JP3399478B2 - Supply trough for automatic weighing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a feeding trough mounted on an automatic weighing device for a weighing object, and more particularly to a feeding trough suitable when the weighing object has a high tackiness.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows a schematic structure of a general automatic weighing device. In this device, a dispersion table (18) is arranged in the center of the support table (16) via a feeder (17) as a vibrating means, and feeders (19) are arranged around the table (18). A plurality of supply troughs (20) are radially arranged via the above. Around the periphery of the support base (16), the same number of pool hoppers (22) as the supply troughs (20) are arranged in a circle below the tip of each trough (20), and the pool hoppers are further arranged. A weighing hopper (24) is arranged below the (22). Below the weighing hopper (24), a receiving port (25) for receiving the weighing object discharged from the weighing hopper (24) is formed at the upper end, and a discharge port (26) for discharging the weighing object at the lower end. A collecting chute (27) having a substantially inverted conical shape in which is formed is arranged.

The operation of this automatic weighing device will be described below. The weighing objects distributed and fed from the distribution table (18) through the supply troughs (20) and the pool hoppers (22) to the weighing hoppers (24) are individually provided in the respective weighing hoppers (24). (Not shown). Then
The optimum combined weight value is selected from the respective weight values to obtain the total value closest to the target value, and the weighing hopper (24) corresponding to the selected weight value opens to discharge the weighing objects all at once. The discharged measured substance passes through the receiving port (25), drops into the collecting chute (27), is collected in a lump, and is conveyed from the discharge port (26) to the next process (packaging process or the like).

By the way, the supply trough (20) has a horizontal and flat conveying surface. Because of this, the distributed table (18)
If the weighing object falling from the container is a sticky substance containing a large amount of water such as umeboshi, salt kelp, boiled beans, etc., a part of the colliding object may adhere to the transport surface of the supply trough (20). is there. If the amount of such deposits increases, the sliding of the weighing object is hindered and a sanitary problem occurs. Therefore, some improvement measures are required.

In view of the above problems, conventionally, the conveying surface of the supply trough (20) is covered with a stainless steel wire mesh, and this is integrated with the trough by welding, soldering, or the like, or
By embossing the inner wall surface, the contact area between the object to be weighed and the supply trough (20) is reduced, and the object to be slid can be smoothly slid.

[0006]

However, the conventional structure has the following problems.

By embossing or attaching a wire net, it is possible to prevent the adherence of the weighing object to some extent. However, since it cannot be said that a sufficient friction reducing effect can be obtained, it is necessary to drive the feeder at the maximum permissible frequency when the adhesive weighing object is conveyed, which increases the operating cost. In addition, especially for objects with a high degree of adhesion, it may not be possible to convey the objects smoothly within the allowable frequency range.In this case, the operator may exceed the maximum allowable frequency and feed May vibrate and damage attachments such as mounting bolts due to overload.

When weighing food, it is necessary to regularly wash the entire device due to hygiene problems. However, if the wire mesh is closely attached to the trough as described above, the drainage property at the time of washing is reduced. It becomes worse and becomes a hotbed for miscellaneous bacteria. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to float the wire mesh from the transfer surface of the trough, and then the wire mesh at the drop position of the object is repeatedly broken or plastically deformed to allow smooth sliding of the object. It comes to inhibit. Similarly,
Even when the washing operation is repeated, the wire mesh loses its tension and is plastically deformed into a wavy shape, which hinders the sliding of the weighing object. Also,
There is a risk that a broken wire mesh may injure a worker during the cleaning operation, or a metal piece may be mixed into the weighing object.

[0009] When an acid weighing object is weighed for a long period of time, the wire mesh may be oxidized and corroded and broken.

As described above, since the wire net is integrated with the trough, when replacing the damaged wire net, after removing the trough itself or the trough and the feeder together using an appropriate tool, The trough must be replaced. Therefore, the workability at the time of replacement is poor, and the replacement cost is high. Further, assembling the trough requires highly skilled and time-consuming welding work, etc., which increases the manufacturing cost.

Therefore, the present invention aims to solve various problems in handling, maintenance and manufacturing of such a supply trough.

[0012]

[Means for Solving the Problems] To achieve the above object,
In the present invention, an automatic weighing device for automatically weighing a weighing object is provided, and in the feeding trough that conveys the weighing object supplied from the supply source to the weighing section by the vibration of the feeder, the feeding trough is The supply trough is arranged radially, and the supply trough is provided with an extension plate extending outward to cover the gap between the supply troughs. The inner wall surface of the supply trough is made of a flexible organic material and has a surface. A cover member having a plurality of recesses formed therein is detachably arranged to form an engaging portion for engaging the edge of the covering member on the extension plate, and the covering member to be engaged with the engaging portion is provided. The end edge was double-folded to form a trough and a peak, and the locking portion was engaged with the trough.

