JP7690318B2 - Feeding system, method for holding ingots, and container for holding ingots - Google Patents

Description

Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act Nikkan Sangyo Shimbun (Sangyo Shimbunsha, Published December 11, 2020)

The present invention relates to a feeding system for feeding ingots into a melting and holding furnace that supplies molten metal to die casting machines, low-pressure casting machines, gravity casting machines, etc., which use metals such as aluminum as raw materials, a method for holding ingots used in the feeding system, and a container for holding ingots.

Conventionally, there is known a technique for feeding ingots into a melting and holding furnace that melts and holds metals such as aluminum. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method for feeding ingots into an aluminum melting furnace. In this method, a loading device is used that holds vertically elongated ingots upright in a concentric circle. The ingots are taken out one by one from this loading device and fed into the melting furnace (paragraphs 0012, 0018, 0024, Figure 5, etc. of the specification of Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-312255

The above-mentioned loading device holds each ingot individually, making it possible to reliably transport the ingots. However, since it can only handle one ingot at a time, there may be cases where the supply of ingots cannot keep up with the consumption of molten metal.

In view of the above circumstances, the object of the present invention is to provide a feeding system, an ingot holding method, and an ingot holding container that can stably supply the required amount of ingots to a melting and holding furnace.

In order to achieve the above object, a dosing system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises:
A feeding system for feeding an ingot into a melting and holding furnace body that melts an ingot and holds the molten metal, comprising:
a container for holding a plurality of the ingots, each of which is elongated and of the same shape;
and a charging device that removes one or more of the ingots, including the highest ingot, from the container and charges the removed ingots into the melting and holding furnace body.

The container may hold the ingots such that the vertical positions of the upper ends of each ingot are different.

In this feeding system, multiple long ingots loaded into a container are each fed into the melting and holding furnace body by a feeding device. The container holds the ingots so that the vertical positions of their top ends differ. This makes it possible to arrange multiple ingots in a stable manner. Ingots are also removed so that the ingot at the highest position is included. This makes it possible to steadily supply the required amount of ingots to the melting and holding furnace.

The container may hold the ingots arranged so that they overlap each other with their longitudinal axes inclined relative to the vertical direction.

The container holds the multiple ingots, which are arranged so that they overlap each other and are tilted relative to the vertical direction. This makes it possible to arrange the multiple ingots in a stable manner. The ingots are removed so that the ingots on the opposite side to the tilted side of the ingots are also included. This makes it possible to stably supply the required amount of ingots to the melting and holding furnace.

The container comprises:
a floor member having a floor surface with which the lower ends of the plurality of ingots contact;
A support member that supports the floor member in a state in which the floor surface is inclined with respect to a horizontal reference plane;
and a support member for supporting the lowest ingot among the plurality of ingots whose lower ends contact the floor surface.

When the bottom end of an ingot is placed on the inclined floor surface, the ingot is pressed against the support member by its own weight. This allows multiple ingots to be lined up in a stable state, preventing, for example, the ingots from tilting in an unexpected direction or falling over. This makes it possible to support multiple ingots that are tilted on the floor surface together, making it possible to stabilize the handling of the ingots with a simple structure.

The support member may support the ingot so that the longitudinal axis of the ingot in contact with the floor surface is perpendicular to the floor surface.

This makes it possible, for example, to arrange each ingot so that both ends are aligned, making it easier to transport the ingots.

The support member may support the ingot at two points spaced apart in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the ingot.

The support members are provided at two points spaced apart in the direction of the ingot's long axis. Therefore, when the container is placed on a reference surface with the support members on the bottom, an ingot is placed on the support members, and another ingot is placed on top of this ingot, thereby stacking multiple ingots. This allows the container to be placed on the reference surface with the support members on the bottom while holding an ingot.

The support surface, which is a plane including the two points at which the support member supports the ingot, may be perpendicular to the floor surface.

As a result, when the support member supports the ingot, the long axis of the ingot, whose lower end touches the floor surface, is perpendicular to the floor surface. In other words, when the container is placed on a reference surface with the floor member vertically downward, the inclination angle of the support surface and the long axis of the ingot relative to the vertical direction is the same as the inclination angle of the floor surface relative to the reference surface. This allows multiple ingots to be lined up in a stable state.

When the container is placed on the reference surface with the support member on the bottom, the support surface may be horizontal.

This allows the container to be stably placed on a reference surface with the support member on the bottom while holding the ingot.

The support member is
a stopper member that prevents the lower end of the ingot from escaping from the floor surface to the outside of the container;
a beam member that is provided farther from the floor surface than the stopper member and supports the ingot;
may have the following structure:

This makes it possible to securely hold multiple ingots in an inclined position.

the stopper member supports the ingot between a center of the ingot in the direction of the longitudinal axis and the floor surface,
The beam member may support the ingot at a position farther from the floor surface than the center.

The inner surface of the stopper member supports the ingot between the center of the ingot's longitudinal axis and the floor. The stopper member thereby prevents the bottom end of the ingot from escaping (sliding through) from the floor to the outside of the container. The inner surface of the beam member supports the ingot at a position farther from the floor than the center of the ingot's longitudinal axis. In other words, the beam member is positioned farther from the floor than the stopper member, and supports the upper end side of the ingot above the center of the ingot's longitudinal axis. The beam member thereby prevents the upper end side of the ingot from escaping (falling out) to the outside of the container.

The container may have at least one guide portion into which the forks of a forklift are inserted.

The guide portion is
The guide member may include at least one of a first guide portion arranged on the floor member side, or a second guide portion arranged on the support member side.

The first guide portion may be configured such that when the container is placed on the reference surface with the floor member on the bottom, the fork can be inserted parallel to the reference surface with the floor surface inclined relative to the reference surface.

As a result, when the forks are inserted horizontally into the first guide section to transport the container, the floor surface of the floor member is maintained at an incline relative to the reference plane. This causes each ingot in the container to be pressed against the support member by its own weight, making it possible to stably arrange multiple ingots even when the container is being transported.

The second guide portion may be configured such that when the container is placed on the reference surface with the support member on the lower side, the fork can be inserted parallel to the reference surface with the support surface horizontal.

As a result, when the fork is inserted horizontally into the second guide portion to transport the container, the support surface (i.e., an imaginary plane including the inner surface of the stopper member and the inner surface of the beam member) is maintained in a horizontal state. This allows the first surface of each ingot in the container to be placed horizontally on the inner surface of the stopper member and the inner surface of the beam member. Therefore, even when the container is transported with the support member on the bottom, multiple ingots can be stacked horizontally in a stable state.

a length from the highest point of the floor surface to the top end of the container is longer than a length of the ingot in the direction of the longitudinal axis;
The plurality of containers may be capable of being stacked vertically with the floor member on the lower side.

As a result, by placing one container on top of another, multiple containers can be stacked vertically with the floor member underneath. When the ingots are lined up on the floor member, the upper ends of the support members are higher than the upper ends of the ingots. As a result, multiple containers can be stacked with ingots held in the containers.

When the container is placed on the reference plane with the floor member on the bottom, the inclination angle of the floor surface with respect to the reference plane may be 5° or more and 10° or less.

By setting the inclination angle of the floor surface to the reference plane at 5° or more and 10° or less, the ingots are pressed against the support member by their own weight, and multiple ingots are lined up in a stable state. This makes it possible to sufficiently prevent the ingots from falling over. Also, because the inclination angle is not too large, handling when removing the ingots can be easily performed.

The container may have a pair of restricting members that restrict the ingots from leaving the container in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ingots are arranged.

A pair of restricting members can restrict the release of multiple ingots from the container in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the multiple ingots are arranged.

the ingot has a first surface and a second surface that are parallel to one another and extend along a longitudinal axis;
The container may hold a plurality of groups, with each group consisting of a predetermined number of the ingots arranged with the first surface or the second surface in contact with each other.

By dividing the ingots into groups, it is possible to simplify the access locations for each ingot, etc. This makes it possible to access the ingots with a simple configuration.

The first surface and the second surface of the ingot may be flat.

Because the surfaces where the ingots come into contact with each other are flat, it is possible to prevent the ingots from getting caught, for example, when being transported out of a container. This prevents the ingots from falling over, making it possible to handle them stably.

The container may have a separator member that separates the groups in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ingots are arranged.

This prevents situations such as the ingots becoming misaligned while being transported in a container, and makes it possible to properly maintain the position of the ingots divided into groups.

The container may have a partition member separating the groups in the direction in which the ingots are arranged.

As a result, even if there is a tolerance in the size of the ingot, the position of the ingot within the container is determined regardless of the variation in the size of the ingot, so that the ingot can be reliably removed using the hook portion of the feeding device.

The partition member may be removable.

