JPH0441107Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <Industrial Application Field of the Present Invention> The present invention relates to a hopper locking mechanism used in a weighing device or the like.

<Prior art> Hoppers for storing and discharging articles are mainly used in weighing devices, etc., and their structure generally includes a box-shaped storage section and a lower part of the storage section that can be opened and closed. It consists of a rotatable discharge gate.

In such a hopper, an opening/closing operation part connected to a part of the discharge gate is provided in order to open and close the discharge gate using an external driving force.
For example, driving force from an opening/closing drive device provided inside a housing of a weighing device or the like is transmitted to an opening/closing operation section of a hopper attached to the outside of the housing, thereby driving the discharge gate to open/close.

It should be noted that a reciprocating drive source such as an air cylinder has conventionally been used as an opening/closing drive device for opening and closing such a hopper because it has a simple configuration and can be made at low cost.

<Problems to be solved by the present invention> However, since the driving speed of a reciprocating drive source such as an air cylinder is almost constant, the driving force is suddenly transmitted to the discharge gate and hopper when the discharge gate is opened or closed. There was a problem in that the noise during opening and closing was extremely loud. Particularly in a weighing device that uses a large number of such hoppers (combined weighing device), this is a serious problem because they are opened and closed continuously.

In addition, when this hopper is connected to a measuring instrument, strong vibrations are generated due to the sudden force transmitted to the hopper from the opening/closing drive device, which deteriorates the performance of the measuring instrument and is also affected by this vibration. As a result, there was a problem in that it took a long time to weigh the objects to be weighed.

In order to solve this problem, it is possible to use a motor etc. as the drive source of the opening/closing drive device and to vary the drive speed using a clutch mechanism, gear mechanism, etc. However, since many hoppers are driven to open/close, However, using a large number of such devices is very expensive, has a complicated structure, and is impractical.

The object of the present invention is to provide a hopper opening/closing drive device that solves the above problems.

<Means for solving the above problems> In order to solve the above problems, the hopper opening/closing drive device of the present invention includes a reciprocating drive source and a conversion that converts the reciprocating motion of the reciprocating drive source into a rotating motion. and a cam member that abuts on the conversion portion and rotates the opening/closing operation portion, and the outer peripheral shape of the cam member is as follows:
The opening/closing speed of the discharge gate is configured to vary.

<Operation> Therefore, the reciprocating motion of the reciprocating drive source is converted into a rotational motion by the conversion section, and the cam member connected to this conversion section is rotated and comes into contact with the outer circumference of this cam member. The discharge gate is opened and closed via the opening/closing section of the hopper while changing its operating speed.

<Embodiment of the present invention> (Figs. 1 to 4) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a state in which the weighing hopper of a combination weighing device is equipped with a hopper opening/closing drive device according to the present invention on the inner circumference of the casing 10 and a plurality of weighing hoppers arranged on the outer periphery of the casing 10 with the weighing hopper removed. Exploded view, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the opening/closing drive device seen from inside the housing 10, FIG. 3 is a side view showing the relationship between the opening/closing drive device and the weighing hopper, and FIG. 4 is a rear view of the weighing hopper. It is.

In the figure, a housing 10 of this combination weighing device is formed into a prismatic shape, and a measuring device 11 is attached to the center of each inner wall surface 10a via an L-shaped mounting plate 12.

The tip of this measuring instrument 11 is located on the outer wall surface 10b of the housing.
A locking plate 13 which is formed in a concave shape to support a weighing hopper 40, which will be described later, is attached to this selection portion that protrudes further.

The opposing pieces 13a, 13b of the locking plate 13 are provided with notches 14, 14 at the top, and step portions 15, 15 at the bottom, respectively.

On both sides of the measuring instrument 11, two sets of opening/closing drive devices 20 and 3 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the measuring instrument 11.
0 is set.

Air cylinders 21 and 31 are attached to the opening/closing drive devices 20 and 30 as driving sources thereof by L-shaped mounting plates 22 and 32, respectively, in parallel to the inner wall surface 10a.

The air cylinders 21, 31 have cylinder shafts 21a, 31 that protrude downward due to the pressure of air injected by operating a solenoid valve (not shown) or the like.
A is driven back and forth, and this drive is activated by the opening/closing signal of the combination weighing device.

One ends 23a, 33a of first connecting plates 23, 33 are rotatably attached to the tips of the cylinder shafts 21a, 31a.
At the other ends 23b and 33b of 3, the second connecting plate 2
One ends 24a, 34a of 4, 34 are rotatably attached.

The other ends 24b, 34b of the second connecting plates 24, 34
, the outer wall surface 10 from the inner wall surface 10a of the housing 10
Cam shafts 25 and 35 are provided to protrude and rotatably pass through b.

