HK1181363B - Hopper and medicine supply unit provided with same - Google Patents

Abstract

A hopper (1) includes a passage (1a) allowing medicines to be passed downward. A lower part of the hopper (1) is a deformable part (122) with flexibility and the deformable part (122) can be deformed to open/close the passage (1a). Thus, the deformable part (122) constituting part of the hopper (1) is deformed to open/close the passage (1a). As a result, there are no parts such as an opening/closing plate on which drug residue can remain, and there are few gaps in the hopper (1) in which drug residue can be deposited. As a consequence, the hopper remains virtually free of drug residue.

Description

Hopper and medicine supply device with same

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a hopper having a passage through which a medicine can pass downward, and a medicine supply device including the hopper.

Background

A medicine dispensing device or the like incorporates a medicine supply device. The medicine supply device is provided with a hopper. The hopper has a passage through which a medicine having fluidity, such as powder or tablet, can pass downward (for example, patent document 1).

The hopper described in patent document 1 has a supply container capable of temporarily storing a medicine such as a bulk medicine to be supplied. The lower end of the supply container forms an opening. The supply container has an opening and closing plate that can close or open the opening portion in a hinge-supported manner. And, the medicine can be taken out from the supply container by moving the opening and closing plate.

Prior art documents

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2005-110786

Disclosure of Invention

Technical problem to be solved by the invention

However, on a hopper having an opening and closing plate, the opening and closing plate is located in a position to be in contact with the medicine. Therefore, the medicine is likely to remain on the surface of the switch board and in gaps or irregularities such as hinge portions of the switch board. When the medicine supplied to the hopper is replaced with another kind of medicine, the remaining medicine must be removed from the hopper in order to avoid contamination. In this case, there is a problem that the opening and closing plate and the gap or the uneven hopper require a cleaning operation, which is very troublesome.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a hopper in which medicine is less likely to remain and a medicine supply device including the hopper.

Means for solving the problems

A first aspect of the present invention is a hopper having a passage through which a medicine can pass downward, wherein a portion of a lower portion of the hopper is a deformable portion having flexibility, and the deformable portion is deformable to open or close the passage.

According to this structure, a portion of the hopper, that is, the deformable portion is deformed, and the passage is opened or closed. Therefore, a gap in which the medicine remains is not easily formed in the hopper.

In the first invention, the deformable portion is preferably formed of rubber.

According to this structure, the deformable portion can be easily formed using rubber.

In the first invention, the deformable portion may have a locking portion for deforming the deformable portion in a direction to open the passage.

According to this structure, the passage can be easily opened by the locking portion.

A second aspect of the present invention is a medicine supply device including a hopper having a passage through which medicine can pass downward, wherein a portion of a lower portion of the hopper is a deformable portion having flexibility, the deformable portion being deformable to open or close the passage, the medicine supply device including an opening/closing portion that deforms the deformable portion to open or close the passage.

According to this configuration, the opening/closing portion deforms a part of the hopper, that is, the deformable portion, so as to open or close the passage. Therefore, a gap where the medicine remains is not easily formed in the hopper of the medicine supply device.

In the second invention, the opening/closing portion includes a pair of pressing portions capable of sandwiching the deformable portion of the hopper from one side and the other side, and at least one of the pair of pressing portions has elasticity in a portion facing the deformable portion.

According to this configuration, the portion facing the deformable portion in at least one of the pair of pressing portions has elasticity. Therefore, the deformable portion can be reliably closed.

In the second aspect of the invention, each of the pair of pressing portions extends in a direction intersecting the vertical direction so as to cross the deformable portion, and a central portion of the portion having elasticity in the direction of extension of the pressing portion has elasticity greater than that of a portion near at least one end in the same direction.

According to this configuration, in the portion having elasticity, a portion closer to the center in the extending direction of the pressing portion has greater elasticity than a portion closer to at least one end in the same direction. Therefore, the portion near the one end can press the deformable portion more strongly.

In the second aspect of the present invention, the pressing portion may be located above the lower end of the hopper.

According to this structure, the pressing portion is located above the lower end of the hopper. So that the medicine does not adhere to the pressing part.

In the second aspect of the present invention, the medicine supply device may further include a hopper holding portion that holds the hopper, and the hopper holding portion may include an excitation portion that vibrates the hopper.