By removing the partition member from the container, it is possible to secure all the ingots together with bands during transportation, etc.

The predetermined number of ingots in each group may be removed from the container simultaneously.

This allows groups of ingots to be removed at the same time to be partitioned within the container, so that the ingots can be reliably removed in groups using the hook portion of the feeding device.

The ingot may be an aluminum casting.

This enables stable handling of aluminum ingots.

The container may have a first open end facing the floor member in the vertical direction, and a second open end facing the support member in the direction in which the ingots are arranged.

Ingots can be inserted and removed from the container through the first open end and/or the second open end.

The container is placed on the reference surface with the floor member facing downward,
The introduction device may access upper ends of the ingots through the second open end and remove one or more of the ingots through the first open end.

This makes it possible to reliably transport the required amount of ingots without them tipping over, and ensures that the required amount of ingots can be steadily supplied to the melting and holding furnace.

the ingot having an open eye at the upper end;
The container may hold the ingots such that the open holes communicate with each other in a direction in which the ingots are arranged.

By arranging the apertures so that they are connected in this way, it is easy to handle multiple ingots at the same time.

the charging device has a hook for suspending one or more of the ingots using the aperture;
The hook may access the aperture and remove one or more of the ingots from the first open end.

This makes it possible to easily hang the ingot without tipping it over. It also allows the ingot to be directly inserted into the melting and holding furnace from the hanging position, simplifying the insertion process.

The plurality of ingots are arranged in a matrix on the reference surface,
The input device is
The system may further include a linear stage for moving the container and/or the hook in the direction of the reference plane and for moving the hook in the direction of loading the ingot, or a robot arm for moving the hook in the direction of the reference plane and in the direction of loading the ingot.

For example, by using a linear stage, it is possible to simplify the configuration and control of the insertion device. Also, by using a robot arm, it is possible to improve the flexibility of the insertion operation.

The container may be mounted on a stand and placed at a position relative to the loading device.

This makes it possible to place containers transported using forklifts or other equipment in the correct position, allowing stable access to each ingot.

The container may be mounted on a trolley and fixed in a position relative to the loading device by a fixing mechanism.

This makes it possible to place containers transported using AGVs or other vehicles in the correct position, allowing stable access to each ingot.

The floor member is rectangular,
Two of the support members are provided at at least one pair of diagonal corners of the rectangular floor member,
The fixing mechanism may fix the container by pressing the two support members in a diagonal direction.

In order to achieve the above object, a method for holding an ingot according to one embodiment of the present invention includes:
A method for holding an ingot in an ingot-holding container used in a feeding system for melting an ingot and feeding the ingot into a melting and holding furnace body for holding the molten metal, comprising:
A plurality of elongated, uniformly shaped ingots are held in the container such that one or more of the ingots, including the highest ingot, can be removed from the container.

In order to achieve the above object, a container for holding an ingot according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises:
A container for holding an ingot used in a feeding system for melting an ingot and feeding the ingot into a melting and holding furnace body that holds the molten metal,
A plurality of elongated, uniformly shaped ingots are held in the container such that one or more of the ingots, including the highest ingot, can be removed from the container.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to stably supply a required amount of ingots to a melting and holding furnace.
In addition, conventionally, workers are required to set the ingots produced by the secondary alloy manufacturer into the loading device, and the loading device can only hold about 20 ingots. Since the ingots are loaded into the loading device instead of being fed into the melting furnace, the burden on workers is not significantly changed.
In contrast, in the present disclosure, a secondary alloy manufacturer places a large number of ingots (e.g., 96 ingots) in a container and transports them to a factory where a melting and holding furnace is installed, and the ingots are then thrown into the container next to the melting and holding furnace. Note that the effects described here are not necessarily limited to those described herein, and may be any of the effects described in the present disclosure.

1 shows a schematic diagram of a charging system and a melting and holding furnace according to a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view showing an ingot. FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the container as viewed in the X direction. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the container as viewed in the Y direction. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a container for holding multiple ingots. FIG. 2 is a side view of a container holding multiple ingots, viewed in the Y direction. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a container for holding a plurality of ingots, with a support member installed underneath. A side view of a container for holding multiple ingots, with a support member underneath, viewed in the Y direction. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the charging system and the melting and holding furnace. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the charging system and the melting and holding furnace. FIG. 2 is a top view showing the charging system and the melting and holding furnace. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the charging system and the melting and holding furnace, with an ingot being charged into the melting and holding furnace. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a method of loading ingots into a container. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a charging system and a melting and holding furnace according to a second embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the charging device charges an ingot into the melting and holding furnace body. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the charging device charges an ingot into the melting and holding furnace body. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a charging system and a melting and holding furnace according to a third embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top view showing the charging system and the melting and holding furnace. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an ingot according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a container for holding a plurality of ingots and a dosing device. FIG. 2 is a partially see-through side view showing a container for holding a plurality of ingots and a charging device. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a container according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a container for holding a plurality of ingots and a dosing device. FIG. 2 is a partially see-through side view showing a container for holding a plurality of ingots and a charging device. 13 shows the configuration of a feed-in system according to a sixth embodiment. The relationship between the ingot apertures and the transfer rod is shown. FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating how the transfer rod of the input device removes the ingots from the container. This is a front view. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the relationship between the transport rod and the opening holes of the ingot at that time. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a container according to a seventh embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a container for holding multiple ingots. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a container according to an eighth embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the container with the partition member removed. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a container for holding multiple ingots. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the container as viewed in the X direction. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the container as viewed in the Y direction. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a container for holding a plurality of ingots, with a support member installed underneath. A side view of a container for holding multiple ingots, with a support member underneath, viewed in the Y direction. FIG. 2 is a side view of a container for holding multiple ingots with a support member underneath, viewed in the Z direction .

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

I. First embodiment

Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the feeding system and melting and holding furnace according to the first embodiment.

The feeding system 100 includes a container 300 and a feeding device 400. The feeding device 400 removes from the container 300 a plurality of long, uniformly shaped ingots 30 loaded in the container 300, and feeds the removed ingots 30 into the melting and holding furnace 200.

1. Melting and holding furnace

The melting and holding furnace 200 has a melting and holding furnace body 210 and an ingot loading section 220.

The melting and holding furnace body 210 melts the ingot 30 and holds the molten metal. The melting and holding furnace body 210 has a material insertion chamber 230, a heating and holding chamber 240, and a pumping chamber 250.

The upper surface 231 of the material insertion chamber 230 is open. The ingot insertion section 220 is disposed on the open upper surface 231 of the material insertion chamber 230. The upper surface 251 of the pumping chamber 250 is open.

The material insertion chamber 230 melts the ingot 30 inserted from the ingot insertion section 220. In this disclosure, an ingot 30 made of aluminum is inserted and melted in the material insertion chamber 230.

The heating and holding chamber 240 is connected to the material insertion chamber 230 and holds the aluminum molten in the material insertion chamber 230 while heating it.

The pumping chamber 250 is connected to the heating and holding chamber 240 via a flow path 241. The molten aluminum in the pumping chamber 250 is pumped up from the open top surface 251 of the pumping chamber 250, typically by a ladle (not shown), and supplied to a die casting machine (not shown).

Furthermore, the melting and holding furnace 200 is equipped with a rod-shaped electric heater 211 that is inserted toward the molten aluminum held in the melting and holding furnace main body 210 and heats the molten aluminum. This makes it possible to eliminate the need for a gas furnace, resulting in a simple and safe facility.
The heating method is not limited, and a gas furnace or the like may be used.

The ingot insertion section 220 has a lid section 221 arranged on the upper surface of the material insertion chamber 230 and a tube section 222 connected to the upper surface of the lid section 221, forming an insertion path for the ingot 30.

The lid 221 is provided to cover the opening of the material insertion chamber 230, and can be opened and closed while the tube 222 is connected. By opening the lid 221, maintenance work such as removing swarf can be performed at the opening of the material insertion chamber 230.

The cylinder section 222 functions as a preheating cylinder that preheats the ingot 30 before it is inserted into the material insertion chamber 230. In the cylinder section 222, the ingot 30 is heated, for example, by heat from the material insertion chamber 230 or high-temperature gas, and the surface of the ingot 30 can be sufficiently dried. This allows the ingot 30 to be safely inserted into the material insertion chamber 230.

The cylindrical portion 222 may also be configured so that the sides can be opened and closed. This allows the long ingot 30 to be placed into the cylindrical portion 222 from the side. This is not limited to this, and a configuration may also be adopted in which the ingot 30 is placed into the cylindrical portion 222 from above the cylindrical portion 222.

The melting and holding furnace body 210 may not have an ingot loading section 220. For example, the loading system 100 may load the ingot 30 directly into the material loading chamber 230 from the open top surface 231 of the material loading chamber 230.

