JPH09224421A - Seed gel coating method and processing unit in seed gel coating processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) 【Abstract】 PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the generation of coated seed only with a gelling agent which does not wrap the seed. SOLUTION: A nozzle block 3 in which a passage 3a filled with a gelling agent Y is formed is rotated by a rotary actuator 11e to a seed introduction point C where an ejection nozzle 3e which is an opening of the passage 3a faces upward. Then, one seed X is dropped together with the compressed air from the seed feeding nozzle 15 to the discharge nozzle 3e, and the air reservoir P is formed in the gelling agent Y portion at the center of the discharge nozzle 3e to reach the seed X. After that, the rotary actuator 11e rotates the nozzle block 3 to the coated seed discharging portion D where the discharge nozzle 3e faces downward, and the gel suction / discharging communicating with the passage 3a of the gel accommodating block 5 connected to the nozzle block 3 is performed. Inside the chamber 5k, the diaphragm 7d of the gel supply piston 7
Is moved from the suction point A to the discharge point B, and the gelling agent Y in the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k is pushed out to the passage 3a.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a processing unit for coating a seed with a gelling agent that turns into a gel after curing in a gel coating processing apparatus for producing a coated seed in which the seed is coated with a polymer gel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a coated seed obtained by coating a seed with a polymer gel having elasticity and containing a nutritional substance and a bactericide. This coated seed is effective for protecting the seed from feeding damage of animals and for sterilizing the seed, and also makes it easy to handle the seed by increasing the particle size and to improve the sowing work. It has many advantages such that the germination rate can be improved by absorbing nutrients in the gel.

The applicant of the present invention has proposed a plurality of processing parts in a seed gel coating processing apparatus for automatically producing coated seeds from the past, paying attention to the above-mentioned many advantages. FIG.
3 is a front view showing an example of a conventional device proposed by the applicant of the present invention, and a gel coating processing device indicated by reference numeral 40 in the drawing is a pedestal 41, a seed hopper 42, a seed transfer part 43, a gelling agent tank 44, a gel. The processing part 45, the hardening tank 46, the washing tank 47, etc. are provided.

The seed hopper 42 is arranged on the upper left side of the pedestal 41 and is supported so as to be able to move up and down via an air cylinder 42a. As shown in the plan view of FIG. It has a circular shape and many seeds (not shown) are housed inside. As shown in FIG. 23, the gelling agent tank 44 is disposed on the lower left side of the pedestal 41, and contains a high-viscosity liquid gelling agent for seed coating which hardens to become a polymer gel. It is housed in.

The gel processing section 45 is disposed substantially in the center of the upper portion of the gantry 41, and the gel processing agent in the gelling agent tank 44 is supplied to the gel processing section 45 via a tube (not shown). Here, a coated seed is produced by coating a seed for processing with a gelling agent.

The seed transfer section 43 is disposed above the pedestal 41 at a position between the seed hopper 42 and the gel processing section 45, and has a long length in which a substantially intermediate portion is supported by a rotary actuator 43a so as to be rotatable in a horizontal plane. Swivel arm 43b of
Two disposable suction tips 43 are detachably attached to the lower surfaces of both ends of the swivel arm 43b.
c and 43d. In the seed transfer unit 43, the rotary actuator 43a rotates the rotating arm 43b by 180 °, so that one suction tip 43 is rotated.
The first state in which c is located above the seed hopper 42 and the other suction tip 43d is located above the gel processing section 45, and one suction tip 43c is located above the gel processing section 45 and the other suction is performed. The chip 43d is configured to alternately repeat the second state in which it is located above the seed hopper 42.

The hardening tank 46 extends horizontally from the gantry 41 at the lower part of the gel processing section 45. In the hardening tank 46, the hardening agent 46 reacts with the gelling agent of the coated seed and hardens the gelling agent. A liquid hardening agent that causes the coated seeds to form coated seeds is flowing. Further, as shown in FIG. 24, a screw feeder 46 a that conveys the coated seeds in the hardening tank 46 along the extending direction of the hardening tank 46 is rotatably accommodated in the hardening tank 46.

The washing tank 47 is extended horizontally along the hardening tank 46, and water for washing the coated seeds in which the gelling agent has hardened in the hardening tank 46 flows in the washing tank 47. There is. In addition, a screw feeder 47 a that conveys the coated seed in a direction opposite to the hardening bath 46 is rotatably accommodated in the water washing bath 47.

In the conventional gel coating apparatus 20 having such a configuration, either of the suction tips 43c and 43d located on the seed hopper 42 is made to have a negative pressure, and the seed hopper 42 is made.
Is moved up by the air cylinder 42a, and the seed hopper 42
After the seeds therein are sucked by the suction tips 43c and 43d, the seed hopper 42 is moved downward, and during that time, the suction tips 43d and 43c above the gel processing portion 45 are positively pressured to drop the seeds into the gel processing portion 45. And the seed transfer unit 43
By repeating each of the first and second states, the suction tips 43c and 43d alternately repeat the suction and dropping of the seeds.

Then, in the gel processing section 45, the seeds dropped from the suction tips 43c and 43d are covered with the gelling agent supplied from the gelling agent tank 44, and the outside is coated with the gelling agent. Is dropped from the gel processing part 45 into the hardening tank 46 by its own weight. Furthermore, the curing tank 46
While transferring the coated seeds that have fallen onto the water flow created by the screw feeder 46a, the gelling agent that coats the outside of the seeds of the coated seeds is cured during this movement to form coated seeds,
The coated seed that has reached the inside of the hardening tank 46 on the other side in the width direction is transferred to the washing tank 47 side by passing over the hardening tank 46 and the partition wall 46b (see FIG. 24) of the washing tank 47 by the screw feeder 46a. Let

Then, while moving the coated seeds transferred to the washing tank 47 in the washing water of the washing tank 47 by the water flow created by the screw feeder 47a, the surface of the coated seeds is washed and washed during this movement. The coated seeds that have reached the end of the washing basin 47 are passed over the partition wall 47b (see FIG. 24) at the end of the washing basin 47 by the screw feeder 47a and transferred to the discharge / fall port 48 (see FIG. 24) of the coated seeds. It is mounted and discharged to the outside of the gel coating processing device 40.

In the gel coating processing apparatus 40 which performs such an overall operation, the gel processing section 45 has conventionally been constructed as follows. That is, as shown in the side cross-sectional view of FIG. 25, the gel processing part 45 includes a nozzle block 51 and a gel containing block 53 that is connected to the side of the nozzle block 51.

The nozzle block 51 has a passage 51a which is opened vertically, and the passage 51a is arranged in order from the upper side of the nozzle block 51 to have a large diameter portion 51b and a medium diameter portion 51.
c and a small diameter portion 51d, and the passage 51a
A valve 51e having a diameter smaller than that of the small diameter portion 51d is formed at the lower end of the, and a male screw 51f is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 51b.

Further, a plunger 55 having a cylindrical shape and having a passage 55a formed therein is accommodated in the passage 51a so as to be vertically movable. The plunger 55 has a passage 5
1a is formed with an outer diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the middle diameter portion 51c,
One end of the plunger 55 is formed in a small diameter portion 55b having an inner diameter corresponding to the valve 51e. Incidentally, 5 in FIG.
1 g is a bush fitted in the medium diameter portion 51c of the passage 51a for smoothing the vertical movement of the plunger 55,
h is an annular rubber seal member.

The plunger 55 is inserted into the large diameter portion 51b of the passage 51a from the small diameter portion 55b side, and the inner diameter difference between the small diameter portion 55b and the portion of the plunger 55 closer to the other end than the small diameter portion 55b. The stepped portion formed by
Of the bush 51g and the small diameter portion 51d are engaged with a stepped portion formed by the difference in inner diameter, and further downward movement is restricted, and in this state, the tip of the small diameter portion 55b has the valve 51e.
Is closed, and one end of the plunger 55 is located near the middle diameter portion 51c of the large diameter portion 51b.
By the upward movement in the la 1a, the small diameter portion 55b is separated from the valve 51e and opened. still,
With the tip of the small diameter portion 55b of the plunger 55 closing the valve 51e, the small diameter portion 55b and the small diameter portion 5 of the passage 51a are closed.
An annular space 51k is defined between the space 1k and 1d, and the space 51k communicates with a side portion on the gel storage block 53 side through a through hole 51j.

In this state, a cylindrical spring receiver 57 is housed in the large diameter portion 51b of the passage 51a.
The spring receiver 57 is formed with an outer diameter smaller than that of the large diameter portion 51b, and one end of the spring receiver 57 has
A flange 57a is formed with an outer diameter corresponding to the large diameter portion 51b, and the flange 57a abuts the other end of the plunger 55 while being accommodated in the large diameter portion 51b of the passage 51a, and the other end of the spring receiver 57 is connected to the passage. It is configured to project above 51a and define an annular space 57b between the outer circumference of the spring receiver 57 and the inner circumference of the large diameter portion 51b of the passage 51a.

Further, a coil spring 59 is accommodated in the space 57b, and the coil spring 59 is provided on the valve 51e side by a cylindrical cap 61 screwed from the outside to a male screw 51f on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 51b. The plunger 55 is pushed in and is urged by the elastic force of the coil spring 59 via the spring receiver 57 so that the small diameter portion 55b closes the valve 51e.

The gel containing block 53 has a gel passage 53a opened downward, a gel containing portion 53b is formed at the upper end of the gel passage 53a, and a check valve 53c is provided at the lower end of the gel passage 53a. The check valve 53c prevents the reverse flow, and the gelling agent is transferred from the gelling agent tank 44 connected to the lower end of the gel passage 53a to the gel container 5
3b is supplied. Then, the gel container 53b
Communicates with the side portion on the nozzle block 51 side through the through hole 53d, and through the through hole 53d and the through hole 51j.
The space 51k of the nozzle block 51 and the gel container 53
b communicates. Further, the inside of the gel containing portion 53b is pressurized by the extending operation of an air cylinder (not shown) connected to the side portion of the gel containing block 53.

The conventional gel processing part 4 thus constructed
In 5, the coated seeds are produced by wrapping the seeds with the gelling agent each time the plunger 55 moves up and down in the passage 51a and the valve 51e opens and closes. Specifically, the gelling agent supplied from the gelling agent tank 44 was filled in the gel passage 53a of the gel containing block 53 to the space 51k of the nozzle block 51 by the previous opening / closing of the valve 51e, and the valve 5
With the gelling agent film formed on the lower end of 1e, the seed sucked by the suction tip 43c is passed from above the gel processing portion 45 via the cap 61 and the spring receiver 57,
It is dropped and thrown into the passage 55a of the plunger 55, and the seed is received by the film of the gelling agent at the lower end of the valve 51e.

In this state, the air cylinder (not shown) pressurizes the inside of the gel accommodating portion 53b to increase the internal pressure of the space 51k, so that the plunger 55 passes the resilient force of the coil spring 59. 51a, the small-diameter portion 55b is separated upward from the valve 51e, and the valve 51e is moved upward.
e opens. Along with this, the gelling agent in the space 51k is pushed out below the nozzle block 51 from the valve 51e,
Together with the film of the gelling agent that has received the seeds at the lower end of the valve 51e, the gelling agent wraps the seeds and becomes granular coated seeds, which fall from the valve 51e into the lower hardening tank 46.

It should be noted that substantially at the same time as the coated seed is dropped from the valve 51e, the pressurization in the gel containing portion 53b by the air cylinder (not shown) is stopped, and the air cylinder contracts to return to the original state. Returning to this, space 51
The internal pressure of k decreases, and the elastic force of the coil spring 59 is better than the pressure of the space 51k.
The plunger 55 moves downward in the passage 51a due to
The valve 51e is closed by the lower end of the small diameter portion 55b,
The dropping of the coated seed is completed. At this time, at the lower end of the valve 51e, the gelling agent adhered to the valve 51e during the dropping of the coated seed remains in the form of a film, and in the gel passage 53a, the gel amount reduced by the dropping from the valve 51e is applied. The agent is supplied from the gelling agent tank 44.

[0022]

As described above, in the gel processing section 45 having the conventional structure, the gelling agent supplied from the gelling agent tank 44 is supplied to the gel passage 53a of the gel containing block 53 through the nozzle block 51. When the space 51k is filled with the air, the inside of the gel containing portion 53b is pressurized by the air cylinder (not shown), so that the plunger 55 is passed through the passage 5.
The valve 51e was moved upward in the la la to open it.

For this reason, if the viscosity of the gelling agent changes due to an increase or decrease in temperature, or if air bubbles are mixed in the gelling agent supplied from the gelling agent tank 44 to the gel passage 53a of the gel containing block 53. , The pressure applied to the gel containing portion 53b by the air cylinder varies, and the plunger 55
Will open the valve 51e at different timings and times, and the opening size of the valve 51e will be different.
The timing when the gelling agent is dropped from the valve 51e
The amount of gelling agent that is dripped from will vary.