According to this configuration, the hopper holding section includes an excitation section that vibrates the hopper. Therefore, even if the medicine remains on the hopper, the medicine can be shaken off by the vibration.

Effects of the invention

As described above, according to the present invention, the gap in which the medicine remains is not easily formed in the hopper. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a hopper in which medicine is less likely to remain and a medicine supply device having the hopper.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hopper according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the bottom surface side.

Fig. 2 is a front view showing a main part of a medicine dispensing apparatus to which a hopper according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached.

Fig. 3 is a side view showing a main part around an opening/closing portion in a medicine dispensing apparatus to which a hopper according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached.

Fig. 4 is a schematic view showing an open/close state of a deformable portion by an opening/closing portion according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken along a cross section of a pressing portion, wherein fig. 4 (a) is an open state and fig. 4 (B) is a closed state.

Detailed Description

The present invention will be described below by taking one embodiment as an example. First, the hopper 1 will be explained. This hopper forms a part of the medicine feeder a together with the opening/closing section 2 described later. As shown in fig. 2, the medicine supply apparatus a and the dispensing apparatus B are combined to constitute a medicine dispensing apparatus.

Hopper structure

The hopper of the present embodiment has a shape shown in fig. 1, and has a passage 1a through which the medicine can pass downward. The hopper 1 is attached to the medicine dispensing apparatus with the passage 1a as a vertical direction. The hopper 1 includes a hopper body 11 and a nozzle 12. The hopper body 11 is an upper portion of the hopper 1. The medicine can be stored on the hopper body 11. The nozzle 12 is located below the hopper body 11. The lower end of the nozzle 12 is a medicine outlet 121. The medicine stored in the hopper body 11 can be taken out from the medicine take-out port 121. In order to take out the medicine, the cross-sectional area of the passage 1a is made smaller than that of the hopper body 11 in the nozzle portion 12. In addition, there is no member (e.g., an opening and closing plate, a hinge, or the like) constituting an opening and closing mechanism for opening or closing the passage 1a in the space through which the medicine in the passage 1a passes.

In the present embodiment, the material of the hopper 1 is rubber (more specifically, silicone rubber), and the entire hopper is integrally molded. By such integral molding, the inner surface of the hopper 1 can be formed without seams and without height differences, and the medicine is less likely to remain on the inner surface. In addition, as described above, there is no component constituting the opening and closing mechanism in the space through which the medicine on the channel 1a passes. Therefore, in the hopper 1 of the present embodiment, the portion where the medicine can remain is excluded from the path through which the medicine passes. Therefore, the medicine is not likely to remain in the entire hopper 1. The present invention is not limited to integral molding. Other components may also be combined to form the hopper 1. When the hopper 1 is formed by combining other members, the deformable portion 122 must be formed of a deformable material as described later, and the other portions may be formed of various materials. Examples of the material include metal, hard resin, and paper. The deformable portion 122 may be formed of paper or a resin sheet, without being limited to rubber, as long as it is deformable.

In addition, the hopper 1 of the present invention does not include a unit which can close or open the passage 1a and is composed of a component different from the hopper 1, such as an opening and closing plate of the hopper described in patent document 1. The hopper 1 of the present embodiment includes a deformable portion 122 for opening or closing the passage 1 a. The medicine supply device a further includes an opening/closing unit 2 for deforming the deformable unit 122. The deformable portion 122 and the opening/closing portion 2 will be described later.

In addition, the inner surface of the hopper 1 of the present embodiment is surface-treated to reduce friction with the medicine passing through the channel 1 a. Therefore, the medicine is less likely to remain on the inner surface of the hopper 1. In the present embodiment, the surface treatment is a coating layer (for example, a resin coating layer) containing a material different from that of the hopper 1. In addition, chemical treatment such as melting the inner surface with a drug or physical treatment such as scraping the inner surface by sandblasting may be used as long as the friction of the drug can be reduced.