2. Ingots

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the ingot. Figure 3 is a side view of the ingot.

The ingot 30 is an aluminum casting. For example, the ingot 30 has an elongated shape with a length of about 650 mm from the upper end 32 to the lower end 33, a width of 90 mm, and a height of 44 mm, and weighs about 5 kg.

The ingot 30 is held in the container 300 so that its lower end 33 contacts the floor of the container 300.

The ingot 30 has a first surface 34 and a second surface 35 that extend along the long axis (i.e., the longitudinal axis) and are parallel to each other, and side surfaces 36, 37 that extend along the long axis and are parallel to each other. The ingot 30 has an opening hole 31 at the upper end 32. The opening hole 31 has, for example, an elliptical through hole 31a that penetrates the first surface 34 and the second surface 35 of the ingot 30 near the upper end 32 of the ingot 30, and an opening groove 31b that penetrates the side surface of the upper end 32 of the ingot 30 and the through hole 31a. When the groove width of the opening groove 31b is Y and the diameter of the through hole 31a in the groove width direction of the opening groove 31b is X, the relationship between X and Y is X>Y. For example, X is 40 mm and Y is 25 mm. The shape and dimensions of the opening hole 31 are merely exemplary, and the relationship between X and Y may be X>Y.

The first surface 34 and second surface 35 and the side surfaces 36, 37 of the ingot 30 are flat and free of irregularities, except for the area with the opening holes 31. The ingot 30 does not have a restraining groove for restraining with a band during transportation, etc. An ingot 30 of this shape has the following advantages: the suction part has a high degree of freedom during handling, the mold is simple and inexpensive, the life is long, and the lack of spaces allows for high packing density.

3. Containers

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a container. Figure 5 is a side view of a container viewed in the X direction. Figure 6 is a side view of a container viewed in the Y direction. Figure 7 is a perspective view of a container holding multiple ingots. Figure 8 is a side view of a container holding multiple ingots viewed in the Y direction.

The container 300 is a vessel that holds multiple ingots 30. The container 300 has a floor member 310, four support members 320, two support members 330, a pair of regulating members 340, multiple separating members 350, a pair of first guide portions 360, and a pair of second guide portions 370.

The floor member 310 has a floor surface 311 to which the lower ends 33 of the multiple ingots 30 of the same shape and long length are in contact. The floor surface 311 of the floor member 310 is typically rectangular, and in this embodiment, is rectangular (or square). The multiple ingots 30 are arranged in a matrix on the floor surface 311. When viewed vertically (i.e., when viewed from a horizontal plane), the multiple ingots 30 are arranged in the X direction with the first surface 34 and the second surface 35 in contact with each other. The multiple ingots 30 are arranged in the Y direction perpendicular to the X direction so that the side surface 36 of the ingot 30 faces the side surface 37 of the adjacent ingot 30. In this specification, the X direction and the Y direction refer to two directions perpendicular to each other on a horizontal plane. The direction perpendicular to the X direction and the Y direction (i.e., the vertical direction) may be referred to as the Z direction.

The four support members 320 have bases 322 at their lower ends and support the floor member 310 with respect to a horizontal reference plane. Hereinafter, the horizontal plane on which the container 300 is installed is referred to as the reference plane. The four support members 320 are provided at four corners (i.e., two pairs of diagonals) of the rectangular floor member. The four support members 320 support the floor member 310 with the floor surface 311 inclined with respect to the horizontal reference plane. Specifically, the four support members 320 incline the floor member 310 so that one side at the lowest position and one side at the highest position of the rectangular floor member 310 are parallel (i.e., horizontal) to the reference plane. More specifically, the floor member 310 inclines in the direction (X direction) in which the multiple ingots 30 are arranged so as to overlap each other. When the container 300 is installed on the reference plane with the floor member 310 vertically downward, the floor surface 311 inclines with respect to the reference plane. When the container 300 is placed on a reference plane with the floor member 310 facing vertically downward, the inclination angle α (FIGS. 6 and 8) of the floor surface 311 with respect to the reference plane is between 5° and 10°.

When the container 300 is placed on a reference plane with the floor member 310 on the vertical lower side, the vertical height positions of the upper ends 321 of the four support members 320 are all equal. Therefore, by placing the base 322 of one container 300 on the upper end 321 of another container 300, multiple containers 300 can be stacked vertically with the floor member 310 on the lower side. The lower surfaces of the upper end 321 and the base 322 may simply be flat. Alternatively, a recess may be provided on the lower surface of the base 322 so that the upper end 321 can be engaged with the recess. The height from the highest position of the inclined floor surface 311 to the upper end 321 of the support member 320 (i.e., the upper end of the container 300) is higher than the length of the ingot 30 in the direction of the long axis. Therefore, when the ingot 30 is arranged on the floor member 310, the upper end 321 of the support member 320 is higher than the upper end 32 of the ingot 30. Therefore, multiple containers 300 can be loaded while holding the ingots 30 in the container 300.

Two support members 330 (331, 332) are provided on one side at the lowest position of a rectangular floor member 310 inclined with respect to a reference plane. Specifically, the two support members 330 (331, 332) are installed across two support members 320, 320 installed at both corners of one side at the lowest position of the floor member 310. When the lower end 33 of the ingot 30 is placed on the inclined floor surface 311, the second surface 35 of the ingot 30 is pressed against the two support members 330 (331, 332) by its own weight (see FIG. 7). Alternatively, when the lower end 33 of the ingot 30 is placed on the inclined floor surface 311, the first surface 34 of the ingot 30 is pressed against the two support members 330 (331, 332) by its own weight (see FIG. 8). In other words, the two support members 330 support the first surface 34 or the second surface 35 of the ingot 30 at the lowest position among the ingots 30 whose lower ends 33 are placed on the floor surface 311. This allows the ingots 30 to be arranged in a stable state, and prevents, for example, the ingots 30 from tilting in an unexpected direction or falling over. The ingots 30 are arranged so that the vertical positions of their upper ends 32 are different. Specifically, the ingots 30 are arranged so that they overlap each other while being inclined relative to the vertical direction. Specifically, all the ingots 30 are inclined so that the first surface 34 is on the upper side and the second surface 35 is on the lower side (see FIG. 7). Alternatively, all the ingots 30 are inclined so that the second surface 35 is on the upper side and the first surface 34 is on the lower side (see FIG. 8). The ingots 30 are arranged so that the opening holes 31 are connected in the direction in which the ingots 30 are arranged.

The support member 330 includes a stopper member 331 and a beam member 332. The stopper member 331 and the beam member 332 support the ingot 30 at two points spaced apart in the direction of the long axis. The support surface, which is an imaginary plane including the two points at which the stopper member 331 and the beam member 332 support the ingot 30, is perpendicular to the floor surface 311. That is, the support surface, which is an imaginary plane including the inner surface 333 of the stopper member 331 and the inner surface 334 of the beam member 332, is perpendicular to the floor surface 311. As a result, when the inner surface 333 of the stopper member 331 and the inner surface 334 of the beam member 332 support the ingot 30, the long axis of the ingot 30 whose lower end 33 contacts the floor surface 311 is perpendicular to the floor surface 311. That is, when the container 300 is placed on a reference plane with the floor member 310 vertically downward, the inclination angle β of the support surface and the long axis of the ingot 30 with respect to the vertical direction is the same as the inclination angle α of the floor surface 311 with respect to the reference plane, and is 5° to 10° (FIG. 8). Since the inclination angle β of the long axis of the ingot 30 with respect to the vertical direction is the same as the inclination angle α of the floor surface 311 with respect to the reference plane, and is 5° to 10°, the ingot 30 is pressed against the two support members 330 (331, 332) by its own weight (see FIG. 8), and the multiple ingots 30 are lined up in a stable state.

The inner surface 333 of the stopper member 331 supports the ingot 30 between the center of the ingot 30 in the direction of its longitudinal axis and the floor surface 311. In this way, the stopper member 331 prevents the lower end 33 of the ingot 30 from escaping (sliding through) from the floor surface 311 to the outside of the container 300. In this example, the stopper member 331 is installed on the floor surface 311, but it may be installed away from the floor surface 311.

The inner surface 334 of the beam member 332 supports the ingot 30 at a position farther from the floor surface 311 than the center of the ingot 30 in the direction of its long axis. In other words, the beam member 332 is disposed farther from the floor surface 311 than the stopper member 331, and supports the upper end 32 side of the ingot 30 rather than the center of the ingot 30 in the direction of its long axis. In this way, the beam member 332 prevents the upper end 32 side of the ingot 30 from escaping (falling out) outside the container 300.

A pair of restricting members 340 are provided on each of the two inclined sides of the rectangular floor member 310. The pair of restricting members 340 restrict the ingots 30 from escaping from the container 300 in the Y direction (i.e., the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ingots 30 are arranged (X direction)).

