JP3485619B2 - Pneumatic transport system for granular material - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pneumatic transportation system for granular materials which pneumatically transports the granular materials using a material transport plug having a multi-chamber structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The applicant of the present invention, when filling and replenishing a material transport plug with a material transport plug to pneumatically transport the inside of a transportation pipeline, provides a curved bend tube in the middle of the transportation pipeline, When raising the material transport stopper, the connecting rod of the material transport stopper also bends, and at this time, the granular material leaks from the gap created between the plug body of the material transport stopper and the inner surface of the transport pipe, Was obstructing the transfer of the material transport stopper.

Further, at the base end portion of the transportation pipeline, when the material transport plug is filled and replenished with the granular material, if the filling and replenishing amount is increased, the granular material is stored due to the repose angle of the granular material to be transported. Part of the material that has risen is scraped off when passing through the proximal end of the transportation pipeline and is discharged to the outside of the transportation stopper when it passes through the proximal end of the transportation pipeline. was there.

In order to eliminate such a problem, the applicant of the present invention has proposed a material transport plug having a structure in which an auxiliary plug is provided in front of the rear plug of the material transport plug in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 217512/1992. However, in the material transport plug according to this proposal, if the outer diameter of the plug body and the span between the plug bodies are increased and the size of the material storage space is increased in order to increase the capacity of the granular material to be transported, the powder is It is not possible to fill and replenish the granular material at the same time, it is necessary to move the material transport stopper and fill the empty material storage space with the granular material, resulting in the problem of left over Was left. Further, when the amount of filling and replenishing the granular material is increased, the resistance of the material transport plug when it is transported in the transport pipeline is increased, so that it is necessary to power up the pneumatic power source of the pneumatic transport system. There was also.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and speedily replenishes and fills powdery or granular material to smoothly and pneumatically transport the inside of the transportation pipeline. By cushioning the material transport stopper when it returns, it prevents the material transport stopper from being damaged by the impact.
The purpose is to propose a pneumatic transportation system for granular materials that can be used repeatedly.

[0006]

In the pneumatic transportation system for granular material of the present invention proposed for solving the above-mentioned object, the material transport plug has at least a material storage space for filling and replenishing the granular material. It has a multi-chamber structure divided by one or more auxiliary plugs, and a material storage space formed in the material transport plug of the multi-chamber structure set in the transport pipeline at the base end of the transport pipeline. Each of them has a structure in which a distribution device for filling and replenishing the powder material is provided.

Such a pneumatic transportation system of the present invention can be applied to pneumatic transportation of powders and granules having a predetermined size in addition to solid materials such as semiconductor parts and confectionery in addition to medicine tablets and capsules.

[0008]

According to the pneumatic transportation system for powder or granular material of the present invention, when the powder or granular material is replenished and filled in the material transportation plug having the multi-chamber structure formed by dividing the material storage space by the auxiliary plug Since the granular material is introduced from the distribution and supply device provided at the base end of the pipe, the material storage space of the material transport plug can be filled with the granular material simultaneously and evenly. Therefore, the time required for filling the powder or granular material can be speeded up even when the powder or granular material having a large capacity is filled and replenished.

Further, since the granular material filled in the material storage space of the material transport stopper does not increase in frictional resistance caused by the entire bottom surface of the reservoir contacting the inner surface of the transport pipeline, the transport pipeline is eliminated. Insufficient propulsion when the vehicle becomes long is solved. Therefore, even when a pneumatic transportation system for a large-capacity granular material is configured, a pneumatic power source device with low power can sufficiently cope with it, and the equipment cost of the pneumatic power source device and the entire pneumatic transportation system can be reduced.

Since a head and a tail made of a plurality of stoppers are provided in front of and behind the material storage space, not only can the balance of the material be resolved even when the material storage space is lengthened, but also the transport pipe can be eliminated. Even if the granular material leaks from the material storage space during the transportation in the passage, it can be caught by the plug body of the tail portion. For this reason, cracking or chipping does not occur during transportation, which is optimal for pneumatic transportation of tablets and the like.