Hopper body

The hopper body 11 is a flared portion that flares upward, and has a substantially square cross-sectional shape in the present embodiment. The hopper body 11 includes: a frame portion 111. A portion formed at the outer edge portion and four corners, having a relatively thick plate thickness and high rigidity; and a flat plate portion 112 surrounded by the frame portion 111, having a relatively thin plate thickness and low rigidity. The frame portion 111 is provided to maintain the shape. More specifically, the frame portion 111 is provided to prevent the hopper 1 from being deformed by the weight of the hopper, the weight of the medicine passing through the passage 1a, and the lowering pressure. The flat plate portion 112 has a relatively low rigidity for saving material, and at the same time, vibrates the hopper 1 by the vibration portion 32 described later, undulates the inner surface of the flat plate portion 112, and vibrates off residual medicine.

A plate-like holding portion mounting portion 113 projects from the outer surface of the hopper body 11. The hopper 1 is fixed to the medicine feeder a by the holding portion mounting portion 113. In the present embodiment, the holding portion mounting portion 113 is provided so as to protrude in the horizontal direction over the entire outer periphery of the hopper body 11, but may be implemented in various shapes as long as the member can fix the hopper 1.

Nozzle part

The nozzle 12 is connected to the lower end of the hopper body 11 and has a shape such that the cross-sectional area of the passage 1a decreases toward the lower side. In addition, the lower end of the nozzle portion 12 is open to form a medicine outlet 121. The reason why the lower end is formed in a chamfered shape is that the medicine dispensing device has the medicine ejection port 121 substantially parallel to the side edge P1 of the paper sheet P folded in two in the width direction, as shown in fig. 2, and does not interfere with the transportation of the paper sheet P. The plate thickness of the lower edge portion 121a, which is the periphery of the medicine ejection port 121, is thicker than the other portions of the nozzle 12. Thereby ensuring shape retention of the lower end of the nozzle portion 12.

Deformable part

In the present embodiment, since the hopper 1 is integrally formed of silicon rubber, the nozzle 12 is naturally made of silicon rubber. Therefore, the entire nozzle portion 12 becomes the deformable portion 122 having flexibility, and the deformable portion 122 can be deformed to open or close the passage 1 a. The opening and closing are performed by an opening and closing unit 2 described later. In addition to flexibility, the deformable portion 122 is desirably formed of a material that can maintain shape recovery for a long period of time from an economical viewpoint. The deformable portion 122 allows the medicine to be temporarily stored in the hopper 1. Further, if the hopper 1 or the like is formed by combining separate members, only a part of the nozzle section 12, not the entire nozzle section, may be formed as the deformable section 122.

Here, three examples are considered for the meaning of the above-mentioned "switch": (1) forcibly opening or closing the passage 1 a; (2) forcibly closing the passage 1a, and naturally opening by an elastic force or the like of the deformable portion 122; (3) the passage 1a is forcibly opened and naturally closed by the elastic force or the like of the deformable portion 122. In addition, the case where the passage 1a is fixed in a half-open or half-closed state is also included. Therefore, the manner of closing the passage 1a is not limited to the complete closing, but also includes the case of closing with leaving an opening to the extent that the medicine cannot be taken out. On the contrary, the way of opening the passage 1a also includes the case where even a slight opening is actually made to allow the passage of the medicine. Further, as described above, even if the passage 1a is in the half-open state, the cross-sectional area of the passage 1a in the nozzle portion 12 is reduced, and therefore the falling speed of the medicine falling to the inner surface of the nozzle portion 12 is reduced by the collision. This prevents the medicine dropped on the packing paper P folded in two in the transverse direction from splashing (referred to as "splash").

In the present embodiment, the passage 1a in the deformable portion 122 is configured to be opened when the deformable portion 122 receives no external force and to be forcibly closed by the opening/closing portion 2 described later, but the deformable portion 122 may be formed to be reversed, that is, to be closed when the deformable portion 122 receives no external force and to be opened by the opening/closing portion 2.

The deformable portion 122 has a cross-sectional shape with at least one short side and two long sides in adjacent relation to the short side. In the present embodiment, the upper portion of the nozzle portion 12 is formed in a square shape having rounded corners conforming to the shape of the hopper body 11, the middle portion is formed in a rectangular shape having rounded corners with two short sides and two long sides, and the lower portion is formed in an isosceles triangle shape having rounded corners with one short side and two long sides, as shown in fig. 1.