The pair of regulating members 340 each includes a lower regulating member 341 and an upper regulating member 342. The inner surface 343 of the lower regulating member 341 and the inner surface 344 of the upper regulating member 342 support the side surface 36 or 37 of the ingot 30 at two points spaced apart in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

The lower regulating member 341 supports the ingot 30 between the center of the ingot 30 in the direction of its longitudinal axis and the floor surface 311. In this way, the lower regulating member 341 regulates the lower end 33 of the ingot 30 from slipping out of the container 300 from the floor surface 311. In this example, the lower regulating member 341 is installed on the floor surface 311, but it may be installed away from the floor surface 311.

The upper regulating member 342 supports the ingot 30 at a position farther from the floor surface 311 than the center of the ingot 30 in the direction of its long axis. In other words, the upper regulating member 342 is disposed farther from the floor surface 311 than the lower regulating member 341, and supports the upper end 32 side of the ingot 30 from the center of the ingot 30 in the direction of its long axis. In this way, the upper regulating member 342 prevents the upper end 32 side of the ingot 30 from escaping (falling out) outside the container 300.

The multiple separator members 350 separate the multiple ingots 30 in the Y direction (i.e., a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the multiple ingots 30 are arranged (X direction)). In other words, the multiple separator members 350 separate the multiple ingots 30 arranged in a matrix in the XY direction into multiple groups of ingots 30 arranged in the X direction. In this example, the multiple separator members 350 are installed on the floor surface 311 of the floor member 310, but may be installed away from the floor surface 311.

The pair of first guide parts 360 are members for inserting the forks of a forklift to transport the container 300. The first guide parts 360 are provided on the back surface 312 of the floor member 310. The first guide parts 360 are configured so that the forks can be inserted parallel to the reference surface (i.e., horizontally) when the container 300 is placed on the reference surface with the floor member 310 facing downwards, with the floor surface 311 of the floor member 310 inclined relative to the reference surface. As a result, when the forks are inserted horizontally into the first guide parts 360 to transport the container 300, the floor surface 311 of the floor member 310 is maintained in an inclined state relative to the reference surface. As a result, each ingot 30 in the container 300 is pressed against the support member 330 by its own weight, and it becomes possible to stably arrange multiple ingots 30 even when the container 300 is transported.

The container 300 has a first open end 381 (upper in FIG. 4) that faces the floor member 310 in the vertical direction, and a second open end 382 (front left in FIG. 4) that faces the support member 330 in the direction in which the multiple ingots 30 are lined up (X direction). Ingots can be put in and taken out of the container 300 via the first open end 381 and/or the second open end 382.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a container for holding multiple ingots with a support member installed on the underside. Figure 10 is a side view of a container for holding multiple ingots with a support member installed on the underside, viewed in the Y direction.

As described above, two support members 330 (stopper member 331 and beam member 332) are provided at two points spaced apart in the direction of the long axis of the ingot 30. Therefore, when the container 300 is placed on a reference plane with the stopper member 331 and beam member 332 on the lower side, the first surface 34 of the ingot 30 is placed on the stopper member 331 and beam member 332, and the first surface 34 of another ingot 30 is placed on the second surface 35 of this ingot 30, so that multiple ingots 30 are stacked (see Figures 9 and 10). Alternatively, the second surface 35 of the ingot 30 is placed on the stopper member 331 and beam member 332, and the second surface 35 of another ingot 30 is placed on the first surface 34 of this ingot 30, so that multiple ingots 30 are stacked (not shown). This allows the container 300 to be placed on a reference surface with the stopper member 331 and beam member 332 on the lower side while the container 300 holds the ingot 30.

The pair of second guide parts 370 are members for inserting the forks of a forklift to transport the container 300. The second guide parts 370 are provided on the backsides of the two support members 330. The second guide parts 370 are configured so that when the container 300 is placed on a reference surface with the two support members 330 on the lower side, the forks can be inserted parallel to the reference surface (i.e., horizontally) with the support surface (i.e., an imaginary plane including the inner surface 333 of the stopper member 331 and the inner surface 334 of the beam member 332) in a horizontal state. As a result, when the forks are inserted horizontally into the second guide parts 370 to transport the container 300, the support surface (i.e., an imaginary plane including the inner surface 333 of the stopper member 331 and the inner surface 334 of the beam member 332) is maintained in a horizontal state. As a result, the first surface 34 of each ingot 30 in the container 300 is placed horizontally on the inner surface 333 of the stopper member 331 and the inner surface 334 of the beam member 332. Therefore, even when the container 300 is transported with the two support members 330 on the lower side, multiple ingots 30 can be stacked horizontally in a stable state.

4. Feeding device

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the charging system and the melting and holding furnace. Figure 12 is a side view of the charging system and the melting and holding furnace. Figure 13 is a top view of the charging system and the melting and holding furnace.

For example, at a manufacturing site of ingots 30, multiple ingots 30 are loaded into a container 300. The container 300 holding the multiple ingots 30 is transported to a site where a loading device 400 (melting and holding furnace 200) is located. The transported container 300 is used as it is in the loading system 100 as a vessel for holding multiple ingots 30.

The charging device 400 charges the ingot 30 loaded in the container 300 into the ingot charging section 220 of the melting and holding furnace 200. The charging device 400 has a hook section 410 including a hook 411 for suspending the ingot 30, and a drive mechanism 420 for moving the hook section 410.

In this embodiment, a linear stage that moves the hook 411 in at least two directions is used as the drive mechanism 420.

The hook portion 410 is a holder that holds the upper end 32 of the ingot 30 and suspends the ingot 30. The hook portion 410 has the hook 411, the connection portion 412, and the arm portion 413 described above.

The hook 411 is a rod-shaped member that suspends the ingot 30, and is typically cylindrical. One end of the hook 411 can be inserted into the opening hole 31 of the ingot 30. Specifically, the diameter of the hook 411 is smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 31a of the opening hole 31 of the ingot 30 and larger than the Y-direction opening width of the opening groove 31b. More specifically, the diameter of the hook 411 is about half the Z-direction inner diameter of the through hole 31a of the opening hole 31 of the ingot 30. As a result, even if the heights of the adjacent predetermined number of ingots 30 are different and the diameter of the portion where the through holes 31a of the predetermined number of ingots 30 are all connected becomes small, the hook 411 can be inserted into the through holes 31a of the predetermined number of ingots 30 without interference. Therefore, when the hook 411 is inserted in the X direction into the through hole 31a of the opening eye 31 of the ingot 30 and then raised in the Z direction, the hook 411 abuts against the inside of the opening groove 31b and the ingot 30 can be suspended.

The connection part 412 is a member that connects the hook 411 and the arm part 413. The connection part 412 is connected to the side opposite to the side that is inserted into the opening eye 31 of the hook 411.

The arm portion 413 is a longitudinal member that holds the hook 411 via the connection portion 412. One end of the arm portion 413 is connected to the connection portion 412 (hook 411), and the other end of the arm portion 413 is connected to the first stage 421 of the drive mechanism 420.

The connecting portion 412 connects the rod-shaped hook 411 to the arm portion 413 so that the rod-shaped hook 411 is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the arm portion 413.

The drive mechanism 420 has a first stage 421, a second stage 422, a third stage 423, and a stage frame 424. The stage frame 424 is a frame that supports the first stage 421, the second stage 422, and the third stage 423, and is made of, for example, an aluminum frame or a stainless steel frame.

The first stage 421 is a single-axis linear stage that moves the hook 411 along the vertical direction (i.e., the Z direction). The second stage 422 is a single-axis linear stage that moves the hook 411 along a single horizontal axis (in this example, the X direction). The third stage 423 is a single-axis linear stage that moves the container 300 along a single horizontal axis (in this example, the Y direction) perpendicular to the X direction.

The arm portion 413 of the hook portion 410 is connected to the first stage 421. The first stage 421 to which the hook portion 410 is connected is connected to the second stage 422. The specific configurations of the first stage 421 and the second stage 422 are not limited, and for example, a linear stage using a stepping motor or the like may be used as appropriate.

The third stage 423 moves the container 300, which holds the ingots 30 at an angle so that they overlap each other, in the Y direction. The second stage 422 moves the hook portion 410 in the X direction. This uniquely determines the positional relationship between the ingots 30 held in the container 300 and the hook portion 410. In other words, the hook portion 410 is positioned at an XY coordinate position that allows access to the ingot 30 to be taken out of the ingots 30 arranged in a matrix in the XY direction in the container 300. Specifically, the hook portion 410 is positioned at a position that allows access to the ingot 30 that is highest in the vertical direction among the multiple ingots 30 held in the container 300 at an angle so that they overlap each other, that is, the ingot 30 that is on the outermost side (i.e., the ingot 30 that is not overlapped by other ingots 30).

