JP4053953B2 - Powder filling method and powder filling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a powder filling method and a powder filling apparatus, and more particularly, a method for filling a powder container with fine powder (for example, electrostatic latent image developing toner) fluidized by supplying compressed gas. In addition, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus capable of filling a powder container with powder at a high density and at a high speed without generating powder dust.

  Conventionally, rotary valves, screw feeders, auger type filling machines and the like are known as powder filling devices. When filling powder into a powder container (powder filling container) from these powder filling apparatuses, the powder container is set directly under the powder filling apparatus, and the bulk density of the powder in the powder filling apparatus A method of filling the powder container into the powder container by its own weight is adopted.

  In addition, as a powder filling method, a compressed gas is introduced into the powder in the powder supply device to maintain a state in which the fluidity of the powder is increased, and the powder supply device is placed near the powder container by a subordinate pipe. There has been proposed a method (Patent Document 1 below) in which powder is transported and degassed from the powder in the transport pipe by a degassing pipe and then packed in a powder container at high density.

  However, in these prior arts, the deaeration pipe must be accurately and coaxially attached to the powder filling tube, and it is difficult to manufacture, and the weight is large and difficult to carry. Also, it is effective when the powder container has a large powder filling diameter and the powder container is located directly under the filling device, but in a small diameter powder container or a powder container having various structures inside, The powder that has left the powder filling device or the powder transport tube is unlikely to be replaced with the air inside the powder container, and the powder is blown up from the powder filling port, or the movement of the powder is caused by the structure inside the powder container. In other words, problems such as being unable to fill a desired amount have occurred.

  Also, if you try to replenish the toner used in copiers and printers directly to the toner bottle or the developing part of the machine in the general office where the machine is installed, dust will fly or even if it could be replenished However, when it is filled in a low density state containing a lot of air, or directly into a complicated developing part, there may be a problem in image formation depending on whether the toner enters or not. There was a bug.

  Furthermore, another powder filling apparatus having a structure shown in FIG. 4 has been proposed (Patent Document 2 below). In this powder filling apparatus 100, a powder fluidized bed 101 a is formed by introducing a compressed gas into a sealed container containing powder in the powder fluidizing apparatus 101, and the powder container 150 is filled. The nozzle 113 for insertion and the powder outlet tube 111 inserted into the powder fluidized bed 101a and the filling nozzle 113 are connected by a conduit 112, and the powder forming the powder fluidized bed 101a is converted into a compressed gas flow. The powder container 150 is loaded from the filling nozzle 113 through the conduit 112.

  This powder filling device has the advantages that the powder filling operation is simple, the degassing from the powder after filling is ensured, and it can be filled with high density and no dust, but the powder is filled at high speed. In addition, the device structure is not always simple and the cost is high.

JP-A-9-193902 JP 2002-293301 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and its purpose is to fill a powder container in a fluidized bed state with high density and high speed without generating powder dust. It is an object of the present invention to provide a powder filling method and an apparatus thereof that can be operated and have a simple operation and structure.

The invention according to claim 1 is a powder fluidizer that stores powder in a fluidized bed state with compressed gas, a vertical cylindrical body as an outer cylinder, and a portion near the upper end of the vertical cylindrical body, And a filling nozzle inserted in a tangential direction of the cylindrical body, an exhaust pipe as an inner cylinder concentrically inserted into the vertical cylindrical body, and a powder fluidized bed having one end portion in the powder fluidizer And a powder filling conduit with the other end connected to the filling nozzle, and a powder container is detachable at the lower end of the outer cylinder, and the filling nozzle The powder filling apparatus is provided so as to be inclined downward at an inclination angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to the horizontal direction .

The invention according to claim 2 is a powder fluidizing device for storing powder in a fluidized bed state with compressed gas , and the upper half is a vertical cylindrical body and the lower half is a vertical inverted cone. An outer cylinder, a filling nozzle inserted in the vicinity of the upper end portion of the outer cylinder and in a tangential direction of the outer cylinder, and an exhaust pipe as an inner cylinder inserted concentrically in the outer cylinder, A powder filling conduit having one end inserted into the powder fluidized bed in the powder fluidizer and the other end connected to the filling nozzle, and a powder at the lower end of the outer cylinder. The powder filling apparatus is characterized in that a container is detachable and the filling nozzle is inclined downward at an inclination angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to a horizontal direction .