These first and second connecting plates 23, 24, 33, 3
4 constitutes a conversion unit for converting the vertical movement of the cylinder shafts 21a, 31a into rotation of the camshafts 25, 35.

A camshaft 2 protruding toward the outer wall surface 10b of the housing 10
Cam plates 26 and 36 are provided at the tips of 5 and 35, respectively.
are attached perpendicularly to the camshafts 25, 35.

The cam plates 26, 36 are formed into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, and the outer circumferential shape is
a, 36a are formed substantially horizontally, and the other end sides 26b, 36b facing outward are continuous with the side surfaces 26c, 36c along a predetermined curve.

Therefore, when the cylinder shafts 21a, 31a of the air cylinders 21, 31 rise, the cam plates 26, 36 rotate clockwise and counterclockwise, respectively, when viewed from the inner wall direction, and the cylinder shafts 21a, 31 rotate.
When 1a is lowered, it rotates counterclockwise and clockwise, respectively, and returns to the position shown in the figure.

On the other hand, on the outer wall surface 10b of the housing 10, a weighing hopper 40 is detachably supported by a locking plate 13 of the weighing instrument 11.

This support is provided by opposing pieces 41a and 41 of the back plate 41 that protrude from the back of the weighing hopper 40 in a substantially concave shape.
Two upper and lower locking shafts 42, 43 horizontally suspended between b
However, the notches 14, 14 of the locking plate 13 and the stepped portion 1
5, 15, and thereby the weighing device 11 of the weighing hopper 40
Vertical movement is restricted.

This weighing hopper 40 is formed into a substantially box shape, and two storage chambers 46 and 47 are formed inside thereof by a dividing plate 45.

Discharge gates 48 and 49 for independently discharging the objects to be weighed stored in the two storage chambers 46 and 47 are attached to the lower part of the weighing hopper 40 so as to be openable and closable.

The discharge gates 48 and 49 are opened and closed via an opening/closing operation section 50 formed on the back surface of the weighing hopper 40.

The opening/closing operation unit 50 connects connecting plates 51 and 52 that are rotatably attached to the exhaust gates 48 and 49, and applies the rotational force from the cam plates 26 and 36 to the exhaust gates 48 and 49 via the connecting plates 51 and 52, respectively. It is composed of rotating levers 53 and 54 that transmit information to 49.

That is, one end side 51a, 52 of the connecting plates 51, 52
a is rotatably attached to the ends 48a, 49a of the discharge gero 48, 49 bent toward the back side of the hopper 40, and the other end sides 51b, 52b are one end sides 53a, 54a of the rotary levers 53, 54. is rotatably connected.

The rotating levers 53, 54 are formed into a substantially L-shape, and their substantially central portions 53b, 54b are rotatably attached to the extending portions 41c, 41d of the back plate 41.

Shaft portions 55, 56 are protruded from the other end sides 53c, 54c inclined inwardly of the rotary levers 53, 54, and the tips of the shaft portions 55, 56 protrude above and close to the cam plates 26, 36. The contact rollers 57,5
8 are installed respectively.

In addition, the connecting plates 51, 52 and the rotating levers 53, 5
Both ends of a spring 60 that pulls the respective connecting portions inward are locked to the continuous portions 4. Further, reference numerals 61 and 62 in FIG. 4 are stoppers that come into contact with the ends of the discharge gates 48 and 49.

In this combination weighing device, opening/closing drive devices 20, 30 similar to those described above are provided in correspondence with the number of weighing hoppers 40 locked to the outer wall surface 10b, and above the weighing hoppers 40, A feeding device such as an intermediate hopper and a feeder device (both not shown) configured in substantially the same manner is provided.

Further, a chute 70 is provided below the weighing hopper 40 for collecting and discharging the objects to be weighed that have been weighed by the weighing hopper 40 and selected for combination.

Further, the objects to be weighed are supplied to the weighing hopper 40 one by one into the storage chambers 46 and 47,
The weight of the supplied object to be weighed is detected based on the difference in weight before and after supply.

<Operation of the above embodiment> (Figures 5 and 6) Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained.

The objects to be weighed stored in the storage chambers 46 and 47 of the weighing hopper 40 from the supply device (not shown) are transferred to the weighing instrument 1.
1, the respective weights are detected and combinations are selected.

At this time, both the discharge gates 48 and 49 of the weighing hopper 40 are biased inwardly by the tensile force of the spring 60 and closed.