Further, according to the present invention, in an automatic weighing apparatus for automatically weighing a weighing object, a feeding trough for feeding the weighing object supplied from a supply source to a weighing section by vibration of a feeder. An engaging portion is formed at an upper end portion of the supply trough, and the engaging portion is fitted with an edge of a covering member made of a flexible organic material and having a plurality of recesses formed on the surface thereof. By locking the edge of the covering member with, the covering member was detachably attached to the inner wall surface of the supply trough.

[0014]

As one form of the covering member having a plurality of recesses formed on its surface, there is one using a mesh material.

An adhesive may be applied to the edges of the mesh-shaped covering member, or the edges may be heat-welded to prevent fraying.

[0017]

[Operation] By providing a plurality of recesses on the surface of the covering member,
The contact area with the item to be weighed is reduced. In addition, organic materials generally have a smaller friction coefficient than stainless steel. Therefore, if a coating member made of a flexible organic material and having a plurality of recesses formed on the surface is arranged on the inner wall surface of the supply trough, a more significant friction will be obtained as compared with an embossed steel plate or wire mesh. A reduction effect can be obtained. Therefore, the adhesive weighing material is less likely to adhere to the inner wall surface, and the inside of the supply trough can be slid more smoothly. Further, since the covering member made of a flexible material does not undergo plastic deformation, the plastic deformation does not hinder the sliding of the weighing object. Furthermore, since the covering member is detachable, the covering member and the supply trough can be separated at the time of cleaning and separately cleaned. Then, at the time of cleaning, the covering member can be spread out to form a single plate without protrusions or recesses, and higher cleaning workability can be obtained. Furthermore, since the supply trough is provided with an extension plate that extends outward and covers the gaps between the supply troughs, it dropped from the supply source with some displacement and collided with the supply trough and bounced back. The weighing object does not enter the inside of the device through the gap. A locking portion that locks the edge of the covering member is formed on the extension plate, and the edge is double-folded at the edge of the covering member that is locked by the locking portion to form a trough and a peak. By forming a portion and engaging the locking portion with the valley portion, the tip end portion of the locking portion is covered with the mountain portion and cannot be seen from the outside. Therefore, it is difficult for dust and the like of the weighing object to collect in the gap between the locking portion and the covering member.

Further, since the end edge of the covering member is only locked to the locking portion, there are few restraint points of the covering member, and when the covering member is attached to or detached from the supply trough at the time of cleaning, etc. Workability becomes extremely good. Moreover,
There is no metal contact between the supply trough side and the covering member side, and noise or noise due to metal contact does not occur due to the impact of the weighing object falling from the supply source to the supply trough, resulting in high quietness. can get.

Generally, in the automatic weighing device, the supply source is arranged above the supply trough. Therefore, it is necessary to attach / detach the covering member to / from the supply trough while avoiding interference with the upper supply source. Is greatly limited,
Even in such a situation, according to the present invention, the work can be performed simply by fitting the edge of the covering member into the locking portion, no special tool is required, and the covering member can be freely deformed due to its flexibility. Since it can be carried out while having a high degree of freedom of work, good workability can be obtained.

When the covering member is formed in a mesh shape, an appropriate recess is formed on the surface of the covering member, and the contact area with the object to be weighed is reduced.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The arrow (A) in FIG. 1 indicates the conveying direction of the object to be weighed, the right side of the drawing shows the starting end side of the supply trough (1), and the left side of the drawing shows the ending side.

As shown in FIG. 1, the supply trough (1) is
A horizontal and flat bottom plate (2) made of a corrosion-resistant material such as a stainless steel plate that is bent and formed into a U-shaped cross section.
And a pair of side plates (3a) (3b) inclined so that the width dimension (L) increases upward, and provided vertically to the inner diameter end of the bottom plate (2), that is, the start end of the supply trough (1). Inner diameter plate (4)
Composed of and. The side plates (3a) and (3b) are mountain-shaped with the end side from the middle part as the apex (5), and the upper end of one side plate (3b) has a top end from the apex (5). An extended plate (6) extending outward is formed in the portion extending to the upper part. The extending plate (6) may be tilted downward as shown, or may be tilted upward or may be horizontal.