Due to variations in the dropping timing and the dropping amount of the gelling agent, only the gelling agent may be dropped without encapsulating the seed inside, or the ejection amount of the gelling agent from the valve 51e may be increased or decreased. The particle size of the resulting coated seed, i.e.
If the amount of seeds covered by the gelling agent varies, the valve 5
The amount of the gelling agent discharged from 1e is too large, and the gelling agent excessively discharged after the dropping of the coated seed causes dripping from the valve 51e, or the valve 5 caused by the gelling agent or the seeds.
There was a problem that 1e was clogged.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a first object of the present invention is to produce a coated seed in which the seed is coated with a gelling agent. A gel coating method for seeds, which is not affected by the inclusion of bubbles or the like in the gelling agent, and which can prevent the generation of defective seeds containing only the gelling agent that does not wrap the seed, It is an object of the present invention to provide a processing part in a seed gel coating processing apparatus suitable for carrying out the coating processing method. A second object of the present invention is to cover the amount of seeds coated with the gelling agent, that is, the particle size of the coated seeds, to determine the environmental conditions such as ambient temperature and the inclusion of air bubbles in the gelling agent supplied. It is an object of the present invention to provide a processing part in a seed gel coating processing device that can be made uniform without being affected by the above.

[0026]

The present invention according to claim 1 and claim 2 which achieves the first object, relates to a method for gel-coating seeds, and a book according to claim 3 to claim 5. The present invention relates to a processing unit in a seed gel coating processing apparatus. Further, the present invention according to claims 6 to 11 for achieving the second object relates to a processing part in a seed gel coating processing device.

In the seed coating method according to the first aspect of the present invention, the opening of the passage filled with the gelling agent is directed upward, and compressed air is blown from above the opening to form the passage. Forming an air pool recessed inside the passage in the gelling agent portion facing the opening, introducing seeds into the air collecting portion of the gelling agent, and allowing the seeds to reach the air collecting portion of the gelling agent Y. The opening of the passage through which the seed has reached is directed downward, and a predetermined amount of the gelling agent is discharged to the outside of the passage from the opening of the passage directed downward.

In the seed coating method according to the second aspect of the present invention, the size of the opening of the passage is changed according to the size of the seed.

Further, in the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus according to the present invention of claim 3, the seed is put into a passage filled with a gelling agent which becomes a polymer gel when cured, and the passage is formed. The coated seed produced by coating the seed with the gelling agent in a seed gel coating apparatus for dropping from the passage, the passage is formed inside, and the coated seed is dropped. A nozzle block having an end opening to the outside, a seed feeding position where the end of the passage is located at the upper part of the nozzle block, and a coated seed discharging place where the end of the passage is located at the lower part of the nozzle block. And a reversing drive means for vertically reversing the nozzle block between the nozzle block and a portion of the nozzle block above the end of the passage in the seed feeding position, and the A seed charging nozzle for ejecting the seed together with compressed air to the end of the passage, and the gelling agent in the passage in an amount used for the coated seed is discharged from the end of the passage to the outside of the nozzle block. And a gelling agent discharging mechanism.

Further, the processing portion in the seed gel-coating processing device according to the present invention according to claim 4 is, in the nozzle block, a nozzle block portion where an end of the passage is opened,
A nozzle through which the gelling agent discharged from the passage to the outside of the nozzle block passes is detachably attached with an internal shape corresponding to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage. .

Further, in the processing part of the seed gel-coating processing device according to the present invention as defined in claim 5, a gel suction / exhaust chamber is formed inside which communicates with the passage and is supplied and filled with the gelling agent from the outside. A gel storage block, an opening / closing valve that is disposed in the gel storage block, communicates and blocks the gel suction / discharge chamber with the passage, and is disposed in the gel suction / discharge chamber,
The gelling agent discharge mechanism is configured by an expansion / contraction member that expands / contracts the gel suction / discharge chamber in conjunction with opening / closing of the opening / closing valve, and the expansion / contraction member is located at the time of opening the opening / closing valve, and inside the gel suction / discharge chamber. The discharge location where the space has the minimum capacity, and the internal space of the gel suction / discharge chamber located at the time of closing the on-off valve, the maximum capacity obtained by adding the minimum capacity and the amount of the gelling agent used for the coated seeds. It is configured such that it can be moved to and from the suction location.

Further, in the processing unit of the seed gel-coating processing apparatus according to the present invention according to claim 6, the gelling agent is supplied to the gel suction / discharge chamber from the outside of the gel supply block, and the gel supply block The supply pressure of the gelling agent Y from the outside to the gel suction / exhaust chamber is increased / decreased according to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seeds dropped from the passage.

Further, in the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus according to the present invention as set forth in claim 7, the on-off valve and the expansion / contraction member are formed in a cylinder in which the open / close valve and the expansion / contraction member are connected to the outside of the gel intake / discharge chamber. The piston rods are inserted from the outside to the inside of the chamber and are fixed to the piston rods. Further, a processing portion in the seed gel coating processing apparatus according to the present invention according to claim 8 is configured such that the cylinder is an air cylinder operated by compressed air, and the expansion / contraction member is located inside the gel suction / discharge chamber. It shall consist of a diaphragm attached to the piston rod part. Further, in the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus according to the present invention of claim 9, compressed air is supplied from a common supply source to the air cylinder and the seed feeding nozzle.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the processing unit of the seed gel coating processing apparatus according to the present invention, the movement stroke of the piston rod caused by the operation of the cylinder causes the particle diameter of the coated seed to drop from the passage. It is supposed to be increased or decreased according to. Further, the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus according to the present invention according to claim 11 is:
The length of time that the opening / closing valve opens between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber by the operation of the cylinder is increased / decreased according to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage.

According to the method for coating gel with seed of the present invention as set forth in claim 1, the seed is put into the gelling agent inside the passage having the opening upward, together with the compressed air from above the passage, As a result, in the gelling agent portion facing the opening of the passage, an air pool recessed inside the passage is formed, and seeds reach therein. When the gelling agent is discharged from the opening to the outside of the passage, the gelling agent around the air reservoir wraps the air reservoir and the seed therein by its own weight. Therefore, the seeds are surely included in the coated seeds that are dripped from the passage, and it is possible to reliably prevent the generation of defective coated seeds that are not the seeds and include only the gelling agent.

Moreover, the coated seeds dripped from the passage,
Since the air bubbles that the air pocket turned around are wrapped with the seeds,
The air required for germination after sowing is ensured in the coated seeds, which makes it possible to promote germination of the coated seeds after sowing.

According to the seed gel coating method of the present invention as defined in claim 2, when the size of the opening of the passage is changed, the amount of the gelling agent discharged from the passage is changed. By setting the size of the opening according to the size of the seed, the seed is coated with a gelling agent having a sufficient thickness, and the coated seed of the size corresponding to the size of the seed is It becomes possible to manufacture easily and at low cost with a simple labor of changing.

Further, according to the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus of the present invention as set forth in claim 3, at the seed charging position of the nozzle block, the seed is directed toward the passage filled with the gelling agent inside. By ejecting the seeds together with the compressed air from the charging nozzle, an air pool recessed inside the passage is formed in the gelling agent portion at the end of the passage facing the outside of the nozzle block, and the seed reaches therein.

Then, after the seeds are charged, the gelling agent discharge mechanism is used at the coated seed discharge position of the nozzle block.
When the gelling agent in the passage is discharged to the outside of the nozzle block, the gelling agent around the air reservoir wraps the air reservoir and the seeds therein by its own weight, and the seed is the gelling agent in the amount used for the coated seeds, Coated seeds containing air bubbles in which the air pocket has turned are formed and dripped from the passage. Therefore, similarly to the method for coating a seed with a gel according to the present invention described in claim 1, the seed is surely included in the coated seed that is dripped from the passage, and only the gelling agent that does not wrap the seed is used. It is possible to reliably prevent the generation of covered seeds of defective products.

Further, similarly to the method for gel-coating seeds according to the present invention as set forth in claim 1, the seeds that are dripped from the passage are entrapped with the air bubbles turned from the air reservoir, so that germination after sowing is achieved. The air required for this is secured in the coated seeds, which makes it possible to promote germination of the coated seeds after sowing.

According to the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus of the present invention as set forth in claim 4, the gelling agent is discharged to the outside of the nozzle block at the nozzle block location where the end of the passage is open. The amount of gelling agent discharged from the passage increases or decreases when the internal shape of this nozzle is increased or decreased when detachably attaching the nozzle through which it passes. Therefore, by setting the internal shape of the nozzle to a size corresponding to the size of the particle size of the coated seed to be dripped from the passage, the seed is coated with a gelling agent having a sufficient thickness, and therefore, depending on the size of the seed. It becomes possible to manufacture coated seeds of different sizes easily and at low cost, with the simple labor of replacing the nozzles attached to the nozzle block locations where the ends of the passages are open.

Further, according to the processing unit in the seed gel-coating processing apparatus of the present invention as set forth in claim 5, opening / closing is performed by moving the expansion / contraction member from the suction position to the discharge position in the gel suction / discharge chamber of the gel supply block. Of the gelling agent supplied from the outside and filled in the gel suction / discharge chamber, the amount of gelling agent used for the coated seed is,
It is pushed out of the gel suction chamber into the passage. Further, the movement of the expansion / contraction member from the discharge position of the expansion / contraction member in the gel suction / discharge chamber of the gel supply block to the suction position closes the opening / closing valve to shield the gel suction / discharge chamber from the passage, and the gel suction / discharge chamber is pushed into the passage to be coated seed The gelling agent in the gel suction / discharge chamber reduced by the amount used is replenished in the gel suction / discharge chamber by external supply.

Therefore, the gelling agent is always filled in the passage, and the discharge amount of the gelling agent from the passage to the outside of the nozzle block is the amount of the gelling agent pushed out from the gel suction / discharge chamber to the passage, that is, the coating. It becomes the amount of gelling agent used for seeds, and the coating amount of seeds by the gelling agent, that is, the particle size of the coated seeds is determined by the environmental conditions such as ambient temperature and the inclusion of air bubbles in the supplied gelling agent. It becomes possible to make uniform without being influenced.

According to the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus of the present invention as set forth in claim 6, when the supply pressure of the gelling agent supplied from the outside of the gel supply block to the gel suction / discharge chamber is increased or decreased, The amount of gelling agent discharged from the passage increases or decreases. Therefore, the supply pressure of the gelling agent to the gel suction and discharge chamber, by adjusting the size according to the size of the particle size of the coated seed to be dropped from the passage, the seed is coated with a gelling agent of sufficient thickness, thus It is possible to easily and inexpensively produce a coated seed having a size corresponding to the size of the seed, with a simple labor of changing the supply pressure of the gelling agent to the gel suction / discharge chamber. Become.

Further, according to the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus of the present invention as set forth in claim 7, the cylinder connected to the outside of the gel suction / discharge chamber is expanded / contracted, whereby the outside of the gel suction / discharge unit. Since the on-off valve and the expansion / contraction member fixed to the piston rod move integrally with the piston rod inserted from the inside to the inside, it is possible to easily realize the operation of the expansion / contraction member linked with the on-off valve.

According to the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus of the present invention as set forth in claim 8, the cylinder is constituted by an air cylinder operated by compressed air, and the air cylinder is located inside the gel storage unit. By using the diaphragm attached to the piston rod part of the above as the expansion / contraction member, it is possible to easily configure the gelling agent discharge mechanism by applying a commercially available air cylinder and adding the gel suction / discharge part and the diaphragm to this. It will be possible.

Further, according to the processing section in the seed gel coating apparatus of the present invention as defined in claim 9, the supply source for supplying the compressed air to the seed feeding nozzle is also used as the supply source of the compressed air to the air cylinder. However, it is possible to simplify the configuration by sharing the power source.

According to the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus of the present invention as set forth in claim 10, when the movement stroke of the piston rod inserted from the outside to the inside of the gel suction / discharge chamber is increased / decreased, the passage is changed. The amount of gelling agent discharged from the device increases or decreases. Therefore, the movement stroke of the piston rod is set to a length corresponding to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed to be dripped from the passage, so that the seed is coated with the gelling agent having a sufficient thickness, and thus the size of the seed is reduced. It becomes possible to manufacture the coated seed of a suitable size easily and at low cost by the simple labor of changing the moving stroke of the piston rod.

Further, according to the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus of the present invention as set forth in claim 11, when the opening / closing valve opens / closes the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber, the discharge time is increased from the passage. The amount of gelling agent applied increases or decreases. Therefore, by setting the opening time between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber by the opening / closing valve to a length corresponding to the size of the particle size of the coated seed to be dripped from the passage, the seed is coated with the gelling agent having a sufficient thickness. Therefore, the coated seed of a size corresponding to the size of the seed can be easily and inexpensively changed by changing the time for opening and closing the opening / closing valve between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber. Can be manufactured.

[0050]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a processing section in a seed gel coating processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the processed portion of the seed gel coating apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 shows, for example, FIG. 23 and FIG.
Applicable to the gel processing part of the gel coating processing device shown in
FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front view showing a schematic configuration of a seed gel-coated part according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof.