The deformable portion 122 is deformed by bringing the long sides closer to or farther from each other by the opening/closing portion 2 described later. At this time, the short side of the cross-sectional shape is bent. That is, by expanding or contracting the inner surface of the deformable portion 122, the medicine can be passed downward or held at an upper position of the opening/closing portion 2 (more specifically, the pressing portion 211) of the hopper 1. In this way, the passage 1a can be opened or closed only by the deformation of the deformable portion 122, and therefore, it is not necessary to provide a unit including a component different from the hopper 1, such as the opening and closing plate described in patent document 1, at a position in contact with the medicine passing through the passage 1 a. Therefore, the medicine is less likely to remain on the hopper 1, and the operation is easy when the cleaning operation is performed. Further, since the structure of the hopper 1 can be simplified, the disposable hopper 1 may be formed without cleaning the hopper 1.

Stop part

The deformable portion 122 has an engaging portion 123 on the outer surface. The locking portion 123 is used to deform the deformable portion 122 in a direction to open the passage 1 a. As shown in fig. 1, the deformable portion 122 of the present embodiment is a pocket-like member that is open downward on the outer surface of each long side of the deformable portion 122. When the hopper 1 is attached to the medicine dispensing apparatus, as shown in fig. 2, a hook portion 213 (described later) of the switch operating portion 21 is inserted into the pocket-shaped locking portion 123. Further, the channel 1a in the deformable portion 122 can be opened in accordance with the operation of the switch operation portion 21.

The locking portion 123 may be any one that can lock the switch operation portion 21 so that the deformable portion 122 is interlocked with the operation of the switch operation portion 21, and various types such as adhesion, metal fitting, and the like may be used as a method for locking. In the present embodiment, since the locking portion 123 is pocket-shaped, the hook portion 213 of the switch operating portion 21 can be detached from the locking portion 123 by simply moving the hopper 1 upward when detaching the hopper 1. Therefore, the removal work of the hopper 1 is easy, and it can be said that the cleaning work of the hopper 1 is easy. In addition, the locking portion 123 may be provided inside the nozzle portion 12 as appropriate.

Medicine supply device and medicine dispensing device

The medicine supply device a and the medicine dispensing device will be explained below. The medicine supply device a includes the hopper 1 and an opening/closing unit 2 that opens or closes the passage 1a so that a predetermined amount of medicine can be taken out. The medicine dispensing device includes the medicine supply device a and a dispensing device B for wrapping the medicine supplied from the medicine supply device a with dispensing paper P. The dispensing device B folds the dispensing paper P continuously supplied in the longitudinal direction in two in the width direction, wraps the dispensing paper P for 1 pack of medicine supplied from the medicine supply container, and then adheres the periphery of the dispensing paper P by heat sealing or the like. Figure 2 shows the main parts of the medicament dispensing apparatus. The two-dot chain line in the figure indicates the dispensing paper P folded in two in the width direction. The moving direction of the dispensing paper P is indicated by an arrow in the figure.

As shown in the figure, the lower end of the nozzle portion 12 in the hopper 1 is sandwiched by the split papers P folded in two. The end face shape of the medicine outlet 121 is an isosceles triangle as shown in fig. 1, but the apex side of the shape is located on the downstream side in the moving direction of the packing paper P.

Switch operation part

As shown in fig. 3, the opening/closing section 2 includes a pair of opening/closing operation sections 21 that can sandwich the deformable section 122 of the nozzle section 12 of the hopper 1 from one side and the other side, and a driving section 22 for operating the opening/closing operation sections 21. Each switch operation portion 21 is made of a metal material and has a rectangular shape with one missing side in cross section. The switch operating portion 21 includes an elongated plate-shaped pressing portion 211 that can approach the deformable portion 122 to be pressed, and a coupling portion 214 that extends from both ends of the pressing portion 211 toward the driving portion 22. The pressing portions 211, 211 are provided to extend in an oblique direction (i.e., a direction crossing the vertical direction across the deformable portion 122 when viewed from the side). The pressing portions 211, 211 are parallel to each other with the deformable portion 12 interposed therebetween. As shown in fig. 2, the pressing portions 211 and 211 are provided outside the dispensing paper P moving in the medicine dispensing device and parallel to the side edges of the dispensing paper P.