The first stage 421 lowers the hook portion 410 in the Z direction. This allows the hook 411 to access multiple ingots 30, including the ingot 30 that is located at the highest vertical position. Specifically, the hook 411 that has been lowered in the Z direction faces the first surface 34 side of the opening eye 31 of the ingot 30. The second stage 422 moves the hook 411 in the X direction, and inserts the hook 411 including the outermost ingot 30 into the opening eye 31 of a predetermined number of ingots 30.

The first stage 421 raises the hook portion 410 in the Z direction. As the hook portion 410 rises in the Z direction, the hook 411 inserted into the opening eye 31 of the ingot 30 abuts against the inside of the opening groove 31b and pushes the ingot 30 up in the Z direction. This causes multiple ingots 30, including the outermost ingot 30, to be suspended by the hook 411. As the first stage 421 rises in the Z direction, the hook 411 removes multiple ingots 30 in the Z direction from the first open end 381.

Figure 14 is a perspective view showing the loading system and the melting and holding furnace, with the ingot loaded into the melting and holding furnace.

The first stage 421 moves the hook portion 410, from which the multiple ingots 30 have been removed, in the X direction to the ingot loading portion 220 of the melting and holding furnace 200. The second stage 422 lowers the hook portion 410 from which the multiple ingots 30 are suspended in the Z direction. This causes the multiple ingots 30 to be loaded from the ingot loading portion 220 into the melting and holding furnace main body 210.

In this way, the feeding device 400 is capable of removing and inserting the required amount (number) of ingots 30 from the container 300. This makes it possible to stably supply the required amount of ingots to the melting and holding furnace 200.

In this embodiment, the second stage 422 moves the hook 411 along the X direction, and the third stage 423 moves the container 300 along the Y direction. However, this is not limited to this. The second stage 422 and the third stage 423 only need to be able to move the container 300 and/or the hook 411 in the XY directions and position the hook portion 410 at an XY coordinate position that allows access to the ingot 30 to be removed.

5. How to load ingots into a container

Figure 15 is a diagram explaining how to load ingots 30 into container 300.

The ingots 30 formed by the ingot forming device (not shown) are transported in sequence to the loading area by the belt conveyor 71. In the loading area, the ingots 30 transported by the belt conveyor 71 are loaded into the container 300 by the robot 72.

The robot 72 has a suction hand 72a, which collectively picks up the second surfaces 35 of the ingots 30 on the belt conveyor 71 and transports them to the container 300. In the container 300, the ingots 30 are arranged in a matrix in the XY directions and held in an overlapping state. The robot 72 collectively picks up the second surfaces 35 of the ingots 30 that are arranged in the Y direction (i.e., a row in which the opening holes 31 do not communicate) and transports them to the container 300. This constitutes one stacked stage.

When the ingots 30 are loaded by the robot 72, the container 300 is tilted so that the second open end 382 (the surface side facing the support member 330 in the X direction) of the container 300 faces upward and toward the robot 72. The tilting can be performed, for example, while the container 300 is held by a forklift (not shown), or while it is stored in a dedicated storage unit (not shown).

The robot 72 uses the suction hand 72a to suck up one tier of ingots 30 on the belt conveyor 71 and place them in the container 300 while the container 300 is tilted. The robot 72 then sequentially places multiple tiers of ingots 30 in the X direction. With the above loading method, the ingots 30 can be safely and efficiently loaded into the container 300.

As a modified example, an input device (not shown) having a robot 72, instead of the input device 40, can also remove the ingot 30 from the container 300 by suction. In this case, the container 300 is placed on a reference surface with the two support members 330 on the lower side (FIGS. 9 and 10). The suction hand 72a accesses the ingot 30 in the container 300 from the second open end 382, suctions the second surface 35 of the ingot 30, and removes the ingot 30. The second surface 35 of the ingot 30 is composed of a flat surface without irregularities except for the area having the opening holes 31, and does not have a restraining groove for restraining with a band during transportation, etc. Ingots 30 of this shape have a particularly high degree of freedom in the suction part during handling.

II. Second embodiment

In the following, the description and illustration of the configurations similar to those of the feeding system 100, melting and holding furnace 200, and ingot 30 already described will be omitted, and the differences will be mainly described.

Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the feeding system and melting and holding furnace according to the second embodiment.

The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the insertion device 400.

The feeding system 110 of the second embodiment has a container 300 (same as in the first embodiment) that holds multiple ingots 30, a stand 501 on which the container 300 is mounted, and a feeding device 500.

For example, the container 300 is placed on the stand 501 using a forklift. The stand 501 carries the container 300 with the floor member 310 on the lower side. The stand 501 fixes the container 300 in a position relative to the loading device 500.

The loading device 500 has a hook portion 410 (same as in the first embodiment) including a hook 411, and a robot arm 510 as a drive mechanism. The robot arm 510 moves the hook 411 in three axial directions: the direction of the reference plane (X direction, Y direction) and the direction in which the ingot 30 is loaded into the melting and holding furnace 200 (Z direction).

The robot arm 510 moves the hook portion 410 in the X and Y directions, and positions the ingot 30 (the ingot 30 located at the highest vertical position) to be removed from the container 300 at an accessible XY coordinate position. The robot arm 510 lowers the hook portion 410 in the Z direction. This allows the hook 411 to access multiple ingots 30, including the ingot 30 located at the highest vertical position. The robot arm 510 moves the hook 411 in the X direction to insert the hook 411, including the outermost ingot 30, into the opening holes 31 of a predetermined number of ingots 30. The robot arm 510 raises the hook portion 410 in the Z direction. This causes multiple ingots 30, including the outermost ingot 30, to be suspended by the hook 411. As the robot arm 510 rises in the Z direction, the hook 411 removes multiple ingots 30 in the Z direction from the first open end 381.

Figure 17 is a perspective view showing the loading device loading the ingot into the melting and holding furnace body.

The robot arm 510 moves the hook portion 410, which has removed the multiple ingots 30, in the X and Y directions to the ingot insertion portion 220 of the melting and holding furnace 200. With the side of the tube portion 222 of the melting and holding furnace 200 open, the robot arm 510 inserts the multiple ingots 30 into the tube portion 222 from the side. The tube portion 222 functions as a preheating tube that preheats the ingots 30 before they are inserted into the material insertion chamber 230.

Figure 18 is a perspective view showing the loading device loading the ingot into the melting and holding furnace body.

After the robot arm 510 inserts the multiple ingots 30 into the tube portion 222 from the side, the side of the tube portion 222 of the melting and holding furnace 200 is closed. As a result, in the tube portion 222, the ingots 30 are heated by, for example, heat from the material insertion chamber 230 or high-temperature gas, and the surface of the ingots 30 can be sufficiently dried. This makes it possible to safely insert the ingots 30 into the material insertion chamber 230. With the side of the tube portion 222 closed, the robot arm 510 lowers the hook portion 410 from which the multiple ingots 30 are suspended in the Z direction. As a result, the multiple ingots 30 are inserted from the ingot insertion portion 220 into the melting and holding furnace main body 210.

III. Third embodiment

Figure 19 is a perspective view showing the feeding system and melting and holding furnace according to the third embodiment. Figure 20 is a top view showing the feeding system and melting and holding furnace.

The third embodiment differs from the second embodiment in the stand 501. In the third embodiment, a mechanism different from the stand 501 mounts the container 300 and fixes the container 300 in a position relative to the loading device 500.

The third embodiment of the feeding system 120 includes a container 300 (same as in the second embodiment) that holds multiple ingots 30, a cart 540 that carries the container 300, a set of fixing mechanisms 530 that fix the container 300, and a feeding device 500 (same as in the second embodiment).

For example, the container 300 is placed on the trolley 540 using a forklift. The trolley 540 carries the container 300 with the floor member 310 on the bottom side. For example, the trolley 540 carrying the container 300 is transported to a position based on the loading device 500 using an AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle). The trolley 540 is placed so as to straddle the guide table 520. The width of the guide table 520 is slightly larger than the inner width of the trolley 540. The guide table 520 determines the position of the container 300 in one horizontal axial direction (X direction in this example) relative to the loading device 500.

The set of fixing mechanisms 530 fixes the container 300 mounted on the trolley 540 in a position based on the loading device 500. Specifically, the set of fixing mechanisms 530 presses two support members 320 provided at one diagonal corner of the floor member 311 of the container 300 in the diagonal direction. In this way, the set of fixing mechanisms 530 fixes the container 300 in a position based on the loading device 500.

IV. Fourth embodiment

The fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the ingot 30, container 300, and feeding device 400.