The gel-coated portion of the first embodiment indicated by reference numeral 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a seed X (see FIG. 8).
1 has a nozzle block 3 for coating the same with a gelling agent Y (see FIG. 5), and a gel containing block 5 in which the gelling agent Y supplied to the nozzle block 3 is stored. Also, the first
The gel coating processing unit 1 of the embodiment has a gel supply piston 7 that pushes out the gelling agent Y stored in the gel storage block 5 into the nozzle block 3, and a cylinder block 9 that operates this gel supply piston 7. ing. further,
The gel coating processing unit 1 of the first embodiment has a reversing drive unit 11 that vertically inverts the nozzle main body 2 including the nozzle block 3, the gel containing block 5, the gel supply piston 7, and the cylinder block 9 together. ing.

As shown in FIG. 1, the nozzle block 3 has a substantially L-shaped passage 3a whose both ends are open downward and sideways.
Is provided inside, and in the bent portion of this passage 3a, a through hole 3b for air bleeding opened above the nozzle block 3 is provided.
Are in communication. The nozzle 3e for ejecting the gelling agent Y is provided on the lower surface of the nozzle block 3 at the lower end of the passage 3a.
(Corresponding to a nozzle) is screwed, and a concave portion 3c having a larger diameter than the passage 3a and having an internal thread 3d is formed on the side surface of the nozzle block 3.

The gel accommodating block 5 has the concave portion 3c.
Connecting part 5a having an outer diameter corresponding to
And a base portion 5c connected to the connecting portion 5a and having an outer diameter larger than that of the connecting portion 5a. Inside the gel containing block 5, a large diameter portion 5e and a base portion 5c located in the connecting portion 5a are provided. A through hole 5d formed of the small diameter portion 5f located therethrough is provided. An annular bulging portion 5h is projectingly provided on the end surface 5g of the base portion 5c on the side opposite to the connecting portion 5a and at the peripheral end surface 5g of the small diameter portion 5f, and the small diameter portion 5f has a gel passage 5j. The gel passage 5j opens to the outside of the base portion 5c via the high pressure tube 13a and is connected to the storage tank 13 for the gelling agent Y via the high pressure tube 13a.

In the gel containing block 5, the male passage 5j of the connecting portion 5a is screwed onto the female screw 3d of the recess 3c and attached to the nozzle block 3, and the gel passage 5j is the same as the discharge nozzle 3e. Located at the bottom of
The large-diameter portion 5e of the connecting portion 5a and the recess 3c are configured to be shielded from the outside of the gel containing block 5 and the nozzle block 3 so as to communicate with each other.

The cylinder block 9 has an adapter 9a.
And the gel containing block 5 through the adapter 9a
Has an air cylinder 9j connected to.

The adapter 9a has a concave portion 9b having an inner diameter corresponding to the bulging portion 5h of the gel accommodating block 5, and the base of the adapter 9a located on the air cylinder 9j side from the approximate center of the bottom surface of the concave portion 9b. A through hole 9d is provided so as to extend substantially across the center of the end surface 9c. Further, the base 5 of the gel containing block 5 is attached to the tip of the adapter 9a where the recess 9b is opened.
A flange 9e is formed in a shape corresponding to the end surface 5g of c, and an annular groove 9f is formed at the peripheral edge of the recess 9b on the tip surface of the flange 9e. The annular sealing material 9g is housed in this groove 9f. Has been done.

In the adapter 9a, the bulging portion 5h of the gel accommodating block 5 is inserted into the recess 9b, and the tip end surface of the flange 9e is brought into contact with the end surface 5g of the gel accommodating block 5 as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, it is fixed to the gel containing block 5 by screws 9h inserted through the four corners of the flange 9e. Then, in the state where the adapter 9a is fixed to the gel containing block 5, as shown in FIG. 1, the peripheral surface portion of the sealing material 9g in the concave groove 9f partially protruding from the flange 9e is expanded by the gel containing block 5. The small-diameter portion 5f and the recess 9b communicate with each other to define a gel suction / discharge chamber 5k, and at the same time, the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k is in contact with the end surface 5g around the protrusion 5h.
k is shielded from the outside of the gel containing block 5 and the adapter 9a.

The air cylinder 9j (corresponding to a cylinder)
Has a cylinder body 9k and a piston rod 9s, a female screw 9t is formed at the tip of the piston rod 9s, and a flange portion 9m is provided at the cylinder body 9k portion opposite to the side where the piston rod 9s appears and disappears. Has been formed. The air cylinder 9j introduces compressed air into the cylinder body 9k from one of the air introduction ports 9p, so that the piston rod 9s moves to the cylinder body 9k.
It is configured such that the piston rod 9s contracts into the cylinder body 9k by expanding from k and introducing compressed air into the cylinder body 9k from the other air introducing port 9r.

The gel supply piston 7 includes a gel suction / discharge chamber 5
It is housed in k and is provided with a piston rod 7a, a diaphragm 7d, and an opening / closing valve 7h.

The piston rod 7a has a base portion 7b having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 5f of the base portion 5c and a length larger than the axial dimension of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k.
The connecting rod 7c is provided so as to project from one end of b and has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 9d of the adapter 9a and a length larger than the axial dimension of the through hole 9d.
Is formed by a male screw that can be screwed into the female screw 9t of the piston rod 9s.

The diaphragm 7d (corresponding to the expansion / contraction member)
Is a disk-shaped flange portion 7e formed with an outer diameter that is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the recess 9b, and is provided so as to project from the center of this flange portion 7e, and has an outer diameter that is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the through hole 9d. Hole 9d
And a slide portion 7f formed to have a length smaller than the axial dimension of the connecting rod 7c. The slide portion 7f penetrates the center of the flange portion 7e and the slide portion 7f and has an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the connecting rod 7c. A hole 7g is provided therethrough.

The on-off valve 7h has a small diameter portion 5f of the base portion 5c.
Has a disc shape with an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the connecting portion 5a and smaller than the inner diameter of the large diameter portion 5e of the connecting portion 5a, and a stepped through hole 7j is formed substantially at the center of the on-off valve 7h.

In the gel supply piston 7 described above, the connecting rod 7c of the piston rod 7a is inserted into the through hole 7g of the diaphragm 7d from the flange portion 7e side, and the male screw 7e at the tip of the connecting rod 7c protruding from the slide portion 7f. To spacer 7r
And then the bolt 7s is screwed and tightened so that the flange portion 7e becomes the base portion 7b of the piston rod 7a.
Is pressed against the end surface of the step portion of the connecting rod 7c, and in this state, the male screw 7e portion at the tip of the connecting rod 7c is fixed to the bolt 7s.
It is configured to further project from. The on-off valve 7h is attached to the tip of the base portion 7b with a screw 7k inserted through the through hole 7j.

In this embodiment, the coated seed Z (see FIG. 10) is formed by the gel containing block 5 and the gel supply piston 7.
The amount of gelling agent Y used for the nozzle block 23
A gelling agent discharging mechanism 4 for discharging the gelling agent to the outside is configured. Further, in the present embodiment, the piston rod 7a of the gel supply piston 7 and the piston rod 9 of the air cylinder 9j.
s constitutes the piston rod in the claims, and the piston rod 7a of the gel supply piston 7
Corresponds to the piston rod portion located inside the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k in the claims.

The reversal drive section 11 (corresponding to reversal drive means) is composed of the relay member 11a and the rotary actuator 1.
1e.

The relay member 11a has a connecting plate 11b having a shape corresponding to the flange portion 9m of the cylinder body 9k.
And a cylindrical shaft holder 11c projecting from a substantially central portion of the connecting plate 11b, and a fastening screw 11d for fixing the shaft projects inside the shaft holder 11c on the peripheral surface of the shaft holder 11c. It is screwed to the length that you want.

The rotary actuator 11e is
It has a disk-shaped actuator body 11f and a rotating shaft 11g, and this rotating shaft 11g is the shaft holder 11c.
Formed with an outer diameter that can be inserted into the actuator body 1
It projects outward from both end faces of 1f. The rotary actuator 11e introduces compressed air into the actuator body 11f from the one air introduction port 11h, so that the rotating shaft 11g rotates in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1 and the other air introduction port 11j. By introducing compressed air into the actuator body 11f from the inside, the rotating shaft 11g rotates in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1, and the rotation restricting mechanism (not shown) inside the actuator body 11f causes the rotating shaft 11g to rotate 180 degrees. It is configured to be regulated in the range of °.

In the reversing drive unit 11, the relay member 11a is connected to the rotary actuator 11e by inserting the rotary shaft 11g into the shaft holder 11c and tightening the tightening screw 11d, and in this state, the flange portion of the cylinder body 9k. By attaching 9m to the connecting plate 11b with the screw 9n, the reversing drive unit 11 is entirely connected to the cylinder block 9.

When assembling the above-mentioned gel-coated portion 1, first, the diaphragm 7d is attached to the connecting rod 7c of the piston rod 7a, and the double nut 7m is screwed to the tip of the connecting rod 7c. The flange portion 7e of the diaphragm 7d is pressed against the end surfaces of the stepped portions of the base portion 7b of the piston rod 7a and the connecting rod 7c by tightening.

Next, the tip of the connecting rod 7c and the diaphragm 7
While inserting the slide portion 7f of the cylinder block 9 into the through hole 9d from the end surface 9a side of the adapter 9a of the cylinder block 9, the flange portion 7e of the diaphragm 7d and the base portion 7b of the piston rod 7a are recessed in the adapter 9a of the cylinder block 9.
Insert As a result, the slide portion 7f of the diaphragm 7d of the gel supply piston 7 is movably supported in the through hole 9d in the axial direction, and the base end surface 9c of the adapter 9a is also supported.
From this, the male screw 7e portion on the tip side of the double nut 7m of the connecting rod 7c projects.

Subsequently, the base end surface 9c of the cylinder block 9
The male screw 7e portion of the connecting rod 7c protruding from the screw is screwed and connected to the female screw 9t at the tip of the piston rod 9s of the air cylinder 9j, and the cylinder body 9k and the adapter 9a are connected by a screw or the like (not shown) to form a cylinder block. Complete 9. Next, while inserting the tip of the base portion 7b of the piston rod 7a from the bulging portion 5h side into the through hole 5d of the gel containing block 5, the bulging portion 5h is inserted into the concave portion 9b of the adapter 9a, and the flange is screwed with the screw 9h. 9e is fixed to the gel storage block 5.

As a result, the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k is defined inside the gel storage block 5 and the adapter 9a, and this gel suction / discharge chamber 5k communicates with the outside of the gel storage block 5 through the gel passage 5j, and The suction / discharge chamber 5k communicates with the large diameter portion 5e of the gel storage block 5.

Subsequently, an opening / closing valve 7h is attached to the tip of the base portion 7b of the piston rod 7a by a screw 7k, and the concave portion 3 of the nozzle block 3 is attached to the connecting portion 5a of the gel containing block 5.
The nozzle body 2 is completed by screwing c. Further, the cylinder block 9 and the reversing drive unit 1 of the completed nozzle body 2
1, the nozzle body 2 is rotatably supported by the reversal drive unit 11, and the assembly of the gel coating unit 1 is completed.

In the gel-coated portion 1 thus assembled, the range of movement of the gel supply piston 7 is such that the opening / closing valve 7h is the large diameter portion 5e of the gel containing block 5.
And the gel suction / discharge chamber 5 in close contact with the end surface of the step portion of the small diameter portion 5f.
The suction portion A that shields k from the large diameter portion 5e of the gel containing block 5, and the open / close valve 7h is separated from the end surface of the stepped portion of the gel containing block 5 as shown in the partially cutaway front view of FIG. The gel suction / discharge chamber 5k is connected to the large diameter portion 5
It is regulated between the e and the discharge point B communicating with e.

Further, the nozzle main body 2 is for discharging, as shown in a partially cutaway front view of FIG. 4, in a state where the rotary shaft 11g is fully rotated in the direction of the arrow A by the rotary actuator 11e. Nozzle 3e and gel passage 5
As shown in FIG. 1, the seed feeding point C in which j is directed upward and the rotating shaft 11g are fully rotated in the direction of arrow B as shown in FIG. 1, and the coated seeds in which the discharge nozzle 3e and the gel passage 5j are directed downward. It is rotated between 180 ° with the discharge point D.

Further, in the present embodiment, the diaphragm 7d is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 7e and the inner peripheral surface of the concave portion 9b of the cylinder block 9 at the closed position A of the opening / closing valve 7h, and the both are closed. It is configured so that the watertightness and airtightness of In the present embodiment,
The volume difference of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k portion on the nozzle block 3 side of the flange portion 7e that expands and contracts with the movement of the gel supply piston 7 from the suction portion A to the discharge portion B is the coated seed discharge portion D of the nozzle block 3. In the above, the amount of the gelling agent Y required for one coated seed that is appropriately placed below the nozzle block 3 from the discharge nozzle 3e is configured to substantially match.