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that a spiral rectifying plate is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder for guiding while rectifying the swirling descent of the powder flow swirling in the outer cylinder. Item 3. The powder filling apparatus according to Item 1 or 2 .

The invention according to claim 4 is the powder filling apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an inclination angle of the rectifying plate with respect to a horizontal direction is equal to an inclination angle of the filling nozzle .

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a powder fluidizing device for storing powder in a fluidized bed state with compressed gas, a vertical cylindrical body as an outer cylinder (the diameter of the entire outer cylinder is uniform), and the vertical type A filling nozzle inserted in the vicinity of the upper end portion of the cylindrical body and in a tangential direction of the cylindrical body, an exhaust pipe as an inner cylinder inserted concentrically into the vertical cylindrical body, and one end portion of which is a powder A powder filling conduit inserted into the powder fluidized bed in the fluidizer and having the other end connected to the filling nozzle, and a powder container is detachably attached to the lower end of the outer cylinder. A spiral rectifying plate is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder to guide and rectify the swirling descent of the powder flow swirling in the outer cylinder, and the inclination angle of the rectifying plate with respect to the horizontal direction is set. The powder filling apparatus is characterized in that it is equal to the inclination angle of the filling nozzle .

The invention according to claim 6 is a powder fluidizing device for storing powder in a fluidized bed state with compressed gas, and the upper half is a vertical cylindrical body and the lower half is a vertical inverted cone. An outer cylinder, a filling nozzle inserted in an upper end portion of the outer cylinder and in a tangential direction of the outer cylinder, an exhaust pipe as an inner cylinder concentrically inserted in the outer cylinder, and one end portion Is inserted into the powder fluidized bed in the powder fluidizer and the other end is connected to the powder nozzle, and a powder container is provided at the lower end of the outer cylinder. A spiral rectifying plate is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder for guiding the swirling and descending of the powder flow swirling in the outer cylinder while rectifying the horizontal direction of the rectifying plate. The powder filling apparatus is characterized in that an inclination angle is equal to an inclination angle of the filling nozzle .

The invention according to claim 7 is the powder filling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the exhaust pipe is communicated with a vacuum generating means.

The invention according to claim 8, of the exhaust pipe, according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the length of the insertion portion to the outer tube, was equal to the length of the outer cylinder This is a powder filling device.

In the present invention, a powder filling method and a powder filling apparatus having the following configurations can also be provided.
(1) Connect the powder fluidizer to the outer cylinder of the cyclone device with a conduit,
Connect the powder filling port of the powder container to the lower end of the outer cylinder of the cyclone device,
While storing the powder in the powder fluidizer and introducing compressed gas, the pressure in the powder fluidizer is appropriately controlled to fluidize the powder,
A powder filling method comprising filling the fluidized powder into a powder container via the conduit and an outer cylinder of a cyclone device.
In this powder filling method, the filling speed of the fluidized powder discharged from the filling nozzle can be controlled by controlling the atmospheric pressure in the powder fluidizer.

  (2) In the method of (1), the powder filling method is characterized in that the inside of the inner cylinder of the cyclone device is controlled to an appropriate negative pressure by a vacuum generating means.

(3) a powder fluidizing device for storing powder in a fluidized bed state by introducing compressed gas;
Atmospheric pressure control means for appropriately controlling the atmospheric pressure in the powder fluidizer;
An outer cylinder comprising a cyclone device connected to the powder fluidizer via a conduit;
The powder filling device, wherein a powder filling port of a powder container is detachable at a lower end portion of the outer cylinder of the cyclone device.

  (4) The powder filling apparatus according to (3), wherein the inner cylinder of the cyclone apparatus is connected to a vacuum generating means so that the inside of the inner pipe is maintained at an appropriate negative pressure.

In the inventions according to claims 1 and 5 , the fluidized powder discharged from the filling nozzle into the outer cylinder is separated from the powder and gas accompanying the fluid at the lower end of the inner cylinder. The powder container is filled by swirling and descending in the outer cylinder, and the gas rises in the inner pipe and is discharged out of the exhaust pipe. Thus, since the powder is filled into the powder container by swirling descent, as in the case of the invention of claim 1, high density without generating powder dust around the powder supply port of the powder container, In addition, the powder can be filled at a high speed and the operation can be easily performed.