The reason why the pressing portions 211, 211 are provided outside the wrapping paper P is that if the pressing portions 211, 211 are located within the line of the wrapping paper P (the two-dot chain line in fig. 3), the wrapping paper P is sandwiched by a paper sandwiching portion (not shown) for sandwiching the wrapping paper P on the downstream side of the nozzle portion 12 at the same timing as the opening/closing portion 2 opens the deformable portion 12 (that is, the forces applied to the wrapping paper P by the two portions are opposite), and therefore the wrapping paper P is damaged. Another reason is that if the pressing portions 211, 211 are positioned in the line of the packaging paper P, the medicine may adhere to the pressing portions 211, 211 themselves.

The opening/closing operation unit 21 is provided at a position above the lower end of the hopper 1. In this way, the positional relationship between the switch operating portion 21 and the duct 1a is as shown in fig. 4 (a). Therefore, the opening/closing operation portion 21 is separated from the medicine passing through the passage 1a by the hopper 1, and the medicine does not remain around the opening/closing operation portion 21. Further, the opening/closing operation part 21 is provided as close as possible to the lower end of the hopper 1, so that the falling distance of the medicine is further reduced and "ejection" of the medicine is less likely to occur.

In the present embodiment, the driving unit 22 is provided on the side surface of the nozzle unit 12. The illustrated right switch operating portion 21 moves leftward when the chute 1a of the hopper 1 is closed, and the illustrated left switch operating portion 21 moves rightward when the chute 1a of the hopper 1 is closed. The driving unit 22 is driven by a motor, and moves each coupling unit 214 to the left and right as shown by meshing gears (not shown). During this movement, the pressing portions 211, 211 are kept in parallel.

The shape and operation of the pressing portion 211 are not limited to those of the present embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, the pressing portion may be a cantilever-based pressing portion, a pressing portion driven by a cylinder, a pressing portion provided at one end thereof with a hinge that rotates in a sector shape, or the like. In short, the pressing portion 211 may be changed to any form as long as it can move relative to the deformable portion 122 and deform the deformable portion 122 so as to open or close the passage 1 a. The operation in the pressing direction (the direction approaching the deformable portion 122) may be performed only by the driving portion 22, and the operation in the opposite direction may be performed by the repulsive force of a spring or the like (without depending on the driving portion 22).

In the case where the deformable portion 122 of the hopper 1 is formed so as to be closed when the path 1a is not subjected to an external force and opened by the opening/closing portion 2, for example, only the hook portion 213 described later may be provided to open the path 1a without providing the pressing portion 211 in the switch operating portion 21.

Buffer part

Each of the pressing portions 211, 211 of the present embodiment has a buffer portion 212 having elasticity on the inner surface (i.e., the portion facing the deformable portion 122 of the hopper 1). The buffer portion 212 can absorb the thickness variation of the deformable portion 122 caused by the forming error of the hopper 1. That is, if the thickness of the deformable portion 122 varies over the entire circumference, if the inelastic pressing portions 211, 211 made of a metal material as in the present embodiment directly press the deformable portion 122, it is difficult to cause the deformable portion 122 to adhere closely and completely close the passage 1 a. Therefore, the portion where the thickness of the deformable portion 122 becomes small can be pressed with a relatively large force by the buffer portion 212. In addition, a portion where the thickness of the deformation portion 122 becomes large may be pressed with a relatively small force. So that the passage 1a can be completely closed. In some cases, the buffer portion 212 may be provided only on the inner surface of either one of the pressing portions 211 and 211.

Here, when the deformable portion 122 is brought into close contact with and closes the duct 1a, as shown in fig. 4 (B), the end portion of the duct 1a needs to be folded and deformed. Therefore, if the pressing force of the end portion of the passage 1a is not made larger than the center portion of the passage 1a, the passage 1a cannot be completely closed. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the cushioning portion 212a near the center in the extending direction of each of the pressing portions 211, 211 has a larger elasticity than the cushioning portions 212b near both ends. In other words, the cushioning portion 212a near the center is softer than the cushioning portions 212b near the both ends. In the present embodiment, the buffer portion 212a near the center is made of sponge, and the buffer portions 212b near the both ends are made of rubber. In this way, in the state shown in fig. 4 (B), the pressing force at the end of the passage 1a can be made larger, and the passage 1a can be reliably closed. In the present embodiment, the cushioning portion 212a near the center is made thicker than the cushioning portions 212b near the both ends in order to maintain the balance of the pressing forces. Thus, the buffer portions 212a near the center press the center side of the deformable portion 122 first, and the buffer portions 212b near both ends press the center side of the deformable portion 122 slightly later. It is possible to completely close the passage 1a uniformly and snugly.