Further, 15 in FIG. 1 is a seed charging nozzle, 1
7A, 17B and 17C are solenoid valves, and 19 is an air compressor.
(Corresponding to a drive source) supplies compressed air to the storage tank 13 and the solenoid valves 17A and 17B, respectively, and, as shown in FIG. 4, the seed supply nozzle via a decompressor (not shown) and a solenoid valve 17C. Low-pressure compressed air is also supplied to the middle portion of 15.

The solenoid valves 17A and 17B are
As shown in FIG. 1, by controlling a sequencer (not shown),
Compressed air from the air compressor 19 is supplied to the air cylinder 9
j or one of the air inlets 9p and 11h of the rotary actuator 11e, or the other air inlet 9r or 11 of the air cylinder 9j or the rotary actuator 11e.
j, and is selectively switched to be sent. As shown in FIG. 4, the solenoid valve 17C is configured to open and close under the control of the sequencer so as to connect and disconnect the air compressor 19 and the seed supply nozzle 15 side.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the storage tank 13 is compressed by the compressed air from the air compressor 19.
The gelling agent Y inside is pressure-fed to the gel passage 5j via the high-pressure tube 13a.

Further, the seed charging nozzle 15 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG.
Is disposed above the discharge nozzle 3e. Then, the seed feeding nozzle 15 has a solenoid valve 17C.
At the time of opening, the compressed air supplied from the air compressor 19 to the intermediate portion via the pressure reducer ejects air with a weak pressure toward the lower end facing the discharge nozzle 3e of the seed feeding point C, and this weak pressure is applied. It is configured so that the seeds X placed on the pressure air and supplied from the seed hopper (not shown) to the upper end of the seed feeding nozzle 15 are intermittently dropped one by one onto the discharge nozzle 3e of the seed feeding position C. Has been done.

Next, the operation (action) of the gel-coated part 1 of the first embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to the partially cutaway front views of FIGS.

First, the solenoid valve 17C is closed, the solenoid valve 17B is switched to the air introduction port 11j side, and the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced from the air introduction port 11j into the actuator body 11f of the rotary actuator 11e. And then the rotating shaft 1
1 g is rotated in the direction of arrow B. At the same time, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air introduction port 9p side, the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced from the air introduction port 9p into the cylinder body 9k of the air cylinder 9j, and the piston rod 9s is extended.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle body 2 is positioned at the coated seed discharge location D and the discharge nozzle 3e is disposed.
Also, the gel passage 5j faces downward, the gel supply piston 7 is located at the discharge point B of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k, and the opening / closing valve 7h is located between the large-diameter portion 5e and the small-diameter portion 5f of the gel containing block 5. The gel suction / discharge chamber 5k is separated from the end surface and communicates with the large diameter portion 5e of the gel storage block 5.

Then, the gel passage 5 is supplied from the inside of the storage tank 13 by the pressure supply according to the compressed air from the air compressor 19.
The gelling agent Y pumped to j is filled in the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k, and the large diameter portion 5 of the gel storage block 5 is passed through the gap between the stepped portion of the gel storage block 5 and the opening / closing valve 7h.
e and the entire passage 3a are filled with the gelling agent Y. At this time, unnecessary air bubbles in the gelling agent Y filled in the passage 3a are generated by the nozzle block 3 at the coated seed discharging point D.
Is discharged to the outside of the nozzle block 3 through an air vent hole 3b that opens upward.

Next, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air introducing port 9r side, the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced from the air introducing port 9r into the cylinder body 9k of the air cylinder 9j, and the piston rod 9s is contracted. Let

As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the gel supply piston 7 moves from the discharge point B of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k to the suction point A, and the open / close valve 7h is placed on the end face of the step portion of the gel accommodating block 5. The gel suction / discharge chamber 5k abuts and is shielded from the large-diameter portion 5e of the gel storage block 5.

Then, the gel intake / exhaust chamber 5k is moved more than the open / close valve 7h.
A part of the gelling agent Y filled in the large-diameter portion 5e on the side of
It moves to the large diameter portion 5e side and remains in the large diameter portion 5e, and most of the other is pushed by the opening / closing valve 7h and flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k with the movement of the opening / closing valve 7h and the diaphragm 7d. Therefore,
The amount of the gelling agent Y in the large-diameter portion 5e is reduced by the amount of the gelling agent Y that has been pushed by the open / close valve 7h and has flowed into the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k.
The filling pressure of the gelling agent Y filled in the large-diameter portion 5e and the passage 3a becomes a negative pressure, whereby the gelling agent Y at the lower end of the discharge nozzle 3e is slightly lifted upward, and the gelling agent Y of the discharge nozzle 3e is pulled up. It dents in a substantially arc shape inside.

When the piston rod 9s is contracted, as described above, the gel suction / discharge chamber 5 is moved more than the open / close valve 7h.
Most of the gelling agent Y in the large-diameter portion 5e on the k side flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k, and the gelling agent Y pressure-fed from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 5j enters the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k. The gelling agent Y in the gel suction / exhaust chamber 5k flows into the diaphragm 7 such that the gelling agent Y flows in and is pushed out by the inflowing gelling agent Y.
It flows into the concave portion 9b on the smaller diameter portion 5f side than d. As a result, the gelling agent Y is filled in the entire gel suction / discharge chamber 5k closed by the opening / closing valve 7h, and the filling pressure of the gelling agent Y is
The pressure of the gelling agent Y from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 5j is exceeded, and further pressure feeding of the gelling agent Y to the gel passage 5j is stopped.

Next, the solenoid valve 17B is switched to the air introducing port 11h side, the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced from the air introducing port 11h into the actuator body 11f of the rotary actuator 11e, and the rotary shaft 11g is moved to the above-mentioned state. Rotate in the direction of arrow a. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, the nozzle body 2 rotates from the coated seed discharge location D to the seed loading location C, and the discharge nozzle 3
e and the gel passage 5j face upward, and the discharge nozzle 3e faces the seed feeding nozzle 15.

Next, the solenoid valve 17C is opened, and the compressed air of a weak pressure from the air compressor 19 is discharged from the seed feeding nozzle 15 to the seed feeding point C at the discharge nozzle 3e.
8 and put it on this weak pressure of air.
As shown in (1), one seed X from the seed hopper is dropped on the discharge nozzle 3e at the seed input location C. Then, the substantially central portion of the gelling agent Y of the discharge nozzle 3e, which is recessed in a substantially arc shape inward, is further recessed inward by the weak pressure air from the seed feeding nozzle 15, and the air pool P having a predetermined size is formed. Occurs, and the seed X reaches the air pool P.

Therefore, the solenoid valve 17C is closed to stop the jetting of the air of weak pressure from the seed feeding nozzle 15 toward the discharging nozzle 3e at the seed feeding position C, and then the solenoid valve 17B is moved to the air introducing port 11j side. And the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced into the inside of the actuator body 11f of the rotary actuator 11e from the air introduction port 11j, and the rotary shaft 11
g is rotated in the direction of arrow B. After that, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air introduction port 9p side, the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced from the air introduction port 9p into the cylinder body 9k of the air cylinder 9j, and the piston rod 9s is extended.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the nozzle main body 2 rotates from the seed feeding point C to the coated seed discharging point D, the discharge nozzle 3e and the gel passage 5j face downward, and then the gel feeding piston 7 Moves from the suction point A to the discharge point B of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k, the opening / closing valve 7h is separated from the end face of the step portion between the large diameter portion 5e and the small diameter portion 5f of the gel storage block 5, and the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k It communicates with the large diameter portion 5e of the accommodation block 5.

Then, the gelling agent Y in the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k pushed by the diaphragm 7d flows into the passage 3a side through the gap between the step portion of the gel storage block 5 and the on-off valve 7h, and the passage 3a side. The gelling agent Y in the passage 3a is discharged downward from the discharge nozzle 3e so as to be pushed out by the gelling agent Y that has flowed into the. Then, at the time of discharge from the discharge nozzle 3e, the gelling agent Y around the air reservoir P hangs down first due to its own weight, and wraps the air reservoir P and the seed X therein, whereby the seed X, The gelling agent Y, which encloses the air bubbles Q formed by the turning of the air reservoir P, drips in a drop shape from the ejection nozzle 3e, and the gelling agent Y dripping in a drop shape by the ejection force of the gelling agent Y. As shown in FIG. 10, a granular coated seed Z that encloses air bubbles Q and seeds X inside is dropped from the discharge nozzle 3e.

Further, in this state, the opening / closing valve 7h is located at the discharge point B, and the large diameter portion 5e and the small diameter portion 5 of the gel containing block 5 are located.
Since it is separated from the end face of the stepped portion of f, the space between the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k and the small diameter portion 5f is not shielded by the open / close valve 7h, and therefore, the gelling agent Y filled in these portions is not blocked. The filling pressure is from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 5j.
Below the sending pressure of the gelling agent Y. Therefore, the gelling agent Y from the storage tank 13 flows from the gel passage 5j into the gel suction / discharge chamber 5
The gelling agent Y corresponding to the amount of the flowing-in gas flows into the large diameter portion 5e of the gel containing block 5 and the passage 3a through the gap between the stepped portion of the gel containing block 5 and the opening / closing valve 7h. Then, the amount of the gelling agent Y hanging down from the discharge nozzle 3e in a drop shape and replenished is replenished in the passage 3a.

Next, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air introducing port 9r side, the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced from the air introducing port 9r into the cylinder body 9k of the air cylinder 9j, and the piston rod 9s is contracted. Let

As a result, as shown in FIG. 11, the gel supply piston 7 moves from the discharge point B of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k to the suction point A, and the open / close valve 7h is placed on the end face of the step portion of the gel accommodating block 5. The gel suction / discharge chamber 5k abuts and is shielded from the large-diameter portion 5e of the gel storage block 5.

Then, the amount of the gelling agent Y is reduced by the amount of inflow into the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k accompanying the movement of the opening / closing valve 7h, and the filling pressure of the gelling agent Y in the large diameter portion 5e and the passage 3a becomes a negative pressure. ,
As a result, the gelling agent Y that remains on the lower end of the ejection nozzle 3e after being dropped from the ejection nozzle 3e is slightly pulled up, and is recessed in a substantially arc shape inside the ejection nozzle 3e.

When the piston rod 9s is contracted, the large diameter portion 5e closer to the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k than the opening / closing valve 7h is.
Most of the gelling agent Y in the portion flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k through the gap between the stepped portion of the gel storage block 5 and the opening / closing valve 7h, and from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 5j.
The gelling agent Y of the gel sucking / discharging chamber 5k flows from the discharging point B to the suctioning point A so that the gelling agent Y pressure-fed to the gel sucking / discharging chamber 5k flows into the gel sucking / discharging chamber 5k and is pushed out by these inflowing gelling agent Y.
To the concave portion 9b on the smaller diameter portion 5f side than the diaphragm 7d formed by moving to.

As a result, the gelling agent Y is filled in the entire gel suction / discharge chamber 5k closed by the opening / closing valve 7h, and the filling pressure of the gelling agent Y is increased from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 5j.
The pressure of the gelling agent Y to the gel passage 5j is exceeded, the further pressure feeding of the gelling agent Y to the gel passage 5j is stopped, and the directions of the discharge nozzle 3e and the gel passage 5j are changed from the lower side to the upper side, so that the seed feeding nozzle 15 Returns to the state shown in FIG. 6 before the seed X is dropped on the discharge nozzle 3e.

Therefore, thereafter, the rotation of the nozzle body 2 from the coated seed discharging position D to the seed charging position C shown in FIG. 7 and the discharge nozzle from the seed charging nozzle 15 to the seed charging position C shown in FIG. Dropping seed X on 3e, rotation of the nozzle body 2 from the seed feeding point C to the coated seed discharging point D, and the gel feeding from the suction point A to the discharging point B of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k shown in FIG. The movement of the piston 7 and the movement of the gel supply piston 7 shown in FIG. 11 from the discharge point B of the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k to the suction point A are sequentially repeated. As a result, the supply of the gelling agent Y to the discharge nozzle 3e and
As shown in FIG. 10, the gelling agent Y having the seeds X and the air bubbles Q enclosed therein, that is, the dropping of the coated seeds Z from the discharge nozzle 3e and the replenishment of the dropped gelling agent Y are sequentially repeated. Is done.

As described above, according to the gel coating processing portion 1 of the first embodiment, the nozzle block 3 in which the passage 3a filled with the gelling agent Y is formed is the nozzle block 3 having the passage 3a opened. The discharge nozzle 3e attached to the part is rotated by the rotary actuator 11e of the reversal drive unit 11 to the seed introducing point C that faces upward, and the seed X is discharged from the seed introducing nozzle 15 to the ejecting nozzle 3e together with the compressed air. And the seeds X arrive at the air pool P formed in the gelling agent Y portion in the center of the discharge nozzle 3e, and the rotary actuator 11e moves the nozzle block 3 downward and the discharge nozzle 3e moves downward. The gel sucking / discharging chamber 5k which is rotated to the coated seed discharging portion D facing to and communicates with the passage 3a of the gel containing block 5 provided continuously with the nozzle block 3.
Inside the chamber, the diaphragm 7d of the gel supply piston 7 is moved from the suction point A to the discharge point B to move the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k.
The gelling agent Y inside is pushed out into the passage 3a.