When objects to be weighed stored in one of the storage chambers of the weighing hopper 40, for example, the storage chamber 46, are selected as a combination, an open signal is sent to one of the opening/closing drive devices 20, and the solenoid valve (Fig. ) etc. are operated, and air is injected into the air cylinder 21.

As a result, the cylinder shaft 21a rises at a substantially constant speed, and this movement is caused by the movement of the first and second connecting plates 21a.
3 and 24 into rotational motion, and the cam plate 2
6 rotates clockwise at a substantially constant speed when viewed from the inner wall surface 10a side of the housing 10.

Therefore, the rotation of the cam plate 26 is transmitted to the rotation lever 53 via the contact roller 57 that comes into contact with one end side 26a of the upper surface portion of the cam plate 26.

At this time, the rotational force of the cam plate 26 acts in the direction of lifting the weighing hopper 40, but the vertical movement of the weighing hopper 40 is caused by the back plate 41 that is locked above and below the locking plate 13 of the measuring instrument 11. Therefore, floating of the weighing hopper 40 does not occur.

As the cam plate 26 rotates, the rotation lever 53 also rotates counterclockwise, but as shown in FIG. The other end side 26b and the side surface 2 are formed into a predetermined curved line from one horizontal end side 26a of the upper surface part.
6c, the rotation angle of the rotation lever 53 relative to the rotation angle of the cam plate 26 changes as shown in FIG. 6, and is transmitted to the discharge gate 48 via the connection plate 51.

Therefore, the discharge gate 48 is opened by rotating clockwise when viewed from the outer circumferential direction, and the initial and final speeds of the opening/closing operation are slower than the intermediate speed, so that the discharge gate 48 opens slowly.

As a result, the object to be weighed stored in the storage chamber 46 is discharged and placed in another weighing hopper (not shown).
Together with the objects to be weighed discharged from the chute 70, they are collectively discharged.

Next, when a closing signal is sent to the opening/closing drive device 20, the cylinder shaft 21a of the air cylinder 21
is lowered, and the cam plate 26 rotates in the opposite direction to return to its original position.

Therefore, the rotating lever 53 rotates in the opposite direction according to the rotation angle shown in FIG. ends.

Note that the opening/closing operation of the discharge gate 49 on the other side is performed in exactly the same manner by the opening/closing drive device 30.
Thereafter, the objects to be weighed stored in the weighing hopper 40 are sequentially combined and discharged after being weighed.

<Other Embodiments of the Present Invention> In the above embodiments, the opening/closing drive device of the present invention was applied to the weighing hopper 40 of a combination weighing device having a double-opening discharge gate. The present invention can be similarly applied to the hoppers of other weighing devices.

Further, in the embodiment, the air cylinders 21 and 31 are used as reciprocating drive sources, and the first and second connecting plates 23, 24, 33, and 34 are used as converting parts for converting reciprocating motion into rotational motion. However, a rotary solenoid having an integral reciprocating drive source and a converting section may be used to transmit the rotational motion to the cam member.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments regarding the cam member, and the outer peripheral shape and rotation diameter of the cam member can be changed depending on the configuration of the opening/closing operation part of the hopper and the rotation angle necessary for opening and closing the discharge gate. can be modified in various ways.

<Effects of the Present Invention> Since the hopper opening/closing drive device of the present invention is configured as described above, less impact is applied to the hopper during the opening/closing operation, and noise during opening/closing can be kept low.

Further, even when a measuring instrument is connected to the hopper, the vibrations imparted to the measuring instrument are small, and the extension of measuring time due to the vibrations can be suppressed.

Furthermore, since a reciprocating drive source which is easy to construct is used as the drive source, the structure is simpler and can be constructed at a lower cost than a method using a motor, a clutch, a gear mechanism, etc.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of a weighing device using an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of the main parts as seen from the inner wall side of the casing in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view, and FIG. 4 is a rear view of the hopper. FIG. 5 is a partial front view showing the operation of essential parts of one embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the rotation angle of the rotation lever relative to the rotation angle of the cam plate. 20, 30... Opening/closing drive device, 21, 31...
Air cylinder, 23, 33...first connection plate, 2
4, 34... Second connection plate, 26, 36... Cam plate, 40... Measuring hopper, 48, 49... Discharge gate, 50... Opening/closing operation section, 53, 54... Rotating lever.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] An upper locking part and a lower locking part provided on the back surface of the hopper with a predetermined interval vertically; It has a locking groove on the top surface side that receives and supports it from the
The hopper, which is rotated toward the wall using the upper locking portion supported in the locking groove as a fulcrum, comes into contact with the lower locking portion and rotates the lower locking portion toward the wall and upward. A hopper locking mechanism consisting of a locking member having a locking step on the lower surface side that restricts movement.