In the powder filling apparatus according to claims 1 and 5, a vertical cylindrical body (the entire diameter is uniform) is provided as the outer cylinder, whereas in the inventions according to claims 2 and 6 , the upper half is provided as the outer cylinder. Since a cylindrical body with a vertical inverted cone in the lower half is provided, the swirl radius of the powder flow gradually decreases in the lower half of the outer cylinder. As a result, the speed of the powder swirl flow is maintained at a constant value. As a result, a better powder swirl flow is generated, and as a result, the powder and gas are more accurately separated. Therefore, powder filling at a high density and a high speed can be performed more accurately than in the case of claims 1 and 5 . In other words, when an outer cylinder having a uniform diameter is provided, the speed of the powder swirl flow gradually decreases due to friction between the swirling powder and the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder.
Further, in the inventions according to claims 1 and 2, since the filling nozzle is provided to be inclined downward at an inclination angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to the horizontal direction, a better powder swirl flow is generated. The body and gas are more accurately separated.
In the inventions according to claims 3, 5 and 6, since the predetermined flow regulating plate is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder, the powder flow is swirled at high speed without causing turbulent flow in the powder swirl flow. The effects of the inventions according to items 1, 2, 5, and 6 are further enhanced.
In the invention which concerns on Claims 4-6, since the inclination angle with respect to the horizontal direction of a baffle plate was made equal to the inclination angle of a filling nozzle, the said effect can be improved further.

In the invention according to claim 7, since the exhaust pipe is communicated with the vacuum generating means, (a) compared with the case where the inside of the exhaust pipe is maintained at atmospheric pressure, the filling speed (flow of fluidized powder from the filling nozzle) (B) The fluidized powder can be removed from the filling nozzle without increasing the atmospheric pressure in the powder fluidizing device. It becomes possible to discharge into the cylinder at high speed.

In the invention according to claim 8 , since the length of the portion of the exhaust pipe inserted into the outer cylinder is equal to the length of the outer cylinder, the gas / powder mixed flow is immediately before the powder supply port of the powder container. Then, the powder is separated from the gas, and the powder is filled in the powder container, and the gas rises in the exhaust pipe and is discharged from the outer cylinder to the outside. Therefore, the powder and gas can be separated more accurately, and powder filling at a high density and a high speed can be more reliably performed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing a powder filling method and apparatus. FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view showing the structure of the vicinity of the upper end portion of the outer cylinder constituting the powder filling apparatus. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing the shape and arrangement state of the rectifying plate provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder of the powder filling device, wherein (a) is a longitudinal sectional view of the outer cylinder, (b) ) Is a cross-sectional view of the outer cylinder.

  This powder filling apparatus 1 includes a powder fluidizing apparatus 10 that stores powder in a fluidized bed state with compressed air as a compressed gas, and a vertical cylindrical body as an outer cylinder having a uniform diameter in the entire longitudinal direction. 31, a filling nozzle 33 inserted in the vicinity of the upper end portion of the vertical cylindrical body 31 and in a tangential direction of the cylindrical body, and an exhaust as an inner cylinder concentrically inserted in the vertical cylindrical body 31 A pipe 32 and a powder filling conduit made of a flexible material such as polyurethane, having one end inserted into the powder fluidized bed 10a in the powder fluidizer 10 and the other end connected to the filling nozzle 33. 34, and a powder container 50 (a powder filling port) can be attached to the lower end portion of the outer cylinder 31 in an airtight state by the soft packing 35.

  The powder filling apparatus 1 is attached to a lower part of the powder fluidizing apparatus 10 and a powder fluidizing apparatus 10 that is a hermetically-sealable container (usually maintained in a sealed state by the lid 10b). A perforated porous plate 2 for supplying compressed air for forming the powder fluidized bed 10a, a gas distribution plate 4 disposed immediately below the perforated porous plate 2, and a gas distribution plate 4 provided immediately below the gas distribution plate 4. An air header 3, a vent pipe 7 as a compressed air pipe having one end connected to the air header 3, a bellows type air pump 6 for supplying compressed air driven by a motor 5, and compression of the air pump 6 A check valve 8 attached between the air discharge port and the other end of the vent pipe 7 and an introduction gas regulating valve 20 attached to the one end of the vent pipe 7 are provided. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 21 denotes a power plug, and reference numeral 9 denotes a holding frame of the air pump.