Therefore, due to the movement of the diaphragm 7d from the suction point A to the discharge point B at the coated seed discharge point D of the nozzle block 3, the capacity difference between the gel suction and discharge chambers 5k at both points A and B of the diaphragm 7d is approximately equal. 1
The amount of gelling agent Y used to make one coated seed Z is from the gel suction / discharge chamber 5k to the open / close valve 7h and the large diameter portion 5e.
Flow through the passage 3a, the same amount of gelling agent Y is ejected from the ejection nozzle 3e, and the ejected gelling agent Y envelops the air reservoir P and the seed X therein. The seeds X and the coated seeds Z in the form of granules in which the air bubbles P formed by the air pockets P are wrapped are surely manufactured and dropped from the discharge nozzle 3e.

Therefore, environmental conditions such as the temperature around the device,
It is ensured that defective coated seeds Z containing only the gelling agent Y that does not wrap the seeds X are generated without being affected by the inclusion of air bubbles or the like in the gelling agent Y that is pressure-fed from the inside of the storage tank 13. In addition, the gelling agent Y can be prevented from dropping by a uniform amount of the gelling agent Y used to make one coated seed Z from the passage 3a without depending on the above-mentioned matters. The coating amount of the seed X, that is, the particle size of the coated seed Z can be made uniform.

Further, according to the gel coating processing section 1 of the first embodiment, the gelling agent Y in the ejection nozzle 3e is ejected by ejecting the weak air from the seed charging nozzle 15 toward the ejection nozzle 3e. It is possible to generate an air pool P therein and to cause bubbles Q in the coated seed Z produced by dropping from the discharge nozzle 3e to ensure the oxygen necessary for germination of the seed X in the coated seed Z. In addition, it is possible to prevent the ejection nozzle 3e from being clogged with the gelling agent Y hardened by drying or the like.

Moreover, the gel coating processing portion 1 of the first embodiment is used.
According to the above, the gelling agent in the ejection nozzle 3e can be obtained only by ejecting the weak air from the seed introduction nozzle 15 only at the seed introduction point C of the nozzle block 3 in which the ejection nozzle 3e faces upward. Since the air pool P can be generated in Y, an air pool P having a size corresponding to the bubbles Q can be easily and reliably formed in the gelling agent Y in the discharge nozzle 3e, and a uniform particle size can be obtained. The coated seed Z can be manufactured more reliably.

Next, the processed portion of the seed gel coating apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
2 will be described. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a seed gel coating processing section according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which is applicable to the gel processing section of the gel coating processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, for example. .

The gel coating processing portion of the present embodiment shown by reference numeral 21 in FIG. 12 is a nozzle block 2 for coating the seed X (see FIG. 19) with the gelling agent Y (see FIG. 16).
3, the gel containing block 25 in which the gelling agent Y supplied to this nozzle block 23 is stored, and the gelling agent Y stored in this gel containing block 25 is stored in the nozzle block 23.
A gel supply piston 27 (see FIG. 13) that is pushed inward,
Air cylinder 2 for operating this gel supply piston 27
9 and an inversion drive unit 31 for vertically inverting the nozzle block 23.

The gel containing block 25 has a prismatic shape with four corners cut off obliquely. As shown in the partially cutaway front view of FIG. 13, the gel supply block 33 on the nozzle block 23 side and the air cylinder are shown. It is composed of the piston block portion 35 on the 29 side.

In the gel supply block portion 33, a cylindrical bulging portion 33b is formed substantially at the center of the base end surface 33a on the piston block portion 35 side, and the bulging portion 33b opposes the base end surface 33a. Tip surface 3 on the nozzle block 23 side
A through hole 33d is provided so as to extend over 3c. Through hole 3
3d includes a large-diameter portion 33e on the tip surface 33c side and a bulging portion 33e.
b side small diameter portion 33f, these large diameter portion 33e and small diameter portion 3
3f and a medium diameter portion 33g, and the gel passage 3 from the lower peripheral surface of the gel supply block portion 33 to the small diameter portion 33f.
3h is provided so that the gel passage 33h is connected to the storage tank 13 for the gelling agent Y via the high pressure tube 13a.

The swelling portion 33b is formed on the tip surface 35a of the piston block portion 35 on the gel supply block portion 33 side.
Is formed to a depth larger than the height of the bulging portion 33b, and the base end surface 35c on the air cylinder 29 side facing the tip end surface 35a is formed from the substantially central portion of the bottom surface of the recess 35b. A through hole 35d is provided so as to extend over the substantially central portion.

The gel supply piston 27 is housed in the gel housing block 25.
a, a diaphragm 27e, and an opening / closing valve 27m.

The piston rod 27a has a small diameter portion 33.
a base portion 27b having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of f and a length larger than the axial dimension of the small diameter portion 33f;
a connecting rod 27c protruding from one end of b, having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 35d and a length larger than the axial dimension of the through hole 35d, and protruding from the other end of the base portion 27b. A valve mounting rod 27e having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of 27b and a length substantially equal to the axial dimension of the medium diameter portion 33g is provided, and a male screw 27d is formed at the tip of the connecting rod 27c. .

The diaphragm 27e (corresponding to the expansion / contraction member) has a disk-shaped flange portion 27f formed with an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the recess 35b, and is projected from the center of the flange portion 27f to form a through hole. The slide portion 27g has an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of 35d and a length smaller than the axial dimension of the through hole 35d.
A through hole 27h having an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the connecting rod 27c is provided through the center of the 7f and the slide portion 27g. An annular groove 27j is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the slide portion 27g, and the seal member 2 is formed in the annular groove 27j.
7k is accommodated.

The on-off valve 27m has a disk shape having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 33f and smaller than the inner diameter of the medium diameter portion 33g.
A through hole 27n having substantially the same diameter as that of the valve mounting rod 27e of 7a is provided so as to penetrate therethrough, and an annular groove 27p is formed on a peripheral surface portion of the through hole 27n on one surface of the on-off valve 27m.

In the gel supply piston 27 described above, the connecting rod 27c of the piston rod 27a is inserted from the flange portion 27f side into the through hole 27h of the diaphragm 27e, and the male screw 2 at the tip of the connecting rod 27c protruding from the slide portion 27g.
By screwing bolt 27r to 7d and tightening,
The flange portion 27f is the base portion 27b of the piston rod 27a.
The connecting rod 27c is pressed against the end face of the stepped portion of the connecting rod 27c, and in this state, the male screw 27d portion at the tip of the connecting rod 27c is further projected from the bolt 27r.

Further, the gel supply piston 27 has a concave groove 27.
The valve mounting rod 27e is inserted into the through hole 27n of the opening / closing valve 27m from the other surface side opposite to the p side, and the coil spring 27s is fitted to the tip of the valve mounting rod 27e protruding from one surface of the opening / closing valve 27m. By inserting one end thereof into the concave groove 27p and locking the other end of the coil spring 27s to the E ring 27t fitted to the tip peripheral surface of the valve mounting rod 27e, the opening / closing valve 27m is moved to the base of the piston rod 27a. 27b and the valve mounting rod 27e are configured to be pressed against the end surfaces of the stepped portions.

In this embodiment, the gel storage block 25 and the gel supply piston 27 discharge the gelling agent Y to the outside of the nozzle block 23 by the amount used for the coated seed Z (see FIG. 21). The mechanism 24 is configured.

The air cylinder 29 has a cylinder body 29a and a piston rod 29b protruding and retracting from the cylinder body 29a.
By introducing compressed air from the lower air introduction port 29c, the piston rod 29b projects from the cylinder body 29a, and by introducing compressed air from the other air introduction port 29d, the piston rod 29b is moved to the cylinder body 29a.
The piston rod 29b is formed so as to contract inward, and a female screw 29e corresponding to the male screw 27d of the connecting rod 27c is formed at the tip of the piston rod 29b.

The nozzle block 23 has a large diameter portion 23a having an outer diameter corresponding to the large diameter portion 33e of the gel supply block portion 33, and a medium diameter portion 23b connected to the large diameter portion 23a.
The small-diameter portion 23c connected to the medium-diameter portion 23b forms a stepped columnar shape. In addition, inside the nozzle block 23, from the large diameter portion 23a to the medium diameter portion 23
A concave portion 23d (corresponding to a passage) opened to the large diameter portion 23a side is formed concentrically with the large diameter portion 23a and the medium diameter portion 23b toward b, and the concave portion 23d has an opening edge on the large diameter portion 23a side. A taper portion 23e is formed in which the inner diameter decreases from the large diameter portion 23a to the medium diameter portion 23b from the dimension substantially equal to the medium diameter portion 33g to the dimension substantially equal to the recess 23d.

Furthermore, a female screw hole 23f communicating with the recess 23d is formed through the peripheral surface of the intermediate diameter portion 23b, and an annular groove 23g is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 23a. The seal member 23h is housed. A nozzle 23j (corresponding to a nozzle) for discharging the gelling agent Y is screwed into the female screw hole 23f.

As shown in FIG. 12, the reversing drive unit 31 (corresponding to reversing drive means) has a pinion 31a fitted to the small diameter portion 23c of the nozzle block 23, and a rack 31b meshing with the pinion 31a. This rack 31b
Is provided with an air cylinder 31h that slides with respect to the pinion 31a.

The rack 31b is attached to the side edge of the slider 31c.
It is movably supported on the d by guide rails 31e along the extending direction of the rack 31b.

The air cylinder 31h is attached to a support plate 31f provided upright on one end of the base plate 31d, and the piston rod 31j is slidably inserted into the support plate 31f, and the tip of the piston rod 31j is , Slider 3
It is fixed to the concave portion 31g of 1c. The air cylinder 31h is configured such that the piston rod 31j projects by introducing compressed air from the air introducing port 31k, and the piston rod 31j contracts by introducing compressed air from the other air introducing port 31m. There is.

The reversing drive unit 31 includes an air cylinder 31.
When the piston rod 31j is extended by the advancing / retreating operation of h, the rack 31b moves the female screw hole 2 in the circumferential direction of the small diameter portion 23c of the nozzle block 23 by the pinion 31a.
In the contracted state of the piston rod 31j, the slider 31c abuts the support plate 31f, and the rack 31b shifts the phase by 180 ° from the position of the pinion 31a meshed with the extended state of the piston rod 31j. It is configured to mesh with the pinion 31a.

When assembling the above-mentioned gel coating processing portion 21, first, the valve mounting rod 27e of the gel supply piston 27 is attached.
The opening / closing valve 27m is attached to the front end surface of the gel supply block 33 while the opening / closing valve 27m is pressed against the base 27b of the piston rod 27a and the end surface of the stepped portion of the valve mounting rod 27e by the E ring 27t and the coil spring 27s. The connecting rod 27c of the gel supply piston 27 is inserted into the through hole 33d from the 33c side, and the connecting rod 27c and the connecting rod 27c are inserted.
The proximal base portion 27b is projected from the bulging portion 33b to the outside of the gel supply block portion 33.

Next, the connecting rod 2 protruding from the bulging portion 33b.
Attach the diaphragm 27e to 7c, and bolt 27r
The flange portion 2 of the diaphragm 27e by tightening the
7f is connected to the base 27b of the piston rod 27a and the connecting rod 27
It is pressed against the end face of the stepped part of c, and in this state, the connecting rod 2
While inserting the tip of 7c and the slide portion 27g of the diaphragm 27e into the through hole 35d from the tip surface 35a side, the flange portion 27f of the diaphragm 27e and the gel supply block portion 3 are inserted.
3 of the bulging portion 33b of the piston block portion 35
Then, the gel supply block 33 and the piston block 35 are connected to each other.

As a result, a gel suction / discharge chamber 25a in which the small diameter portion 33f of the gel supply block 33 and the recess 35b of the piston block 35 are concentrically connected to each other is defined inside the gel storage block 25. 25a communicates with the outside of the gel storage block 25 through the gel passage 33h, and the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a is connected to the gel supply block portion 33.
It communicates with the medium diameter part 33g, and the piston block part 3
From the base end surface 35c of No. 5, the male screw 27d portion on the tip side of the bolt 27r of the connecting rod 27c projects. Further, the slide portion 27g of the diaphragm 27e of the gel supply piston 27 is movably supported in the through hole 35d in the axial direction, and the gap between the slide portion 27g and the through hole 35d is sealed by the seal member 27k. .

As shown in FIG. 13, the range of movement of the gel supply piston 27 is such that the flange portion 27f of the diaphragm 27e is in contact with the bottom surface of the recess 35b at the suction point E.
As shown in the partially cutaway front view of FIG. 14, the flange portion 27f of the diaphragm 27e is regulated between the discharge portion F that contacts the end surface of the bulging portion 33b.

