point and ejecting the seeds together with compressed air at an end of the passage at the seed input point; A gelling agent discharging mechanism that discharges the gelling agent in the passage by an amount used for the coated seeds from the end of the passage to the outside of the nozzle block. Processing part in. 4. A nozzle block portion where an end of the passage is opened in the nozzle block has an internal shape corresponding to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage. The nozzle through which the gelling agent Y discharged to the nozzle passes is detachably attached.
A processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus according to the above. 5. A gel accommodating block in which a gel sucking / discharging chamber which is communicated with the passage and into which the gelling agent is supplied and filled from the outside is formed, and the gel sucking / discharging chamber is provided in the gel containing block. The gelling agent discharge mechanism is constituted by an opening / closing valve that communicates with the passage and shields, and an expanding / contracting member that is provided in the gel suction / discharge chamber and expands / contracts the gel suction / discharge chamber in conjunction with opening and closing of the opening / closing valve. The expansion / contraction member is located when the on-off valve is opened and the discharge space where the internal space of the gel suction and discharge chamber has a minimum capacity, and the internal space of the gel suction and discharge chamber which is positioned when the on-off valve is closed, The processing unit in the seed gel coating apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the processing unit is configured to be movable between a suction point having a maximum capacity obtained by adding a minimum capacity and an amount of the gelling agent used for the coated seed. . 6. The gel suction / discharge chamber is supplied with the gelling agent from outside the gel supply block, and the supply pressure of the gelling agent from the outside of the gel supply block to the gel suction / discharge chamber is: The processing unit in the seed gel coating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the number is increased or decreased according to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage. 7. The on-off valve and the expansion / contraction member are respectively fixed to a piston rod inserted from the outside of the gel suction / discharge chamber to the inside of a cylinder connected to the outside of the gel suction / discharge chamber. A processing unit in the seed gel coating apparatus according to claim 5. 8. The cylinder according to claim 7, wherein the cylinder comprises an air cylinder operated by compressed air, and the expansion / contraction member comprises a diaphragm attached to the piston rod portion located inside the gel suction / discharge chamber. A processing part in the gel coating processing apparatus for seeds according to the above. 9. The processing section in the seed gel coating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein compressed air is supplied from a common supply source to the air cylinder and the seed injection nozzle. 10. The seed gel according to claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein a movement stroke of the piston rod by operation of the cylinder is increased or decreased according to a size of a particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage. A processing unit in a coating processing device. 11. The length of time during which the on-off valve opens the passage between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber by the operation of the cylinder is increased or decreased according to the size of the particle size of the coated seed dropped from the passage. A processing section in the seed gel coating apparatus according to claim 7, 8, 9, or 10.