  Further, the lid 10b detects a powder charging hopper 11, a pressure release valve 13 for releasing and sealing the pressure in the powder fluidizing device 10, and a pressure in the powder fluidizing device 10. A pressure gauge 14 and a fluidized powder outlet tube 24 are respectively provided. Furthermore, a powder flow rate adjusting valve 15 is provided at the lower end of the hopper 11. In the fluidized powder lead-out tube 24, the fluidized powder, that is, the inlet of the powder / pressurized air mixture is disposed so as to be buried in the powder fluidized bed 10 a in the powder fluidizer 10.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the powder filling nozzle 33 is connected to the outer cylinder 31 in a tangential and horizontal direction and in an airtight state. The upper half of the inner cylinder 32 protrudes upward from the outer cylinder 32, and an exhaust pipe (not shown) is connected to the upper end of the inner cylinder 32 as desired. The lower end of the inner cylinder 32 is the outer cylinder 31. It is located in the upper part.

  Further, on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 31, as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), a spiral rectifying plate that guides the powder flow swirling and descending in the outer cylinder 31 while rectifying it. 41 is provided.

The powder filling operation to the powder container 50 by the powder filling apparatus 1 is performed as follows, for example.
(1) The powder container 50 is attached to the lower end portion of the outer cylinder 31.
(2) The pressure release valve 13 and the powder flow rate adjustment valve 15 are fully opened, and appropriate amounts of the powder in the hopper 11 are put into the empty powder fluidizer 10.
(3) The pressure release valve 13 and the powder flow rate adjustment valve 15 are once fully closed.
(4) Compressed air is supplied into the powder fluidizer 10 by the air pump 6 to stably form the powder fluidized bed 10a.
During this time, the pressure in the powder fluidizer 10 is finely adjusted by adjusting the opening of the pressure release valve 13 and the introduction gas control valve 20 to appropriate values, and the opening of the powder flow rate control valve 15 is adjusted. The powder is continuously added while maintaining a proper value. Thus, the powder fluidized bed 10a is stably formed, and the powder flow supply speed to the outer cylinder 31 is maintained at an appropriate value.

  The fluidized powder forming the powder fluidized bed 10a is discharged through the conduit 34 from the filling nozzle 33 into the outer cylinder 31 in the horizontal direction and in the tangential direction of the outer cylinder 31, and the powder and the compression accompanying it. The gas is separated at the lower end of the inner cylinder 32. The powder swirls and falls in the outer cylinder 31 along the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 31 while being guided by the spiral rectifying plate 41 to fill the powder container 50, and the gas rises in the inner tube 32. It is discharged outside.

  As described above, in the powder filling apparatus and method of the present embodiment, the fluidized powder generated by the supply of the compressed gas is swung down in the outer cylinder 31 and filled into the powder container 50. The powder can be filled at a high density and at a high speed without generating powder dust around the powder supply port of the powder container 50, and the operation can be easily performed.

The powder filling apparatus according to the present invention can also be configured as follows.
(A) An outer cylinder provided with a vertical cylindrical body in the upper half and a vertical inverted cone in the lower half.
(B) The inner cylinder (exhaust pipe) connected to a vacuum pump. In this case, for example, a bag filter is preferably provided between the inner cylinder and the vacuum pump as a device for capturing a minute amount of powder flowing down in the inner cylinder.
(C) The filling nozzle is inclined downward at an inclination angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to the horizontal direction. In this case, it is very preferable to make the inclination angle of the spiral rectifying plate with respect to the horizontal direction equal to the inclination angle of the filling nozzle.
(D) Of the inner cylinder (exhaust pipe), the length of the portion inserted into the outer cylinder is equal to the length of the outer cylinder.

  The powder filling method and apparatus according to the present invention is particularly effective when the powder to be filled is an electrostatic latent image developing toner having an average volume particle size of 0.2 μm to 20 μm.