1. Ingot

Figure 21 is a perspective view showing an ingot according to the fourth embodiment.

The ingot 50 is a long piece of aluminum casting.

The ingot 50 is held in the container 600 so that the lower end 53 contacts the floor of the container 600.

The ingot 50 has a first face 54 and a second face 55 that extend parallel to each other along a longitudinal axis (i.e., a longitudinal axis). The ingot 50 does not have an open eye at the upper end 52.

The first surface 54 and the second surface 55 of the ingot 50 are flat and free of irregularities. The ingot 50 does not have a restraining groove for restraining with a band during transportation, etc. An ingot 50 of this shape has the following advantages: the suction part has a high degree of freedom during handling, the mold is simple and inexpensive, the life is long, and the lack of spaces allows for a high packing density.

2. Containers

Figure 22 is a perspective view of a container. Figure 23 is a perspective view of a container and a charging device that holds multiple ingots. Figure 24 is a partially transparent side view of a container and a charging device that holds multiple ingots.

The container 600 is a vessel that holds multiple ingots 50. The container 600 has a floor member 610, four support members 620, a frame member 630, and multiple separation members 650.

The floor member 610 has a floor surface to which the lower ends 53 of the multiple ingots 50, which are long and have the same shape, contact. The floor surface of the floor member 610 has a step in the X direction (see FIG. 24). As a result, the multiple ingots 50 are arranged so that the vertical (Z-direction) positions of the upper ends 52 of each ingot are different. The multiple ingots 50 are arranged in a matrix on the floor surface. When viewed from the vertical direction (i.e., when viewed from a horizontal surface), the multiple ingots 50 are arranged in the X direction with the first faces 54 and second faces 55 facing each other without contacting each other. The multiple ingots 50 are arranged in the Y direction perpendicular to the X direction so that the side of each ingot 50 faces the side of the adjacent ingot 50.

The four support members 620 have bases at their lower ends and support the floor member 610 against a horizontal reference surface. The four support members 620 are provided at the four corners (i.e., two pairs of diagonal corners) of the rectangular floor member.

The frame member 630 is a side wall of the container 600, and surrounds the multiple ingots 50 in the X and Y directions, preventing the ingots 50 from escaping outside the container 600 in the X and Y directions.

The multiple separator members 650 separate the multiple ingots 50 in the X and Y directions. In other words, the multiple separator members 650 separate the multiple ingots 50 arranged in a matrix in the X and Y directions into multiple groups of ingots 50 arranged in the Y direction. In this example, the multiple separator members 650 separate the multiple ingots 50 into groups of two ingots 50 arranged in the Y direction. The separator members 650 are thin plate-shaped. The multiple ingots 50 facing each other in the X direction are separated only by the thin plate-shaped separator members 650, and since there are no spacers or the like, the ingots 50 can be packed densely in the container 600.

When the ingots 50 are placed in the container 600, the first surface 54 and the second surface 55 of the upper end 52 of all the ingots 50 are exposed from the container 600. The length of the exposed upper end 52 in the Z direction is a length that allows the insertion device 700 to clamp the ingots 50.

The container 600 has a first open end 681 that faces the floor member 610 in the vertical direction. Ingots can be loaded and unloaded from the container 600 in the Z direction through this first open end 681.

3. Feeding device

The input device 700 accesses the upper end 52 of the ingot 50, clamps the first surface 54 and the second surface 55 of the ingot 50, and removes the ingot 50 from the first open end 681. The input device 700 inputs the ingot 30 loaded in the container 300 into the ingot input section 220 of the melting and holding furnace 200. The input device 700 has a chuck section 710 including two pairs of chucks 711 that clamp two ingots 30, and a drive mechanism (not shown) that moves the chuck section 710.

The driving mechanism may be a linear stage (as in the first embodiment) or a robot arm (as in the second embodiment). The driving mechanism moves the chuck portion 710 in three axial directions to remove the ingot 50 from the container 600.

The chuck unit 710 is a holder that simultaneously clamps and suspends the upper ends 32 of two ingots 30. The chuck unit 710 has two chucks 711, 711. The chuck 711 has a pair of arms 712, 712 and a pair of plates 713, 713. The pair of plates 713, 713 are provided at the lower ends of the pair of arms 712, 712 and clamp the ingot 30. The plates 713, 713 are, for example, circular. The plates 713, 713 of one chuck 711 adsorb and clamp the upper end 32 of one ingot 30. The plates 713, 713 of the other chuck 711 adsorb and clamp the upper end 32 of the adjacent ingot 30. The size (diameter) of the plate 713 member is equal to or smaller than the width (Y direction) length of the first surface 54 and the second surface 55 of the ingot 50. The center of the width (Y direction) of the plates 713, 713 of the chuck 711 coincides with the center of the width (Y direction) of the first surface 54 and the second surface 55 of the ingot 50. The pair of chucks 711, 711 clamp the centers of the width (Y direction) of the first surface 54 and the second surface 55 of the two ingots 50 in the X direction.

V. Fifth embodiment

Figure 25 is a perspective view of a container according to the fifth embodiment. Figure 26 is a perspective view of a container and a charging device that holds multiple ingots. Figure 27 is a partially transparent side view of a container and a charging device that holds multiple ingots.

The fifth embodiment differs from the fourth embodiment in the container 600.

The container 800 is a vessel that holds multiple ingots 50 (the same as in the fourth embodiment). The container 800 has a floor member 810, four support members 820, a frame member 830, multiple spacers 840, and multiple separator members 850.

The floor member 810 has a floor surface to which the bottom ends 53 of the multiple ingots 50, which are long and of the same shape, contact. The multiple ingots 50 are arranged in a matrix on the floor surface. When viewed vertically (i.e., when viewed from a horizontal surface), the multiple ingots 50 are lined up in the X direction with the first faces 54 and second faces 55 facing each other without contacting each other. The multiple ingots 50 are lined up in the Y direction perpendicular to the X direction so that the side of each ingot 50 faces the side of an adjacent ingot 50.

The four support members 820 have bases at their lower ends and support the floor member 810 against a horizontal reference surface. The four support members 820 are provided at the four corners (i.e., two pairs of diagonal corners) of the rectangular floor member.

The frame member 830 is a side wall of the container 800, and surrounds the multiple ingots 50 in the X and Y directions, preventing the ingots 50 from escaping outside the container 800 in the X and Y directions.

The multiple separator members 850 separate the multiple ingots 50 in the X and Y directions. In other words, the multiple separator members 850 separate the multiple ingots 50 arranged in a matrix in the X and Y directions into multiple groups of ingots 50 arranged in the Y direction. In this example, the multiple separator members 850 separate the multiple ingots 50 into groups of two ingots 50 arranged in the Y direction.

The spacers 840 are spaces that separate the rows of ingots 50 aligned in the Y direction by a distance in the X direction. The spacer 840 is a space formed by a floor member 810, a frame member 830, and a separator member 850. The distance in the X direction between one row of ingots 50 aligned in the Y direction and the adjacent row of ingots 50 aligned in the Y direction (i.e., the width in the X direction of the spacer 840) is a size that allows the arm 712 and plate 713 on one side of the loading device 700 (same as in the fourth embodiment) to be inserted. As a result, the chucks 711, 711 of the loading device 700 enter the spacer 840 and clamp the centers of the width direction (Y direction) of the first surface 54 and the second surface 55 of the two ingots 50 in the X direction.

When the ingots 50 are placed in the container 800, the first surface 54 and the second surface 55 of the upper end 52 of all the ingots 50 are exposed from the container 800. The length of the exposed upper end 52 in the Z direction is a length that allows the feeding device 700 to clamp the ingots 50.

The container 800 has a first open end 881 that faces the floor member 810 in the vertical direction. Ingots can be loaded and unloaded from the container 800 in the Z direction through this first open end 882.

VI. Sixth embodiment

Figure 28 shows the configuration of the input system according to the sixth embodiment.

The input device 40 has an input mechanism 41a, a storage rod 42a, a transport rod 43, a transport device 44, and a control device 45.