The on-off valve 27m is provided at the suction point E.
In FIG. 13, as shown in FIG.
3, the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a is closed by closely contacting the end faces of the stepped portions of the small diameter portion 33f and the medium diameter portion 33g, and at the discharge location F, as shown in FIG. The chamber 25a is communicated with the medium diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block portion 33.

Next, the base end surface 3 of the piston block portion 35.
The male screw 27d portion of the connecting rod 27c protruding from 5c
The gel supply block portion 3 is screwed and connected to the female screw 29e at the tip of the piston rod 29b of the air cylinder 29.
3 has a large diameter portion 33e and a large diameter portion 23a of the nozzle block 23.
, And the cylindrical pressing plate 23k fitted into the medium diameter portion 23b of the nozzle block 23 from the small diameter portion 23c side is screwed to the tip surface 33c of the gel supply block portion 33, and then the female screw hole of the nozzle block 23 is inserted. Nozzle 23 for discharge to 23f
screw j. As a result, the large diameter portion 23a of the nozzle block 23 becomes larger than the large diameter portion 33e of the gel supply block portion 33.
Is rotatably supported by, and a seal member 23h seals between the large diameter portions 23a and 33e.

Then, the small diameter portion 23 of the nozzle block 23.
As shown in FIG. 12, the four pin screws 37a, 37a inserted in the mounting plate 37 are inserted into the cylinder body 29a and the four corners of the piston block portion 35 so as to penetrate the piston block portion 35. The long screws 37a, 37a protruding from the front end surface 35a of the above are screwed to the upper corners of the base end surface 33a of the gel supply block portion 33, and these cylinder body 29a, piston block portion 35, and gel supply block portion are formed. 33 is integrally connected and is supported by the mounting plate 37. As a result, the nozzle block 23 is arranged so that the pinion 31a meshes with the rack 31b.

The rotation of the nozzle block 23 is as shown in FIG. 12 when the piston rod 31j is in the contracted state.
As shown in FIG. 15, when the discharge nozzle 23j faces upward, and when the piston rod 31j is in an extended state, the discharge nozzle 23j moves downward as shown in a partially cutaway front view in FIG. 18 between facing coated seed discharge point H
It is regulated between 0 °.

Further, in the present embodiment, the diaphragm 27e is in close contact with the outer periphery of the flange portion 27f and the inner peripheral surface of the recess 35b of the piston block portion 35, so that watertightness and airtightness therebetween are always secured. In this nozzle block 23, the capacity difference of the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a portion on the nozzle block 23 side of the flange portion 27f that expands and contracts as the gel supply piston 27 moves from the suction portion E to the discharge portion F is formed. At the coated seed discharge location H, the amount of the gelling agent Y required for one coated seed Z that is appropriately placed below the nozzle block 23 from the discharge nozzle 23j is configured to substantially match.

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, the solenoid valve 17A controls the compressed air from the air compressor 19 to one air introduction port 29c of the air cylinder 29 by the control of a sequencer (not shown). Alternatively, the other air introducing port 29d is configured to be switched and selectively delivered. Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the solenoid valve 17B controls the sequencer to control the compressed air from the air compressor 19 to one air introduction port 31k of the air cylinder 31h or the other. In the air inlet 31m of
Each is configured to switch and selectively send.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the solenoid valve 17C is opened and shut off by the control of the sequencer, and the air compressor 19 and the seed supply nozzle 15 are
It is configured to communicate with and disconnect from the side.

In addition, in this embodiment, the storage tank 1
3, the compressed air from the air compressor 19 causes the gelling agent Y inside the high pressure tube 1 to move as shown in FIG.
It is configured to be pressure-fed to the gel passage 33h via 3a.

Further, in the present embodiment, the seed charging nozzle 15 has the nozzle block 23 as shown in FIG.
It is arranged above the discharge nozzle 23j at the seed introducing point G of. Then, the seed feeding nozzle 15 causes the air compressor 19 when the solenoid valve 17C is opened.
From the compressed air supplied from the decompressor to the middle portion, air is jetted at a weak pressure toward the lower end facing the discharge nozzle 23j of the seed feeding point G, and the air is put on this weak pressure, The seeds X supplied from the seed hopper (not shown) to the upper end of the seed feeding nozzle 15 are intermittently dropped one by one to the discharge nozzle 23j at the seed feeding point G.

Further, in the present embodiment, the piston rod 27a of the gel supply piston 27 and the piston rod 29b of the air cylinder 29 constitute the piston rod in the claims, and the piston rod 27a of the gel supply piston 27. Corresponds to the piston rod portion located inside the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a in the claims.

Next, the operation (action) of the gel-coated portion 21 of the second embodiment configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.
6 to 22 will be described with reference to partially cut front views.

First, the solenoid valve 17C is closed, the solenoid valve 17B is switched to the air inlet 31k side, the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced from the air inlet 31k into the air cylinder 31h, and the piston is closed. The rod 31j is extended. At the same time, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air inlet port 29c side, and compressed air from the air compressor 19 is transferred from the air inlet port 29c to the cylinder body 29 of the air cylinder 29.
The piston rod 29b is introduced into the inside of a and the piston rod 29b is extended.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 16, the nozzle block 23 is located at the coated seed discharge position H, the discharge nozzle 23j faces downward, and the gel supply piston 27
Is located at the discharge point F of the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a, and the on-off valve 2
7 m is separated from the end faces of the step portions of the small diameter portion 33 f and the medium diameter portion 33 g of the gel supply block portion 33, and the gel suction / discharge chamber 25 a
Communicates with the medium diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block portion 33.

Then, the gel passage 3 is supplied from the inside of the storage tank 13 by the pressure supply corresponding to the compressed air from the air compressor 19.
The gelling agent Y pumped to 3h is filled in the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a portion on the side of the intermediate diameter portion 33g with respect to the diaphragm 27e, and through the gap between the step portion of the gel supply block portion 33 and the opening / closing valve 27m. The gelling agent Y is filled in the medium diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block portion 33 and the entire recess 23d of the nozzle block 23.

Next, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air introducing port 29d side, the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced into the cylinder body 29a of the air cylinder 29 through the air introducing port 29d, and the piston rod 29b.
Activate contraction.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 17, the gel supply piston 27 moves from the discharge point F of the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a to the suction point E, and the on-off valve 27m moves the end surface of the step portion of the gel supply block 33. The gel suction chamber 25
a is shielded from the medium diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block portion 33.

Then, the gel intake / exhaust chamber 2 is placed more than the open / close valve 27m.
Gelling agent Y filled in the medium-diameter portion 33g on the 5a side
A part of them moves to the middle diameter part 33g side through the gap between the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a and the opening / closing valve 27m and remains in the middle diameter part 33g, and most of them move to the movement of the opening / closing valve 27m and the diaphragm 27e. Accordingly, the gel intake / exhaust chamber 25a is pushed by the opening / closing valve 27m.
Flows into. Therefore, the amount of the gelling agent Y in the medium diameter portion 33g is reduced by the amount of the gelling agent Y that is pushed by the opening / closing valve 27m and flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a, and the medium diameter portion 33g and the recess 23d of the nozzle block 23 are reduced. The filling pressure of the gelling agent Y filled in the negative pressure becomes a negative pressure, whereby the gelling agent Y at the lower end of the discharge nozzle 23j is pulled up slightly upward, and is recessed in a substantially arc shape inside the discharge nozzle 23j. Mu.

When the piston rod 29b is contracted, as described above, most of the gelling agent Y in the medium-diameter portion 33g on the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a side of the opening / closing valve 27m flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a. In addition to the storage tank 13
The gelling agent Y in the gel suction / exhaust chamber 25a is pushed into the gel passage 33h from the inside into the gel suction / exhaust chamber 25a and pushed out by the inflowing gelling agent Y. Then, it flows into the concave portion 35b on the smaller diameter portion 33f side than the diaphragm 27e. As a result, the gelling agent Y is filled in the entire gel suction / discharge chamber 25a closed by the opening / closing valve 27m, and the filling pressure of the gelling agent Y is
Gelling agent Y from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 33h
Of the gelling agent Y to the gel passage 33h is stopped.

Next, the solenoid valve 17B is switched to the air introducing port 31m side, the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced into the air cylinder 31h from the air introducing port 31m, and the piston rod 31j is contracted. As a result, as shown in FIG. 18, the nozzle block 23 rotates from the coated seed discharging position H to the seed charging position G, the discharging nozzle 23j faces upward, and the discharging nozzle 23
j faces the seed feeding nozzle 15.

Next, the solenoid valve 17C is opened, and the compressed air having a weak pressure from the air compressor 19 is discharged from the seed feeding nozzle 15 to the discharge nozzle 23 at the seed feeding point G.
j, jetted toward the j, placed on this weakly pressured air, and as shown in FIG. 19, the seed X from the seed hopper 1
Then, it is dropped on the discharge nozzle 23j at the seed feeding point G. Then, the discharge nozzle 2 which is recessed inward in a substantially arc shape.
The substantially central portion of the gelling agent Y of 3j is the seed injection nozzle 15
The air having a slight pressure dents further inward to generate an air pool P having a predetermined size, and the seed X reaches the air pool P.

Therefore, the solenoid valve 17C is closed to stop the ejection of the air of weak pressure from the seed feeding nozzle 15 toward the discharge nozzle 23j at the seed feeding position G, and then the solenoid valve 17B is moved to the air inlet 31k side. , And introduce compressed air from the air compressor 19 into the air cylinder 31h through the air inlet 31k,
The piston rod 31j is extended. After that, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air introduction port 29c side,
Compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced into the air inlet 29.
It is introduced into the cylinder body 29a of the air cylinder 29 from c and the piston rod 29b is extended.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 20, the nozzle block 23 moves from the seed feeding point G to the coated seed discharging point H.
And the discharge nozzle 23j faces downward, and then,
The gel supply piston 27 is located at the suction point E of the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a.
To the discharge point F, the opening / closing valve 27m is separated from the end faces of the stepped portions of the small diameter portion 33f and the medium diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block portion 33, and the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a moves to the middle diameter portion of the gel supply block portion 33. Communicates with 33g.

Then, the gelling agent Y in the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a is pushed by the diaphragm 27e and the gel supply block section 3
3 flows into the concave portion 23d side of the nozzle block 23 through the gap between the step portion and the opening / closing valve 27m, and the concave portion 23d
The concave portion 2 is pushed out by the gelling agent Y flowing into the side.
The gelling agent Y of 3d is discharged downward from the discharge nozzle 23j. Then, at the time of discharge from the discharge nozzle 23j, the gelling agent Y around the air reservoir P hangs down first due to its own weight, and wraps the air reservoir P and the seed X therein,
As a result, the seed X and the gelling agent Y, which encloses the air bubbles P formed by the air pool P tumbling down, drips from the discharge nozzle 23j in a drop shape, and becomes a drop shape with the force of the discharge of the gelling agent Y. As shown in FIG. 21, the hanging gelling agent Y becomes a granular coated seed Z that encloses air bubbles Q and seeds X, and is dripped from a discharge nozzle 23j.

Further, in this state, since the opening / closing valve 27m is located at the discharge point F and is separated from the end faces of the step portions of the small diameter portion 33f and the medium diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block portion 33, the open / close valve 27m is separated from the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a. Open / close valve 2 between the medium diameter part 33g
The gelling agent Y is not shielded by 7 m, and therefore the filling pressure of the gelling agent Y filled in these portions is lower than the pressure of the gelling agent Y sent from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 33h. For this reason, the gelling agent Y from the storage tank 13 is absorbed by the gel passage 3
The gelling agent Y corresponding to the flow-in amount from 3h into the gel intake / exhaust chamber 25a passes through the gap between the step portion of the gel supply block 33 and the opening / closing valve 27m, and has a medium diameter of the gel supply block 33. Portion 33g and the concave portion 2 of the nozzle block 23
The gelling agent Y that has flowed into the nozzle 3d and drooped down from the discharge nozzle 23j in a drop shape is replenished in the recess 23d of the nozzle block 23.

Next, the solenoid valve 17A is switched to the air introducing port 29d side, the compressed air from the air compressor 19 is introduced from the air introducing port 29d into the cylinder body 29a of the air cylinder 29, and the piston rod 29b.
Activate contraction.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 22, the gel supply piston 27 moves from the discharge point F of the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a to the suction point E, and the opening / closing valve 27m moves the end surface of the step portion of the gel supply block 33. The gel suction chamber 25
a is shielded from the medium diameter portion 33g of the gel supply block portion 33.

Then, the amount of the gelling agent Y is reduced by the amount of inflow into the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a accompanying the movement of the opening / closing valve 27m, and the filling pressure of the gelling agent Y in the medium diameter portion 33g and the recess 23d of the nozzle block 23 is reduced. Becomes a negative pressure, whereby the gelling agent Y remaining on the lower end of the discharge nozzle 23j after dropping from the discharge nozzle 23j is slightly pulled up,
It is retracted in a substantially arc shape inside the discharge nozzle 23j.