Further, as proposed in claim 2, in the structure in which the vertical pipe vertically descending is continuously provided below the bifurcated branch pipe, the granular material is fed from the material measuring chamber into the bifurcated branch pipe. When falling through the inclined surface, the vertical pipe changes the discharge direction, so the angle of repose that occurs when the material is discharged along the inclined surface is disrupted, and the storage space of the material transport plug is filled. The filling amount of the granular material can be increased.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the pneumatic transportation system of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a material transport stopper used in the system of the present invention. As shown in this figure, the material transport plug A includes a plurality of disc-shaped plug bodies 11 to 13 corresponding to the inner surface of the transport pipeline 3.
It has a structure in which it is connected by a flexible connecting rod 18, and the plug 1
Each of 1 to 13 is made of a resin having good sliding property such as Teflon resin, and the two plugs 11 and 11 constitute a head, and the two plugs 12 and 12 constitute a tail. There is. The space between the plug 11 on the rear side of the head of the material transporting plug A and the plug 12 on the front side of the tail is defined as a material storage space, and this material storage space is defined by one auxiliary plug 13. It is divided into two to form a front material storage space a and a rear material storage space b.

The connecting rod 18 on one side is a core wire 18 of a piano wire.
a, and the core wire 18a is a flexible silicone tube 18
It has a structure covered with b. The frontmost plug body 11 and the rearmost plug body 12 are provided with a through hole 16 in the axial direction.
The bolt 16 having a formed therein is passed through the central holes of the plugs 11 and 12, the nut 15 is screwed into the projecting portion, the core wire 18a is inserted into the through hole 16a of the bolt 16, and the tip thereof is formed into an L shape. It is bent and fixed to prevent slipping off 19a, and the intermediate plugs 11, 12 and 13 have nuts 15 and 15 on both projecting portions of a sleeve 17 having thread grooves formed in central holes 11a to 13a thereof.
15 is screwed, the core wire 18a is inserted into the sleeve 17, and the outside is covered with a silicon tube 18b.

According to the material transport plug A having such a structure,
Since the two plugs 11 and 12 are provided on the front side and the rear side, the labyrinth effect is enhanced and the leakage of the transport gas can be prevented. Further, even when the span between the stoppers 11 and 12 is increased to increase the capacity of the material storage spaces (a) and (b), the material transport stopper A can be effectively prevented from rising up and down. Also, the stability is good and the transportation in the transportation pipeline 3 can be carried out smoothly.

In addition, since the material transport plug A has a double structure in which the plugs 12, 12 located behind the material storage space (b) are also separated from each other by a gap, the material transport plug A is powdered from the material storage space (b). Even if the granular material leaks out, it can be received by the auxiliary space (C) formed in the gap. Further, as compared with the material transport stopper having the conventional structure, even when the material storage space is increased, the auxiliary plug body 13 comes into contact with the inner surface of the transport pipeline, so that the granular material filled in the material storage space is replenished. Does not come into contact with the inner surface of the transportation pipeline to increase the frictional resistance, so that the pneumatic transportation in the transportation pipeline 3 can be carried out smoothly.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the granular material P ', P'is stored in the material storage spaces (a), (b) of the material transport stopper A and the vertical pipe is raised. However, it has been clarified from the experimental results of the present inventors that such a structure of the material transport plug adopted by the present invention enables pneumatic transport with an extremely small tensile force as compared with the conventional structure.