The input mechanism 41a holds the other end of the ingot 30 and inputs the ingot 30 held through the ingot input section 20a of the melting and holding furnace 200 into the material insertion chamber 230 in the melting and holding furnace body 210. For example, the input mechanism 41a has a chuck 46a that suspends the ingot 30 using the opening eye 31 of the ingot 30 and a lifting device 47a that raises and lowers the chuck 46a, and gradually inserts the ingot 30 suspended by the chuck 46a into the material insertion chamber 230 in the melting and holding furnace body 210 through the ingot input section 20a from one end of the ingot 30. The storage rod 42a holds multiple ingots 30 by suspending them using the opening eye 31, and transfers the ingots 30 sequentially from one end to the input mechanism 41a. The storage rod 42a is inclined downward toward the input mechanism 41a. As a result, the ingot 30 moves toward the loading mechanism 41a due to gravity. A cut-out stopper device 420a is disposed near the tip of the storage rod 42a on the loading mechanism 41a side. The cut-out stopper device 420a has stoppers 421a and 422a that move up and down alternately. The distance between the stoppers 421a and 422a is greater than the total thickness of a predetermined number of ingots 30 loaded at one time, and is smaller than the total thickness of (predetermined number + 1) ingots 30. When the stopper 421a is positioned at the top, the ingot 30 adjacent to the outside (left side in the figure) of the stopper 421a of the storage rod 42a moves between the stoppers 421a and 422a. When the stopper 422a is positioned at the top, the ingot 30 between the stoppers 421a and 422a is transferred to the chuck 46a.

The transport rod 43 holds multiple ingots 30, for example a row of ingots 30, suspended from a container 600 described below using each of the opening holes 31.

The transfer device 44 has, for example, two chains 44a that support both ends of the transfer rod 43, a support rod 44b that supports the chains 44a in a suspended state, and a lifting and traversing device (not shown) attached to the support rod 44b. Automation is possible with a dedicated lifting and traversing device. Instead of the lifting and traversing device, partial automation is also possible in which a small crane or the like is used to manually remove the ingots. The transfer device 44 holds multiple ingots 30 held in the container 600 together using the transfer rod 43 using the respective opening holes 31, connects one end of the transfer rod 43 to the other end of the storage rod 42a and the second storage rod 42b, and inclines it in the same way as the storage rod 42a and the second storage rod 42b, and transfers multiple ingots 30 together from the transfer rod 43 to the storage rod 42a and the second storage rod 42b. The transfer device 44 transfers multiple ingots 30 to a storage rod 42a using one transfer rod 43, and then transfers multiple ingots 30 to a second storage rod 42b. This operation is repeated. It may also be configured to transfer in parallel using two transfer rods.

The control device 45 controls the operation of the above-mentioned input device 40.

Figure 29 shows the relationship between the opening hole 31 of the ingot 30 and the transport rod 43.

The diameter (thickness) of the transport rod 43 is smaller than the diameter of the through hole 31a of the opening eye 31, and is larger than the width of the opening groove 31b. The diameter of the storage rod 42a has a similar relationship to the opening eye 31 of the ingot 30. As shown in FIG. 29(a), the transport rod 43 and storage rod 42a have a circular cross section, but may have other shapes. For example, as shown in FIG. 29(b), the transport rod 43 and storage rod 42a may be I-shaped.

Figure 30 is a side view to explain how the transport rod 43 of the insertion device 40 removes the ingot 30 from the container 600. Figure 31 is a front view of the method. Figure 32 is a front view showing the relationship between the transport rod 43 and the opening eye 31 of the ingot 30 at that time.

The transport rod 43 is raised and lowered and moved laterally by the transport device 44. The transport rod 43 is inserted into the opening eye 31 of the ingot 30 from the front of the container 600 (Figure 30A), and then moves laterally to be inserted into the opening eye 31 of all the ingots 30 in that row (Figure 30B). The transport rod 43 then rises and removes one row of ingots 30 from the container 600 (Figures 30C and 31).

The transfer rod 43 holding one row of ingots 30 is raised and lowered and moved laterally by the transfer device 44, one end of the transfer rod 43 is connected to the other end of the storage rod 42a, and one row of ingots 30 is transferred from the transfer rod 43 to the storage rod 42a all at once.

By using the container 600 according to this embodiment, the ingot 30 can be smoothly transferred to the transport rod 43 using simple equipment.

In addition, by holding the ingots 30 upright in the container 600, i.e., stacking them vertically, the equipment required for unpacking and removing the ingots 30 is simplified, making it possible to reduce equipment costs and save space. In the above example, a row of ingots 30 is removed from the container 600 all at once, but it is also possible to remove them one at a time, or two or more at a time.

VII. Seventh embodiment

Figure 33 is a perspective view of a container according to the seventh embodiment. Figure 34 is a perspective view of a container for holding multiple ingots.

The seventh embodiment differs from the first embodiment mainly in that the container has a partition member.

The container 1300 according to the seventh embodiment has a floor member 1310, four support members 1320, a pair of support members 1330, a pair of regulating members 1340, a number of separating members 1350, a pair of first guide parts 1360, a number of first partition members 1380, and a number of second partition members 1390.

A pair of regulating members 1340 are provided on two opposing sides of the rectangular floor member 1310. The pair of regulating members 1340 regulate the ingots 30 from escaping from the container 300 in the Y direction (i.e., a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ingots 30 are arranged (X direction)). Each of the pair of regulating members 1340 includes a lower regulating member 1341 and an upper regulating member 1342. The inner surface of the lower regulating member 1341 and the inner surface of the upper regulating member 1342 support the side surface 36 or 37 of the ingot 30 at two points spaced apart in the direction of the long axis.

A pair of support members 1330 are provided on two opposing sides of the rectangular floor member 1310. The pair of support members 1330 prevent the ingots 30 from detaching from the container 300 in the X direction (i.e., the direction in which the ingots 30 are lined up). Each of the pair of support members 1330 includes a stopper member 1331 and a beam member 1332. The inner surface of the stopper member 1331 and the inner surface of the beam member 1332 support the side surface 36 or 37 of the ingot 30 at two points spaced apart in the direction of the long axis.

The multiple first partition members 1380 separate the multiple ingots 30 in the X direction (i.e., the direction in which the multiple ingots 30 are arranged). The multiple ingots 30 are arranged in a matrix in the XY direction. The multiple first partition members 1380 separate the multiple ingots 30 arranged in the X direction into multiple groups. For example, the multiple first partition members 1380 separate the multiple ingots 30 arranged in the X direction into a predetermined number of ingots 30 arranged in the X direction (four in the example of FIG. 34). In this example, the multiple first partition members 1380 are installed (welded) on the floor surface of the floor member 1310, but may be installed away from the floor surface.

The multiple second partition members 1390 separate the multiple ingots 30 in the X direction (i.e., the direction in which the multiple ingots 30 are arranged). The multiple ingots 30 are arranged in a matrix in the XY direction. The multiple second partition members 1390 separate the multiple ingots 30 arranged in the X direction into multiple groups. For example, the multiple second partition members 1390 separate the multiple ingots 30 arranged in the X direction into a predetermined number of ingots 30 arranged in the X direction (four in the example of FIG. 34). The multiple second partition members 1390 are installed (welded) so as to extend in the Y direction and span between a pair of regulating members 1340.

The multiple first partition members 1380 and the multiple second partition members 1390 are thin plate-shaped. The multiple ingots 30 facing each other in the X direction are separated only by the multiple thin plate-shaped first partition members 1380 and second partition members 1390, and since there are no spacers or the like, the ingots 30 can be packed densely in the container 1300. According to this embodiment, the multiple first partition members 1380 and the multiple second partition members 1390 separate the ingots 30 into groups including four ingots 30 arranged in the X direction. As a result, even if there is a tolerance in the size of the ingots 30 (particularly the thickness in the X direction), the position of the ingots 30 in the container 1300 is determined regardless of the variation in the size of the ingots 30, so that the ingots 30 can be reliably removed using the hook portion 410 of the insertion device 400.

VIII. Eighth embodiment

Figure 35 is a perspective view of a container according to the eighth embodiment. Figure 36 is a perspective view of a container with the partition member removed. Figure 37 is a perspective view of a container holding multiple ingots. Figure 38 is a side view of the container as viewed in the X direction. Figure 39 is a side view of the container as viewed in the Y direction.

The eighth embodiment differs from the seventh embodiment mainly in that the first and second partition members are not welded to the container, and the partition members are detachable from the container.

The container 2300 according to the eighth embodiment has a floor member 2310, four support members 2320, two support members 2330, a pair of regulating members 2340 including a lower regulating member 2341 and an upper regulating member 2342, a plurality of separating members 2350, a pair of first guide portions 2360, a pair of second guide portions 2370 (not shown in Figures 35 to 39; see Figures 40 to 42), a plurality of first partition members 2380, and a plurality of second partition members 2390.

A number of grooves 2346 are formed at equal intervals on the inner and upper surfaces (i.e., on the side of the first open end 2381 (upper side in FIG. 36)) of the pair of lower restricting members 2341. The width of the grooves 2346 in the X direction is a width that allows the first partition member 2380 to stably engage. FIG. 39 shows the multiple grooves 2346 virtually (transparently).