When the piston rod 29b is contracted, most of the gelling agent Y in the medium diameter portion 33g on the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a side of the opening / closing valve 27m opens / closes with the stepped portion of the gel supply block 33. The gelling agent Y, which flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a through the gap of the valve 27m and is pressure-fed to the gel passage 33h from the inside of the storage tank 13, flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a, and these gelling agent Y flows into the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a. As pushed out, the gelling agent Y of the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a flows into the recess 35b portion on the side of the intermediate diameter portion 33g with respect to the diaphragm 27e moved from the discharge point F to the suction point E in the piston block portion 35.

As a result, the gelling agent Y is filled in the entire gel suction / discharge chamber 25a closed by the opening / closing valve 27m, and the filling pressure of the gelling agent Y is gelled from the inside of the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 33h. When the pressure of the agent Y is exceeded, the gel passage 33
Before the further pressure feeding of the gelling agent Y to h is stopped, the directions of the discharge nozzle 23j and the gel passage 33h are changed from the lower side to the upper side, and the seed X is dropped from the seed feeding nozzle 15 to the discharge nozzle 23j. Return to the state shown in 17.

Therefore, thereafter, the rotation of the nozzle block 23 from the coated seed discharging point H to the seed charging point G shown in FIG. 18 and the discharge nozzle from the seed charging nozzle 15 to the seed charging point G shown in FIG. Dropping seed X on 23j,
The nozzle block 23 shown in FIG. 20 is rotated from the seed feeding point G to the coated seed discharging point H and the gel suction / discharge chamber 25.
Gel supply piston 2 from suction point E to discharge point F of a
22 and the movement of the gel supply piston 27 from the discharge point F of the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a to the suction point E shown in FIG. 22 are sequentially repeated. As a result, the supply of the gelling agent Y to the discharge nozzle 23j and the discharge of the gelling agent Y having the seed X and the air bubbles Q enclosed therein, that is, the discharge nozzle 23j of the coated seed Z, as shown in FIG. And the replenishment of the dropped gelling agent Y are sequentially repeated.

As described above, according to the gel coating processing portion 21 of the second embodiment, the nozzle block 23 having the concave portion 23d in which the gelling agent Y is filled is formed inside the concave portion 23d. Nozzle 23 for discharge attached to
j is turned upward by rotating the air cylinder 31h of the reversing drive unit 31 to the seed feeding position G where the j faces upward, and one seed X is dropped together with the compressed air from the seed feeding nozzle 15 to the discharge nozzle 23j to discharge. After the air pool P is formed in the gelling agent Y portion in the center of the nozzle 23j and the seeds X reach it, the nozzle block 23 is covered by the extension operation of the air cylinder 31h so that the discharge nozzle 23j faces downward. The diaphragm 27e of the gel supply piston 27 is moved from the suction point E to the discharge point F inside the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a that is rotated to the seed discharge point H and communicates with the recess 23d of the gel storage block 25 that is connected to the nozzle block 23. The gelling agent Y in the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a is moved to the recess 23d.
It is configured to be pushed out to.

Therefore, by moving the diaphragm 27e from the suction point E to the discharge point F at the coated seed discharge point H of the nozzle block 23, the capacity difference between the gel suction / discharge chambers 25a at both points E and F of the diaphragm 27e is approximately equal. The amount of gelling agent Y used to make one coated seed Z
Flows into the recess 23d from the gel suction / discharge chamber 25a through the open / close valve 27m and the medium diameter portion 33g, and the same amount of the gelling agent Y is discharged from the discharge nozzle 23j and is discharged. The air reservoir P and the seed X in the air reservoir P are encased by the gelling agent Y, and the granular seed seed Z in which the seed X and the air bubbles P formed by the air reservoir P are wrapped inside is reliably manufactured. And then dropped from the discharge nozzle 23j.

Therefore, the gel-coated processed portion 2 of the second embodiment.
The same effects as those of the gel-coated processed portion 1 of the first embodiment can also be obtained with the first embodiment.

In the gel-coated parts 1 and 21 of the above-described first and second embodiments, the diaphragms 7d and 27 are used.
The e and the on-off valves 7h and 27m may be attached to separate members and moved by separate driving sources. But,
Like the gel-coated parts 1 and 21 of the first and second embodiments, the piston rods 9s and 2 of the air cylinders 9j and 29 are formed.
The diaphragms 7d and 27e are fitted to the piston rods 7a and 27a of the gel supply pistons 7 and 27 connected to 9b, and the opening / closing valve 7 is attached to the tip of the piston rod 7a.
If the h and 27m are installed, the single air cylinders 9j and 2
By the expansion / contraction operation of 9, the opening / closing operations of the opening / closing valves 7h and 27m and the movement of the diaphragms 7d and 27e between the suction points A and E and the discharge points B and F can be easily and inexpensively linked.

Further, the amount of the gelling agent Y used for the coated seed Y is
From the gel suction / discharge chambers 5k and 25a to the passage 3a and the recess 23d.
The configuration for ejecting to the outside of the nozzle blocks 3 and 23 via the discharge nozzles 3e and 23j is the same as that of the gel coating parts 1 and 21 of the first and second embodiments. Need not be the diaphragms 7d and 27e attached to the piston rods 7a and 27a connected to the piston rods 9s and 29b.
You may change to the other structure linked with the operation | movement of. But,
By adopting the configuration of the first and second embodiments, a commercially available air cylinder is applied, and the piston rod 7
a, 27a, diaphragms 7d, 27e, as well as the adapter 9a, piston block 35, etc.,
The gelling agent ejection mechanisms 4 and 24 can be configured easily and inexpensively.

Further, the air cylinders 9j and 29 may be changed to those using an operation source other than compressed air, such as a hydraulic cylinder or an electromagnetic solenoid. However, like the gel-coated parts 1 and 21 of the first and second embodiments, by using the air cylinders 9j and 29 that expand and contract with the compressed air from the air compressor 19, the seed injection nozzle 15 to the discharge nozzle can be used. Air compressor 1 which is a source of the weak air ejected into 3e and 23j, and is a source which pressure-feeds the gelling agent Y from the inside of the storage tank 13 into the gel suction / discharge chambers 5k and 25a through the gel passages 5j and 33h.
9 also serves as a power source for the air cylinders 9j and 29,
It is possible to simplify the device configuration by using a common power source.

In addition, in the gel coating processing parts 1 and 21 of the above-mentioned first and second embodiments, the discharge nozzles 3e and 2 are provided.
3j may be omitted and the gelling agent Y may be directly discharged from the end portion of the passage 3a of the nozzle block 3 or the female screw hole 23f of the nozzle block 23.
When 23j is used, the discharge amount of the gelling agent Y from the nozzle block 23 is determined by the inner diameters of the discharge nozzles 3e and 23j, so that the accuracy of the particle diameter of the coated seed Z to be manufactured can be improved.

Further, when the discharge nozzles 3e and 23j are used, a plurality of kinds of discharge nozzles 3e and 2 having different inner diameters are used.
If 3j is prepared, it is selected and the nozzle blocks 3 and 2 are selected.
Since the discharge amount of the gelling agent Y from the discharge nozzles 3e, 23j increases or decreases according to the inner diameters of the discharge nozzles 3e, 23j attached to 3, the configuration of the gel coating processing part 1 should be changed significantly. Instead, the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed Z dropped downward from the discharge nozzles 3e, 23j can be easily adjusted with a simple labor in accordance with, for example, the size of the seed X to be included.

Similarly, in the gel coating processing portions 1 and 21 of the first and second embodiments, the gelling agent Y supplied from the storage tank 13 to the gel suction / discharge chambers 5k and 25a via the gel passages 5j and 33h is used. Increase / decrease in pressure, air cylinders 9j, 29
Increase / decrease in the expansion / contraction stroke of the piston rods 9s, 29b due to
After moving to [1], the time until returning to the suction points A and E, that is, the length of time that the on-off valves 7h and 27m are open may be increased or decreased individually or in a plural number at the same time. Even in such a case, since the discharge amount of the gelling agent Y from the discharge nozzles 3e and 23j both increases and decreases, the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed Z can be easily and easily reduced at a low cost. It can be adjusted without applying.

Incidentally, from the storage tank 13 to the gel passage 5
The increase or decrease in the pressure of the gelling agent Y supplied to the gel suction / discharge chambers 5k, 25a via the j, 33h is controlled by the speed controller provided in the high pressure tube 13a connecting the air compressor 19 and the storage tank 13 to each other. This can be done by adjusting the pressure of compressed air sent from the air compressor 19 to the storage tank 13 by the speed controller. In addition, the piston rod 9 by the air cylinders 9j and 29
Increase / decrease the expansion / contraction stroke of s and 29b by changing the air cylinder 9
This can be done by changing the cylinder lengths of the cylinder bodies 9k and 29a of j and 29.

Further, the increase / decrease in the length of time that the open / close valves 7h and 27m are open is controlled by the sequencer (not shown) and the air inlets 9p and 9 of the air cylinders 9j and 29.
r, 29c and 29d are provided with speed controllers, and the air cylinders 9 are controlled by the speed controllers.
The inflow pressure of the compressed air flowing into the cylinder bodies 9k, 29a of the j, 29 is adjusted so that the piston rod 9
This can be done by changing the expansion / contraction speed of s and 29b.

In the first and second embodiments, one seed X is coated with the gelling agent Y, but a plurality of gel coating processing units 1 and 21 are operated in parallel,
It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the coating treatment of a plurality of seeds X with the gelling agent Y is performed in parallel. Furthermore, the configuration of the gel coating processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied is the seed hopper 42, the seed transfer unit 43, and the gelling agent tank 4 described as the conventional technique.
The present invention is applicable not only to the gel coating processing apparatus 41 having the curing tank 46, the washing tank 47 and the like, but also to a gel coating processing apparatus in which the configuration and the presence or absence of each portion other than the gel processing portion 45 are different.

[0172]

As described above, according to the gel coating method for seeds of the present invention described in claim 1, the opening of the passage having the gelling agent filled therein is directed upward, and the opening above the opening is provided. Compressed air is blown from to form an air pool recessed inside the passage in the gelling agent portion facing the opening of the passage,
Seeds are introduced into and reach the air reservoir portion of the gelling agent, the opening of the passage where the seed reaches the air reservoir portion of the gelling agent Y is directed downward, and the opening of the passage is directed downward. From above, a predetermined amount of the gelling agent is discharged to the outside of the passage.

Therefore, seeds are introduced into the gelling agent inside the passage with the opening facing upward from above the passage together with the compressed air, whereby the gelling agent portion facing the opening of the passage is provided inside the passage. Since a recessed air pool is formed and seeds reach into it, when the gelling agent inside the passage is discharged downward from the opening by directing the passage opening downward, The gelling agent around the area envelops the air pool and the seeds in it by its own weight. Therefore, the seeds are surely included in the coated seeds that are dripped from the passage, and thus it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of defective coated seeds only of the gelling agent that does not wrap the seeds. it can.

In addition, the coated seeds dripped from the passage,
Since the air bubbles that the air pocket turned around are wrapped with the seeds,
The air necessary for germination after sowing is ensured in the coated seeds, which can promote the germination of the coated seeds after sowing.

According to the seed coating method of the second aspect of the present invention, the size of the opening of the passage is changed according to the size of the seed. By setting the size according to the seed size,
The amount of gelling agent discharged from the passage is defined as the amount by which the seed is coated with a gelling agent having a sufficient thickness, and the size of the opening can be changed by changing the size of the coated seed according to the size of the seed. It can be manufactured easily and at low cost.

Further, according to the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus according to the present invention, the seed is put into the passage filled with the gelling agent which becomes a polymer gel when cured, In a seed gel coating apparatus for dropping coated seed produced by coating the seed with the gelling agent in the passage, the passage is formed inside, and the coated seed is dropped. A nozzle block with an end of the passage opening to the outside, a seed feeding place where the end of the passage is located above the nozzle block, and a coated seed discharge place where the end of the passage is located below the nozzle block. And a reversal drive means for vertically reversing the nozzle block between the nozzle block and a portion of the nozzle block above the end of the passage at the seed charging position. In the end of the passage in the seed injection nozzle for ejecting the seed together with compressed air, and the gelling agent in the passage in an amount used for the coated seed is discharged from the end of the passage to the outside of the nozzle block. And a gelling agent discharging mechanism.

Therefore, at the seed introducing portion of the nozzle block, the seed is ejected together with the compressed air from the seed introducing nozzle toward the passage in which the gelling agent is filled, so that the end of the passage facing the outside of the nozzle block. In the gelling agent portion of the portion, an air pocket that is recessed inside the passage is formed, and the seed reaches therein. Then, after the seeds are loaded, the gelling agent discharging mechanism discharges the gelling agent in the passages to the outside of the nozzle block at the coated seed discharging portion of the nozzle block. The air reservoir and the seed in the air reservoir are wrapped, and the seeds and the bubbles in which the air reservoir is turned are formed by the gelling agent in the amount used for the coated seed, and the coated seed is dripped from the passage.