The pressing portion 211 of each of the switch operating portions 21 and 21 of the present embodiment integrally has a hook portion 213 projecting upward. As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the hook 213 is inserted into a pocket-like locking portion 123 provided in the nozzle 12. When the pressing portion 211 moves in a direction away from the deformable portion 122, the hook portion 213 moves the deformable portion 122 in a direction to open the passage 1 a. By which the passage 1a can be surely opened. Instead of using the hook 213, the passage 1a may be naturally opened by the elasticity of the deformable portion 122 itself.

Hopper holding part and the like

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 2, the hopper 1 is held by a frame-shaped hopper holding portion 31. The hopper holding portion 31 is provided at a position between the upper end and the lower end of the hopper 1. The hopper holding portion 31 has a fixing clip 311. The holding portion mounting portion 113 of the hopper 1 is held by the fixing clip 311, whereby the hopper 1 can be held by the hopper holding portion 31. Further, the hopper holding portion 31 is supported by a spring 33. In the present embodiment, a coil spring is used as the spring 33, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and various springs such as a plate spring may be used.

Vibration exciting part

The hopper holding section 31 of the present embodiment includes an exciting section 32 that vibrates the hopper 1. As shown in fig. 2, the exciting portion 32 is fixed to the hopper holding portion 31 by a metal plate-made mounting portion 32 a. The exciting section 32 of the present embodiment is a vibration motor formed by attaching an eccentric weight to a rotating shaft of the motor, and may generate vibration with a constant vibration amplitude and frequency, or may generate impact (intermittent vibration with a variable vibration amplitude and frequency) by using a conventional electromagnetic coil or the like. Further, a method of generating vibration using an electromagnet or the like may be employed.

As described above, since the hopper holding portion 31 is supported by the spring 33, the vibration generated by the exciting portion 32 causes the hopper holding portion 31 to shake, and the hopper 1 also shakes accordingly. As described above, the hopper 1 is made of rubber, and the rigidity of the flat plate portion 112 is lower than that of the frame portion 111. Therefore, the inner surface of the flat plate portion 112 is corrugated over the entire hopper 1 by the above-described shaking, and the remaining medicine can be effectively shaken off.

Description of the symbols

Hopper 1, channel 1a, deformable part 122, locking part 123, opening/closing part 2,

21 an opening/closing operation part, 211 a pressing part, 31 a hopper holding part, 32a vibration exciting part,

A medicine supply device A, a sub-packaging device B and a sub-packaging paper P.

Claims (4)

1. A medicine supply device comprising a hopper having a passage through which a medicine can pass downward,

a portion of a lower portion of the hopper as a deformable portion having flexibility, the deformable portion being deformable to open or close the passage,

the medicine supply device is provided with an opening/closing portion that deforms the deformable portion to open or close the passage,

the lower end of a hopper serving as an outlet for taking out the medicine is positioned in a dispensing paper for dispensing the medicine,

the opening and closing part is positioned outside the channel and is arranged at the outer side of the packaging paper, above the lower end of the hopper and close to the lower end of the hopper.

2. The medication delivery device of claim 1,

the opening/closing section has a pair of pressing sections capable of sandwiching the deformable section of the hopper from one side and the other side,

at least one of the pair of pressing portions has elasticity in a portion facing the deformable portion.

3. The medication delivery device of claim 2,

each of the pair of pressing portions extends in a direction intersecting the vertical direction so as to cross the deformable portion,

in the portion having elasticity, a central portion in a direction of extension of the pressing portion has elasticity greater than that of a portion in at least one end in the same direction.

4. The medication delivery device of claim 1,

the medicine supply device further includes a hopper holding portion that holds the hopper, and the hopper holding portion includes an excitation portion that vibrates the hopper.