The upper end of the supply trough (1), more specifically, the upper end of the side plates (3a) (3b) closer to the terminal end than the top (5), the side end of the extension plate (6), and A locking portion (7) having a concave cross section is formed at the upper end of the inner diameter plate (4). The locking portion (7) is formed by punching out a steel plate by projecting a part of the edge, and then bending the projecting portion inward, or fixing a separate member.

On the inner wall surface of the supply trough (1), a covering member (9) made of plastic fibers woven in a mesh shape.
Is installed. The covering member (9) is freely bendable and has flexibility such that the original shape can be maintained to some extent even if external force is removed. As shown in the drawing, the covering member (9) is provided on the inner wall surface of the supply trough (1). It is fitted with the edge thereof fitted in the engaging portion (7) in a state of being folded beforehand so as to be in close contact. In the portion of the covering member (9) to be fitted into the locking portion (7) of the extended plate (6), the end portion is previously double-folded to form the valley portion (10) and the mountain portion (11). It is formed. FIG. 2 shows that when the covering member (9) is mounted, the end edge of the covering member (9) is fitted into the locking portion (7) and the tip portion of the locking portion (7) and the valley portion (10) are engaged with each other. As described above, since the tip portion (7a) of the locking portion (7) is covered with the mountain portion (11) and cannot be seen from the outside, as will be described later, debris of the weighing object and the like are locked with the covering member (9). It becomes difficult to collect in the gap between the parts (7).

In the supply trough (1), the starting end is located below the dispersion table (18: see FIG. 4) which is the supply source of the objects to be weighed, and the ending end is located directly above the pool hopper (22). And are arranged radially. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, each supply trough (1) has one side plate (a side plate not provided with an extension plate) (3) of the adjacent supply troughs (1 ′).
It is arranged such that the upper end of a ') is covered with the extension plate (6). As a result, the gap between the supply troughs (1), (1 '), ... Is covered with the extension plate (6), so that it falls from the dispersion table (18) with some displacement, The weighing object that collides with the bottom plate (2) and bounces back does not enter the inside of the device through the gap. A known feeder (not shown) serving as a vibration source is attached to the lower portion of each supply trough (1) by using an appropriate attachment.

The extending plate (6) does not have to be formed in the entire area in the radial direction, and may be formed only in a necessary place, that is, a place where the object to be weighed will collide.

With such a configuration, the distributed table (1
The object dropped from the 8) onto the supply trough (1) is conveyed in the outer diameter direction (direction of arrow A) on each supply trough (1) by the vibration of the feeder. Then, this measured substance falls from the terminal end of the supply trough (1), and the pool hopper (22)
Is supplied to a weighing hopper (24) which is a weighing unit, and each weighing hopper (24) independently weighs.

According to the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the following special actions and effects can be obtained.

Generally, organic materials, especially plastics, have a smaller friction coefficient than stainless steel. Therefore, the covering member (9) in which fibrous plastic fibers are woven in a mesh shape can exhibit a more remarkable friction reducing effect as compared with a wire net or an embossed stainless steel plate. Therefore, compared to the conventional product, the measured object is less likely to adhere to the inner wall surface of the supply trough (1), and the measured object can be smoothly conveyed even if the frequency of the feeder is kept low. Specifically, it can be transported at a frequency of about 80% to 80% of that of conventional products. Therefore, the operating cost can be kept low, and a weighing object having a particularly high degree of adhesion can be transported within the allowable frequency range.

Since the covering member (9) is made of plastic and has a property of excellent acid resistance, it is possible to stably measure an acid measurement object for a long period of time. Further, even if the covering member is torn, the worker is less likely to be injured, and
There is also no risk of metal pieces getting into the weighing object. Furthermore, since the covering member (9) formed of a flexible material is unlikely to undergo plastic deformation, deformation such as waviness is unlikely to occur even if it is repeatedly used, and sliding of the weighing object is not hindered.

The covering member (9) can be mounted simply by fitting the end edge of the covering member (7) into the locking portion (7), and can be easily attached and detached by utilizing its flexibility, so that special skill is required. Anyone can easily disassemble and assemble. In addition, since the covering member (9) is detachable in this way, at the time of cleaning, the supply trough (1) and the covering member (9) can be separated and separately cleaned. Therefore, the details of both members can be surely washed, which is excellent in hygiene.

As described above, the extending plate (6) is inclined downward, and the objects to be weighed are successively dropped on the extending plate (6). Therefore, like the other engaging portions, the covering member (9) is simply used. Only by fitting the end edge of (1) into the locking portion (7), it is easy for dust and the like of the weighing object to accumulate in the gap between the covering member (9) and the locking portion (7). On the other hand, in the present invention, as described above, the end portion of the covering member (9) is double-folded to form the peak portion (11) and the valley portion (10), and the tip portion of the locking portion (7) is formed. Since this is covered with the mountain part (11), such a problem does not occur.