Next, an embodiment of the pneumatic transportation system of the present invention applied to tablet transportation will be described. 2 and 3 are diagrams showing a schematic configuration of the system. The tablets P continuously manufactured by the tableting machine (not shown) are, after the dust is removed by the dust remover, supplied into the airtight transportation tank 2 having the packer type damper and the conic valve, and then weighed. , The material storage space (a) of the material transport plug A waiting in the base end portion 31 in the transport pipeline 3 by the distribution supply devices 23, 23,
(B) is evenly distributed and filled. The distribution and supply device shown here has vertical pipes 23a, 2 that descend vertically.
Since 3a has a structure in which it is continuously provided below the bifurcated branch pipes 23, 23, when the granular material P falls from the material measuring chamber 30 through the inclined surface of the bifurcated branch pipes 23, 23. In addition, the discharge direction is changed by the vertical pipes 23a, 23a. Therefore, the angle of repose that is naturally formed at the time of filling the material can be destroyed, and the filling amount of the granular material filled in the storage space of the material transport plug A can be increased. When the filling and replenishment of the tablets P into the material transport stopper A by the distribution and supply devices 23, 23 is completed,
Pressurized gas is supplied into the transportation pipeline 3 by a procedure described below, and the material transportation plug A is pressure-fed through the transportation pipeline 3 by this pressurized gas, and finally reaches the collector 4. Thus, when the material transport plug A filled with the tablets P reaches the collector 4,
The tablet P drops from the material discharge port 41 of the collector 4 in a state almost like a natural drop, and drops into a storage container (not shown) through the impact prevention chute 42 provided with the zigzag plate 42a to be stored. .

The structure of each part constituting such a pneumatic transportation system will be described. The transportation pipeline 3 has a base end portion 31 thereof.
In the example shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the airtight transport tank 2 has vertical outlets 23a, 23a serving as a distribution and supply device. It is formed immediately below the material input ports 23, 23 that are bifurcated.

In the transportation pipeline 3, the lower horizontal pipeline 3a including the base end portion 31 is connected to the lower end of a large-diameter vertical rising pipeline 3c via a bend pipe 3b, and the vertical rising pipeline 3c is connected to the upper end thereof. Another bend pipe 3d is connected and the collector 4 is connected to the end of the bend pipe 3d, and the buffer chute 42 described above is attached below the collector 4. Further, a transport gas supply pipeline 5 is provided at the beginning of such a transport pipeline 3, and from this transport gas supply pipeline 5, a control valve for low speed and high speed transport is opened and closed to be pressurized. While supplying the transportation gas, the air in the transportation pipeline 3 is sucked and the material transportation stopper A is returned.

The transport conduit 3 is provided with various sensors for detecting various transport plugs in order to perform the control described later. That is, since the sensor S1 provided at the start end of the transportation pipeline 3 detects the return of the material transportation stopper A to the standby position, the sensor S2 moves the material transportation stopper A into the material storage spaces (a) and (b). In order to detect the filling and replenishment of the granular material, the sensor S3
Is provided to detect the acceleration position of the material transport stopper A, the sensor S4 is to detect the deceleration position of the material transport stopper A, and the sensor S5 is to detect the end position of the material transport stopper A.

In such a pneumatic transportation system, when the material transport plug A reaches the collector 4, the sensor S4 detects it, and the material transport plug A is further supplied by intermittent supply of transport gas. Transfer the material to the input port 41 and feed the material A
After a lapse of a predetermined delay time sufficient for dropping the granular material transferred by the means from the material input port 41 of the collector 4, the transportation gas control means is set to the suction mode to set the material transportation. Although the stopper A is sucked back to the first standby position, when the material transport stopper A finishes pneumatic transportation of tablets and is forcedly returned to the standby position, the sensor S1 detects the material transport stopper A and transport gas control means. The operation of the suction mode is stopped, the conic valve 24a of the airtight transportation tank 2 is opened, and the tablets P for the next transportation are filled and replenished in the material transportation stopper A. As the sensors S1 to S5 installed for detecting the material transport plug A, a color sensor or an optical sensor can be used.