The multiple separator members 2350 separate the multiple ingots 30 in the Y direction (i.e., a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the multiple ingots 30 are arranged (X direction)). In other words, the multiple separator members 2350 separate the multiple ingots 30 arranged in a matrix in the XY direction into multiple groups of ingots 30 arranged in the X direction. Multiple grooves 2352 are formed at equal intervals on the upper end 2351 (i.e., on the side of the first open end 2381 (upper side in Figure 36)) of each separator member 2350. The width of the grooves 2352 in the X direction is a width that allows the first partition member 2380 to stably engage.

The multiple grooves 2346 formed in each of the pair of lower regulating members 2341 and the multiple grooves 2352 formed in each of the multiple separating members 2350 are aligned in a straight line in the Y direction.

The multiple first partition members 2380 are inserted into multiple grooves 2346 formed in a pair of lower regulating members 2341 and multiple grooves 2352 formed in a pair of separating members 2350, and detachably engage with the multiple grooves 2346 and the multiple grooves 2352. The multiple first partition members 2380 separate the multiple ingots 30 in the X direction (i.e., the direction in which the multiple ingots 30 are arranged). The multiple ingots 30 are arranged in a matrix in the XY direction. The multiple first partition members 2380 separate the multiple ingots 30 arranged in the X direction into multiple groups. For example, the multiple first partition members 2380 separate the multiple ingots 30 arranged in the X direction into a predetermined number of ingots 30 arranged in the X direction (four in the example of FIG. 37).

A number of grooves 2348 are formed at equal intervals on the inner and upper surfaces (i.e., on the side of the first open end 2381 (upper side in FIG. 36)) of the pair of upper regulating members 2342. The width of the grooves 2348 in the X direction is a width that allows the second partition member 2390 to stably engage. FIG. 39 shows the multiple grooves 2348 virtually (transparently).

The second partition members 2390 are inserted into the grooves 2348 formed in the pair of upper regulating members 2342, respectively, and removably engage with the grooves 2348. The second partition members 2390 separate the ingots 30 in the X direction (i.e., the direction in which the ingots 30 are arranged). The ingots 30 are arranged in a matrix in the XY direction. The second partition members 2390 separate the ingots 30 arranged in the X direction into a plurality of groups. For example, the second partition members 2390 separate the ingots 30 arranged in the X direction into a predetermined number of ingots 30 arranged in the X direction (four in the example of FIG. 37).

The first partition members 2380 and the second partition members 2390 are thin plate-shaped. The ingots 30 facing each other in the X direction are separated only by the first partition members 2380 and the second partition members 2390 in the thin plate shape, and since there are no spacers or the like, the container 2300 can accommodate the ingots 30 with high packing density. According to this embodiment, the first partition members 2380 and the second partition members 2390 separate the ingots 30 into groups including four ingots 30 arranged in the X direction. As a result, even if there is a tolerance in the size of the ingots 30 (particularly the thickness in the X direction), the position of the ingots 30 in the container 2300 is determined regardless of the variation in the size of the ingots 30, so that the ingots 30 can be reliably taken out using the hook portion 410 of the insertion device 400. Groups of ingots 30 to be removed at the same time are partitioned within the container, so that the ingots 30 can be reliably removed by group using the hook portion 410 of the insertion device 400.

Figure 40 is a perspective view of a container for holding multiple ingots, with the support member installed on the underside. Figure 41 is a side view of a container for holding multiple ingots, with the support member installed on the underside, as viewed in the Y direction. Figure 42 is a side view of a container for holding multiple ingots, with the support member installed on the underside, as viewed in the Z direction.

When the container 2300 is installed with the two support members 2330 (the stopper member 2331 and the beam member 2332) on the lower side, the plurality of first partition members 2380 and the second partition members 2390 are removed. When the container 2300 is installed on a reference plane with the stopper member 2331 and the beam member 2332 on the lower side after the plurality of first partition members 2380 and the second partition members 2390 are removed, the ingots 30 are stacked on the stopper member 2331 and the beam member 2332. By removing the plurality of first partition members 2380 and the second partition members 2390 , it is also possible to collectively restrain all the ingots 30 with a band during transportation, etc.

It is also possible to combine at least two of the characteristic features of the present technology described above. In other words, the various characteristic features described in each embodiment may be combined in any way, without distinction between the embodiments. Furthermore, the various effects described above are merely examples and are not limiting, and other effects may be achieved.

100 Feeding system 200 Melting and holding furnace 210 Melting and holding furnace body 211 Electric heater 220 Ingot feeding section 221 Lid section 222 Cylinder section 230 Material insertion chamber 231 Upper surface 240 Heating and holding chamber 241 Passage 250 Pumping chamber 251 Upper surface 30 Ingot 300 Container 31 Opening hole 310 Floor member 311 Floor surface 312 Back surface 31a Through hole 31b Opening groove 32 Upper end 320 Support member 321 Upper end 322 Pedestal 33 Lower end 330 Support member 331 Stopper member 332 Beam member 333 Inner surface 334 Inner surface 34 First surface 340 Regulating member 341 Lower regulating member 342 Upper regulating member 343 Inner surface 344 Inner surface 35 Second surface 350 Separator member 36 Side surface 360 First guide portion 37 Side surface 370 Second guide portion 381 First open end 382 Second open end 40 Insertion device 400 Insertion device 410 Hook portion 411 Hook 412 Connection portion 413 Arm portion 420 Driving mechanism 421 First stage 422 Second stage 423 Third stage 424 Stage frame 500 Insertion device 501 Stand 510 Robot arm

Claims (10)

A feeding system for feeding an ingot into a melting and holding furnace body that melts an ingot and holds the molten metal, comprising:
a floor member having a floor surface with which the lower ends of the plurality of ingots contact each other so that the plurality of ingots are arranged in a state where the first surface or the second surface is in contact with each other, the floor member having a first surface and a second surface that are parallel to each other and are long and have the same shape, extending along a long axis;
a separator member that separates a predetermined number of the ingots into a plurality of groups in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the plurality of ingots are arranged;
a container for holding the ingots in a plurality of groups; and a partition member for separating the ingots into the plurality of groups in a direction in which the ingots are arranged.
a charging device that simultaneously takes out the predetermined number of ingots included in each group from the container and charges the taken out predetermined number of ingots into the melting and holding furnace body. The input system according to claim 1,
The container comprises:
a stopper member that prevents the lower end of the ingot from escaping from the floor surface to the outside of the container;
a beam member that is provided farther from the floor surface than the stopper member and supports the ingot;
A dosing system having a support member having a The input system according to claim 2,
the stopper member supports the ingot between a center of the ingot in the direction of the longitudinal axis and the floor surface,
The beam member supports the ingot at a position farther from the floor surface than the center. The dosing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The container has at least one guide portion into which the forks of a forklift are inserted. The dosing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The container has a pair of restraining members that restrain the ingots from leaving the container in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the ingots are arranged. The dosing system according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The partition member is removable. An injection system according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A feeding system in which the multiple ingots are arranged in a matrix on a horizontal reference plane. The dosing system according to claim 7,
The ingot has an open eye at an upper end;
the container holds the ingots such that the openings communicate with each other in a direction in which the ingots are arranged;
the charging device has a hook for suspending one or more of the ingots using the aperture;
the hook accesses the aperture to remove the ingot;
The input device is
a linear stage for moving the container and/or the hook in the direction of the reference plane and for moving the hook in the direction of loading the ingot; or a robot arm for moving the hook in the direction of the reference plane and in the direction of loading the ingot. A method for holding an ingot in an ingot-holding container used in a feeding system for melting an ingot and feeding the ingot into a melting and holding furnace body for holding the molten metal, comprising:
A method for holding ingots comprising: a floor member having a floor surface with which the lower ends of a plurality of ingots contact so that the ingots are arranged with the first and second surfaces extending along a longitudinal axis and parallel to each other, with the ingots being arranged with the first surfaces or the second surfaces in contact; a separator member that separates a predetermined number of the ingots into a plurality of groups in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ingots are arranged; and a partition member that separates the plurality of groups in the direction in which the ingots are arranged, the method comprising: holding the ingots so that the predetermined number of ingots contained in each group can be removed simultaneously from the container that holds the ingots divided into a plurality of groups. A container for holding an ingot used in a feeding system for melting an ingot and feeding the ingot into a melting and holding furnace body that holds the molten metal,
a floor member having a floor surface with which the lower ends of the plurality of ingots contact each other so that the plurality of ingots are arranged in a state where the first surface or the second surface is in contact with each other, the floor member having a first surface and a second surface that are parallel to each other and are long and have the same shape, extending along a long axis;
a separator member that separates a predetermined number of the ingots into a plurality of groups in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the plurality of ingots are arranged;
a partition member separating the groups in a direction in which the ingots are arranged,
A container for holding ingots, which holds the plurality of ingots divided into a plurality of groups and holds the ingots in such a manner that a predetermined number of ingots contained in each group can be simultaneously removed from the container.

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