It is a schematic explanatory drawing which shows the powder filling method and apparatus which concern on this invention. It is a cross-sectional view which shows the structure of the upper end part vicinity part of the outer cylinder which comprises the powder filling apparatus of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the shape of the baffle plate provided in the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylinder of the powder filling apparatus of FIG. 1, and a deployment state, Comprising: (a) is what was shown with the longitudinal cross-sectional view of the outer cylinder, (b) These are shown in a cross-sectional view of the outer cylinder. It is a schematic explanatory drawing which shows the powder filling method and apparatus which concern on a prior art.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Powder filling device 2 Ventilation perforated plate 3 Air header 4 Gas distribution plate 5 Motor 6 Air pump 7 Vent pipe 8 Check valve 10 Powder fluidizer 10a Powder fluidized bed 10b Lid 11 Hopper 13 Pressure release valve 14 Pressure Total 15 Powder flow rate control valve 20 Introducing gas control valve 24 Fluid powder outlet tube 31 Outer cylinder (vertical cylinder)
32 Inner cylinder (exhaust pipe)
33 Filling nozzle 34 Powder filling conduit 35 Soft packing 41 Current plate 50 Powder container

Claims (8)

A powder fluidizing device for storing powder in a fluidized bed state with compressed gas;
A vertical cylindrical body as an outer cylinder;
A filling nozzle inserted in the vicinity of the upper end portion of the vertical cylindrical body and in a tangential direction of the cylindrical body;
An exhaust pipe as an inner cylinder concentrically inserted into the vertical cylindrical body;
A powder filling conduit having one end inserted into the powder fluidized bed in the powder fluidizer and the other end connected to the filling nozzle;
At the lower end of the outer cylinder, a powder container is detachable ,
A powder filling apparatus , wherein the filling nozzle is provided to be inclined downward at an inclination angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to a horizontal direction . A powder fluidizing device for storing powder in a fluidized bed state with compressed gas;
An outer cylinder whose upper half is a vertical cylinder and whose lower half is a vertical inverted cone;
A filling nozzle inserted in the vicinity of the upper end portion of the outer cylinder and in a tangential direction of the outer cylinder;
An exhaust pipe as an inner cylinder concentrically inserted into the outer cylinder;
A powder filling conduit having one end inserted into the powder fluidized bed in the powder fluidizer and the other end connected to the filling nozzle;
At the lower end of the outer cylinder, a powder container is detachable ,
A powder filling apparatus , wherein the filling nozzle is provided to be inclined downward at an inclination angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to a horizontal direction . 3. The powder according to claim 1, wherein a spiral baffle plate is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder to guide the swirling descent of the powder flow swirling in the outer cylinder while rectifying. Body filling device. The powder filling apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein an inclination angle of the rectifying plate with respect to a horizontal direction is equal to an inclination angle of the filling nozzle. A powder fluidizing device for storing powder in a fluidized bed state with compressed gas;
A vertical cylindrical body as an outer cylinder;
A filling nozzle inserted in the vicinity of the upper end portion of the vertical cylindrical body and in a tangential direction of the cylindrical body;
An exhaust pipe as an inner cylinder concentrically inserted into the vertical cylindrical body;
A powder filling conduit having one end inserted into the powder fluidized bed in the powder fluidizer and the other end connected to the filling nozzle;
At the lower end of the outer cylinder, a powder container is detachable ,
Provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder is a spiral rectifying plate that guides while rectifying the swirling descent of the powder flow swirling in the outer cylinder,
A powder filling apparatus , wherein an inclination angle of the current plate with respect to a horizontal direction is equal to an inclination angle of the filling nozzle . A powder fluidizing device for storing powder in a fluidized bed state with compressed gas;
An outer cylinder whose upper half is a vertical cylinder and whose lower half is a vertical inverted cone;
A filling nozzle inserted in the vicinity of the upper end portion of the outer cylinder and in a tangential direction of the outer cylinder;
An exhaust pipe as an inner cylinder concentrically inserted into the outer cylinder;
A powder filling conduit having one end inserted into the powder fluidized bed in the powder fluidizer and the other end connected to the filling nozzle;
At the lower end of the outer cylinder, a powder container is detachable ,
Provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder is a spiral rectifying plate that guides while rectifying the swirling descent of the powder flow swirling in the outer cylinder,
A powder filling apparatus , wherein an inclination angle of the current plate with respect to a horizontal direction is equal to an inclination angle of the filling nozzle . The powder filling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the exhaust pipe communicates with a vacuum generating means. The powder filling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein a length of a portion of the exhaust pipe inserted into the outer cylinder is equal to a length of the outer cylinder.

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