The airtight transportation tank 2 passes through the material measuring chamber 20 below the material charging hopper 21 having an inverted cone-shaped bottom to measure the amount of one filling and replenishment by the material transportation stopper A. A conic valve mechanism 24 is provided below the material measuring chamber 20. In the conic valve mechanism 24 having such a structure, when pressurized air is supplied from the valve control means (not shown), the umbrella-shaped valve body 24a is lifted by the applied pressure to discharge the material from the material measuring chamber 20. Although the outlet 20a is closed, when the valve control means stops the supply of the pressurized air, the umbrella-shaped valve body 24a descends by its own weight and the material discharge port 20a is opened.

Material receiver 22 provided in the material measuring chamber 20
Has a structure in which the material discharge port 20a is opened and closed by rotating it via a link mechanism 21b that interlocks with a rod (not shown) of an air thin lider provided outside the material input hopper 21. The packer type damper mechanism having such a structure has a simple structure, and even if solid material is continuously charged from the material charging hopper 21, the solid material that has fallen has a curved receiving surface. Since it is received by the material receiving body 22 formed with, there is no occurrence of biting or scratching.

Next, the operation of the pneumatic transportation system of the present invention will be described. When the tablet P is sent from a tableting machine (not shown) or the like, it is accommodated in the material measuring chamber 20 of the airtight transport tank 2, and at this time, the valve umbrella 24 of the conic valve mechanism 24.
Although “a” closes the discharge port 20a of the material measuring chamber 20, when the tablet P having a predetermined volume is stored in the material measuring chamber 20, the level sensor 25 detects this and the material receiver 22 of the packer type damper is detected. Is rotated to close the supply port 21a of the material hopper 21 and then the umbrella valve 24 of the conic valve 24.
a descends and should be dropped on the material transport stopper A 1
The tablets P for the batch are filled and replenished. That is, when the valve umbrella 24a of the conic valve mechanism 24 is moved downward, the tablets P stored in the material measuring chamber 20 spontaneously fall from the vertical branch pipes 23a and 23a through the bifurcated branch pipes 23 and 23 and the material The material is simultaneously stored in the material storage spaces (a) and (b) of the transport stopper A.

Next, the sensor S2 detects that the filling and replenishing of the tablet P with the material transporting stopper A into the material storage spaces (a) and (b) is completed, and the valve umbrella 24a is moved up to control for low speed transportation. The valve is opened to supply the pressurized transport gas from the gas supply pipe 5, and as a result, the material transport plug A moves at a low speed. When the material transport plug A goes away from the base end portion of the transport pipeline 3, the material storage space (a), (b) of the material transport plug A
The bulging tablet P gradually fills up with its angle of repose gradually falling, and some tablets that have passed over the rear plugs forming the material storage spaces (a) and (b) are in the rear material storage space. It is accommodated in (b) and the auxiliary space (c).

The material transport plug A is transported at a low speed until the sensor S3 in the transport pipeline 3 outputs a detection signal, and after detecting the sensor S3, the control valve for high speed transport is opened. Transports in the transportation pipeline 3 at high speed. The material transport plug A is transported at a high speed in the transport pipeline 3, and the bend pipe 3b
When starting to rise, the connecting rod 18 of the material transport plug A also curves in accordance with the curvature of the bend pipe 3b, and a gap is created between the upper end surface of the plug body 12 and the inner surface of the bend pipe 3b. Body material may leak out. However, in such a case, even if the material should leak out, it is stored and held in the auxiliary space (C) of the material transport stopper A, and therefore is transferred as it is by the material transport stopper A. The material transport stopper A is transferred at high speed until the sensor S4 outputs the detection signal before the collector 4, and when the sensor S4 outputs the detection signal, the material S is again transported at low speed and the end of the collector 4 ends. The material transport stopper A is transferred to. The low speed transportation at this time is performed by an inching operation, and the material transportation stopper A is intermittently transported. When the sensor S5 detects the material transport plug A, the control valve for low speed transport is closed. By this inching operation, the material transport plug A discharges to the collector 4 the granular material filled and replenished in the material storage space of the material transport plug A. The material transport plug A is gradually fed to the terminal position by the inching operation. The material transport plug A is the material input port 4 of the collector 4.
When it reaches 1, the driving force is lost due to the leakage of the transport gas from the material dropping port 42, and the tablets P stored in the material storage spaces (a) and (b) and the auxiliary space (c).
Falls from the material dropping port 42 of the collector 4 in a state almost like a natural fall.