It is desirable that the peripheral edge portion of the covering member (9) be subjected to anti-fraying treatment by applying an adhesive agent over the entire circumference or by heat welding. This makes it possible to maintain the function of the covering member (9) stably for a long period of time. Further, in the present embodiment, as the covering member (9), the one in which the plastic fiber is woven in the mesh shape is used, but the material and the shape of the covering member (9) are not limited to this.
A flexible material having a plurality of recesses that can reduce the contact area with the object to be weighed and having a friction coefficient lower than stainless steel can be used as the covering member (9). An example of such a case is a flexible flat plate made of an organic material that is embossed.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the covering member made of the flexible organic material and having the plurality of recesses formed on the surface thereof is mounted on the inner wall surface of the supply trough, the wire net is mounted. A more remarkable friction reducing effect can be obtained as compared with the case of applying or embossing. Therefore, it is possible to convey the weighing object at a lower frequency than that of the conventional product, and it is possible to suppress the operating cost. In addition, even a highly adherent weighing object can be conveyed within the range of the allowable frequency, and damage to the attachment or the like due to overload can be prevented. Furthermore, since the covering member is detachable, at the time of cleaning, the supply trough and the covering member can be separated and separately cleaned. Therefore, the details of both members can be surely washed, which is excellent in hygiene.

Since the covering member is made of an organic material and has a property of excellent acid resistance, it is possible to stably measure an acid measurement object for a long period of time. Further, even if the covering member is torn, the worker is less likely to be injured, and there is no risk of metal pieces being mixed into the weighing object. Since the covering member formed of the flexible material is unlikely to undergo plastic deformation, deformation such as waviness is unlikely to occur even if it is repeatedly used, and sliding of the weighing object is not hindered.

Since the covering member can be mounted simply by fitting the end edge into the locking portion and can be easily attached and detached by utilizing its flexibility, no special skill is required and anyone can easily carry out the covering member. Can be disassembled and assembled. Therefore, even if the covering member is damaged, the replacement work can be performed efficiently and at low cost.

Since the end portion of the covering member is double-folded to form a ridge and a valley portion and the tip of the engaging portion is covered with the ridge portion, dust and the like of the object to be weighed are covered with the engaging portion. It is extremely hygienic because it is hard to collect in the gap between them.

If an anti-fray treatment is applied to the peripheral edge of the covering member over the entire circumference thereof or by heat welding, various functions of the covering member described above are stabilized for a long period of time. Can be maintained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a supply trough according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a B part in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a specific arrangement example of supply troughs.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a schematic structure of an automatic weighing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 supply trough 2 Bottom plate 3a / 3b side plate 6 Extension plate 7 Locking part 9 Cover member 10 Tanibe 11 Yamabe

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A intended to be installed in weighed automatic weighing apparatus for automatically weighing, the feed trough for conveying the weighed which have been supplied from the supply source to the metering unit by the vibration of the feeder, the feed trough Are arranged radially below the source.
To the supply trough, extending outwards and leaving a gap between each supply trough
The extension up plate covering the provided on the inner wall surface of the feed trough detachably distribution covering member formed of a plurality of recesses and a surface made of a flexible organic material
Then, when the locking portion that locks the edge of the covering member is formed on the extension plate,
Together with the edge of the covering member that is locked to this locking portion,
Double fold the edge to form a valley and a peak, and
A supply trough for an automatic weighing apparatus, characterized in that the trough is engaged with the trough. 2. A intended to be installed in weighed automatic weighing apparatus for automatically weighing, the feed trough for conveying the weighed which have been supplied from the supply source to the metering unit by the vibration of the feeder, the feed trough A locking part is formed on the upper end of the
Part is made of a flexible organic material and has a plurality of recesses on the surface.
Fit the edge of the covering member with the
By locking the edges of the member, the inner wall surface of the supply trough
A supply trough for an automatic weighing device , wherein a covering member is detachably attached to the supply trough. Wherein said covering member, according to claim 1 or 2 hopper of an automatic weighing device, wherein the a mesh shape. 4. The hopper for an automatic weighing device according to claim 3, wherein the edge of the mesh-shaped covering member is subjected to anti-raveling treatment. 5. The anti-fraying treatment is performed by applying an adhesive to the edge of the covering member or by heat welding the edge.
Hopper of the described automatic weighing device.