Therefore, similarly to the method for gel-coating seeds of the present invention described in claim 1, the seeds are surely included in the coated seeds dripped from the passage, and the gels not encapsulating the seeds. It is possible to reliably prevent the generation of defective coated seeds using only the agent, and because the coated seeds that are dripped from the passages are entrapped with the air bubbles that have turned from the air reservoir along with the seeds, germination after sowing The air necessary for this is secured in the coated seeds, which can promote germination of the coated seeds after sowing.

According to the processing unit of the seed gel-coating processing apparatus of the present invention as defined in claim 4, the coating is made to drip from the passage at the nozzle block portion where the end of the passage is opened in the nozzle block. The nozzle has an internal shape corresponding to the size of the seed particle and through which the gelling agent discharged from the passage to the outside of the nozzle block passes is detachably attached.

Therefore, when the nozzle through which the gelling agent discharged to the outside of the nozzle block passes is detachably attached to the nozzle block where the end of the passage is open, if the internal shape of this nozzle is increased or decreased, The amount of gelling agent discharged from the passage increases or decreases. Therefore, the inner shape of the nozzle, by having a size according to the size of the particle size of the coated seed to be dropped from the passage, the seed is coated with a gelling agent of sufficient thickness,
Therefore, a coated seed of a size corresponding to the size of the seed can be produced easily and at low cost by the simple labor of replacing the nozzle that is attached to the nozzle block location where the end of the passage is open. can do.

Further, according to the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus according to the present invention, a gel suction / exhaust chamber, which communicates with the passage and is supplied and filled with the gelling agent from the outside, is formed inside. A gel storage block, an on-off valve that is disposed in the gel storage block, and that communicates and shields the gel suction / discharge chamber with the passage, and a shut-off valve that is disposed in the gel suction / discharge chamber and is interlocked with the opening / closing of the opening / closing valve. The gelling agent discharge mechanism is configured by a scaling member that expands and contracts the gel suction and discharge chamber,
The expansion / contraction member is located at the time of opening the opening / closing valve and has a discharge capacity where the internal space of the gel suction / discharge chamber has a minimum capacity, and the expansion / contraction member is located at the time of closing the valve of the opening / closing valve, and has the internal space of the minimum size The configuration is such that the volume and the amount of the gelling agent used for the coated seeds can be moved to and from the suction point that has the maximum volume.

Therefore, due to the movement of the expansion / contraction member from the suction position to the discharge position in the gel suction / discharge chamber of the gel supply block, the opening / closing valve opens and the gel suction / discharge chamber communicates with the passage. Of the gelling agent filled in
The amount of gelling agent used for the coated seed is extruded from the gel intake / exhaust chamber into the passage. Further, the movement of the expansion / contraction member from the discharge position of the expansion / contraction member in the gel suction / discharge chamber of the gel supply block to the suction position closes the opening / closing valve to shield the gel suction / discharge chamber from the passage, and the gel suction / discharge chamber is pushed into the passage to be coated seed The gelling agent in the gel suction / discharge chamber reduced by the amount used is replenished in the gel suction / discharge chamber by external supply.

Therefore, the passage is always filled with the gelling agent, and the discharge amount of the gelling agent from the passage to the outside of the nozzle block is the amount of the gelling agent pushed out from the gel suction / discharge chamber into the passage, that is, the coating. It becomes the amount of gelling agent used for seeds, and the coating amount of seeds by the gelling agent, that is, the particle size of the coated seeds is determined by the environmental conditions such as ambient temperature and the inclusion of air bubbles in the supplied gelling agent. It can be made uniform without being affected.

[0184] According to the processing unit of the gel coating apparatus for seeds according to the present invention, the gelling agent is supplied from the outside of the gel supply block to the gel suction / discharge chamber, and the gel supply is performed. The supply pressure of the gelling agent Y from the outside of the block to the gel intake / exhaust chamber is increased / decreased according to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage.

Therefore, by increasing or decreasing the supply pressure of the gelling agent supplied from the outside of the gel supply block to the gel suction / discharge chamber,
The amount of the gelling agent discharged from the passage increases or decreases, and therefore, the supply pressure of the gelling agent to the gel suction / discharge chamber is set to a size according to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed to be dripped from the passage. Is coated with a gelling agent of sufficient thickness. Therefore, the coated seed of a size according to the size of the seed, easily and easily, by changing the supply pressure of the gelling agent to the gel suction and discharge chamber,
Moreover, it can be manufactured at low cost.

Further, according to the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus of the present invention as set forth in claim 7, the opening / closing valve and the expansion / contraction member of the cylinder connected to the outside of the gel suction / discharge chamber are The gel suction / exhaust chamber is fixed to each piston rod inserted from the outside to the inside.

Therefore, by expanding and contracting the cylinder connected to the outside of the gel suction / discharge chamber, together with the piston rod inserted from the outside to the inside of the gel suction / discharge portion, the on-off valve fixed to this piston rod is opened. And the expansion / contraction member move integrally, whereby the operation of the expansion / contraction member linked with the on-off valve can be easily realized.

According to the processing unit of the seed gel coating processing apparatus of the present invention as defined in claim 8, the cylinder comprises an air cylinder operated by compressed air.
Since the expanding / contracting member is constituted by the diaphragm attached to the piston rod portion located inside the gel suction / exhaust chamber, a commercially available air cylinder is applied, and the gel suction / exhaust portion and the diaphragm are added thereto. Only then, the gelling agent discharging mechanism can be configured easily.

Further, according to the processing unit in the seed gel coating apparatus according to the present invention, the compressed air is supplied from the common supply source to the air cylinder and the seed feeding nozzle. Therefore, the supply source for supplying the compressed air to the seed feeding nozzle can also be used as the supply source of the compressed air to the air cylinder, and the configuration can be simplified by sharing the power source.

According to the processing unit in the seed gel coating apparatus of the present invention as set forth in claim 10, the movement stroke of the piston rod by the operation of the cylinder causes the particle diameter of the coated seed to be dropped from the passage. The amount of gelling agent discharged from the passage is increased / decreased by increasing / decreasing the movement stroke of the piston rod. Further, according to the processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus according to the present invention according to claim 11, the time length during which the opening / closing valve opens between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber by the operation of the cylinder is Since the composition is increased / decreased according to the size of the particle size of the coated seed dropped from the passage, the gelation discharged from the passage is increased / decreased by the increase / decrease in the length of time that the opening / closing valve opens between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber. The amount of drug increases or decreases.

Therefore, by setting the moving stroke of the piston rod and the opening time between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber by the opening / closing valve to a length corresponding to the size of the particle size of the coated seed dropped from the passage, It is coated with a gelling agent of sufficient thickness. Therefore, the coated seed of a size corresponding to the size of the seed can be easily and easily performed by changing the movement stroke of the piston rod or changing the time for which the opening / closing valve opens the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber. Moreover, it can be manufactured at low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing a schematic configuration of a gel-coated processed part of seeds according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a gel-coated processed portion of the seed shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway front view of a seed gel-coated processed portion showing a discharge location of the gel supply piston shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partially cut front view of a seed gel-coated portion showing a seed feeding portion of the nozzle body shown in FIG.

5 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated processed portion shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated processed portion shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated portion shown in FIG.

8 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated processed portion shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 9 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated processed portion shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated portion shown in FIG.

11 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated portion shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a seed gel-coated processing portion according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

13 is a partially cutaway front view of the seed gel-coated portion shown in FIG. 12. FIG.

FIG. 14 is a partially cutaway front view of the seed gel-coated portion showing the discharge location of the gel supply piston shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a partially cut front view of a seed gel-coated processed portion showing a coated seed discharging portion of the nozzle block shown in FIG. 12;

16 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated portion shown in FIG.

17 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated processed portion shown in FIG.

FIG. 18 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated processed portion shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 19 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated portion shown in FIG. 12.

20 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated processed portion shown in FIG.

21 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated processed portion shown in FIG. 12. FIG.

22 is a partially cutaway front view showing the operation of the gel-coated processed portion shown in FIG. 12. FIG.

FIG. 23 is a front view showing an example of a gel coating processing apparatus.

FIG. 24 is a plan view of the gel coating processing apparatus shown in FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a side sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional gel coating processing section applied to the gel coating processing apparatus shown in FIG. 23.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 21 Gel coating processing part 3,23 Nozzle block 3a Passages 3e, 23j Discharge nozzle (nozzle) 4,24 Gelling agent discharge mechanism 5,25 Gel containing block (gelling agent discharge mechanism) 5k, 25a Gel suction / discharge chamber 7, 27 Gel supply piston (gelling agent discharge mechanism) 7a, 27a Piston rod of gel supply piston (piston rod portion located inside gel suction / discharge chamber) 7d, 27e Diaphragm (expansion / contraction member) 7h, 27m Open / close valve 9j, 29 Air Cylinder (Cylinder) 9s, 29b Air Cylinder Piston Rod 11, 31 Inversion Drive 15 Seed Injecting Nozzle 19 Air Compressor (Supply Source) 23d Recess (Passage) A, E Suction Point B, F Discharge Point C, G Seed Input point D, H Coated seed Discharge point P Air pool X Seed Y Gelling agent Z Coated seed

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An opening of a passage having a gelling agent filled therein is directed upward, and compressed air is blown from above the opening so that a portion of the gelling agent facing the opening of the passage is recessed inside the passage. Forming an air pool, introducing seeds into the air pool portion of the gelling agent and making it reach, directing the opening of the passage where the seed reaches the air pool portion of the gelling agent downward, A predetermined amount of the gelling agent is discharged from the opening of the directed passage to the outside of the passage. 2. The method of gel coating according to claim 1, wherein the size of the opening of the passage is changed according to the size of the seed. 3. A coated seed produced by introducing a seed into a passage filled with a gelling agent that becomes a polymer gel when cured, and coating the seed with the gelling agent in the passage, In a seed gel coating apparatus for dripping from the passage, the passage is formed inside, a nozzle block in which an end of the passage through which the coated seed is dropped is opened to the outside, and an end of the passage is the nozzle. Reversal drive means for vertically reversing the nozzle block between a seed feeding position located at the upper part of the block and a coated seed discharging position at which the end of the passage is located at the lower part of the nozzle block; A seed introduction nozzle disposed at a location above the end of the passage at the seed introduction location and ejecting the seed together with compressed air at the end of the passage at the seed introduction location; And a gelling agent discharge mechanism for discharging the gelling agent in the passage from the end of the passage to the outside of the nozzle block by an amount used for coated seeds. Processing department. 4. The nozzle block where the end of the passage is opened in the nozzle block has an internal shape corresponding to the size of the particle size of the coated seed dropped from the passage, and the exterior of the nozzle block from the passage. The nozzle through which the gelling agent Y discharged to the nozzle passes is detachably attached.
A processing part in the seed gel coating processing device according to claim 1. 5. A gel storage block having therein a gel suction / discharge chamber communicating with the passage and supplied and filled with the gelling agent from the outside, and the gel storage block disposed in the gel storage block. The gelling agent discharge mechanism is configured by an on-off valve that communicates with and shuts off the passage, and an expansion / contraction member that is disposed in the gel intake / exhaust chamber and expands / contracts the gel intake / exhaust chamber in conjunction with opening / closing of the open / close valve. The expansion / contraction member is located at the time of opening the opening / closing valve and has an internal space of the gel intake / exhaust chamber having a minimum capacity, and the internal space of the gel intake / exhaust chamber located at the time of closing the opening / closing valve is The processing unit in the seed gel-coating processing apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the processing unit is configured to be movable between a suction point having a maximum volume obtained by adding a minimum volume and an amount of the gelling agent used for the coated seed. . 6. The gel absorbent is supplied to the gel suction / exhaust chamber from the outside of the gel supply block, and the supply pressure of the gelling agent from the outside of the gel supply block to the gel suction / discharge chamber is The processing unit in the seed gel coating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the processing unit is increased or decreased according to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed that is dropped from the passage. 7. The on-off valve and the expansion / contraction member are respectively fixed to a piston rod of a cylinder connected to the outside of the gel suction / discharge chamber, the piston rod being inserted from the outside to the inside of the gel suction / discharge chamber. A processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus according to claim 5. 8. The cylinder is an air cylinder operated by compressed air, and the expansion / contraction member is a diaphragm attached to the piston rod portion located inside the gel suction / discharge chamber. A processing part in the seed gel coating processing device according to claim 1. 9. The processing unit in the seed gel coating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein compressed air is supplied from a common supply source to the air cylinder and the seed feeding nozzle. 10. The seed gel according to claim 7, wherein the movement stroke of the piston rod due to the operation of the cylinder is increased or decreased according to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage. Processing unit in coating processing equipment. 11. The length of time that the opening / closing valve opens between the passage and the gel suction / discharge chamber by the operation of the cylinder is increased / decreased according to the size of the particle diameter of the coated seed dropped from the passage. A processing unit in the seed gel coating processing apparatus according to claim 7, 8, 9, or 10.