In this way, after the material transport plug A transports the granular material P to the collector 4, the suction mode is set and the material transport plug A collects the granular material P. 4 is completed, air is sucked from the gas supply pipe 5, and the material transport stopper A is returned to the standby position by this suction force.
In the middle of this return, the sensor S3 is
When the gas pressure is detected, the gas supply pipe 5 applies a brake by applying a pressurized gas reversely in addition to air suction. As a result, the material transport stopper A returns to the standby position while decelerating, and when the sensor S1 detects the material transport stopper A, the suction air and the reverse injection of the pressurized gas are stopped at that time.

Thereafter, the tablets P are replenished and replenished with the material transport stopper A by the same procedure and pneumatically transported to the collector, and the basic operation is shown by a flowchart in steps 100 to 123 of FIG.

[0029]

According to the present invention, the material storage space of the material transport plug has a multi-chamber structure divided by at least one or more auxiliary plugs, and the material transport plug set at the base end portion of the transport pipeline has:
Since the distribution supply device has a structure in which the material storage space of the material transport plug is filled and replenished with the granular material, the powder material can be replenished and supplied to the material transport plug quickly and in good balance.

Further, the material transport plug filled with and replenished with the granular material has a smaller transport resistance when pneumatically transporting the same amount of the granular material as compared with the material transport plug of the conventional structure. Since the transportation can be carried out smoothly, the power up of the energy source can be suppressed and the facility cost can be significantly reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a material transportation stopper used in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a pneumatic transportation system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a pneumatic transportation system of the present invention (showing a state in which a powdery or granular material is filled and replenished).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a basic operation of the pneumatic transportation system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a state of material transportation in the material transportation stopper.

[Explanation of symbols] A material transport stopper B, material storage space C auxiliary space 11,12 plug 13 Auxiliary plug 2 Airtight transport tank 23 Distribution and supply equipment P powder (tablets) 3 transportation pipelines 31 its proximal end 4 collector 5 gas supply pipes S1-S5 sensor

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Kazue Murata 2-7-2 Minami Asukano, Ikoma City, Nara Prefecture (56) References JP-A-4-217512 (JP, A) JP-A-4-217513 (JP, A) JP-A-55-40191 (JP, A) JP-A-2-62324 (JP, A) Actual Kaihei 7-42348 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) ) B65G 51/04 101 B65G 51/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A material transport plug set in the base end portion of a transport pipeline is filled and replenished with a granular material, and the material transport plug is pneumatically transported to the terminal end of the transport pipeline to transfer the granular material. In the pneumatic transportation system of the granular material for pneumatically transporting the granular material by repeating the operation of returning to the base end portion of the transportation pipeline after discharging, in the above-mentioned material transport plug, the granular material is It has a multi-chamber structure in which the material storage space to be filled and supplemented is divided by at least one or more auxiliary plugs, and at the base end of the transport pipe, the material transport plug having the multi-chamber structure set in the transport pipe. A pneumatic transportation system for a granular material, which has a structure in which a distribution supply device for filling and replenishing the granular material is provided in each of the material storage spaces formed in. 2. The powdery or granular material according to claim 1, wherein the distribution and supply device has a structure in which a material measuring chamber provided with a conic valve is provided with a bifurcated branch pipe in which vertical pipes vertically descending are continuously provided. A pneumatic transport system for materials.