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(11) | EP 1 559 652 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Dispensing apparatus for powder material |
| (57) A dispensing apparatus for powder material includes a carrying table (1) having a
turntable (12), and at least one powder hopper (2) arranged around an upper outer
periphery of the turntable (12). The powder hopper (2) is provided at a bottom with
a powder delivery chamber (21), in which a delivery auger (31) of a powder delivery
mechanism (3) is rotatably mounted. A rotation-driving device (4) located behind the
powder hopper (2) may be moved forward by a shifting mechanism (5) to a first position
to couple with and rotate the delivery auger (31), so that powder material (20) in
the powder delivery chamber (21) is pushed forward by the rotating delivery auger
(31) and discharged from the chamber (21) via a powder outlet (22) at a front end
of the chamber (21). A measuring devive (6) is closely provided below the turntable
(12) corresponding to the powder hopper (2) to be dispensed, and a container (60)
is removably supported on the measuring device (6) for holding the powder material
(20) dispensed into the container (60) by the powder delivery mechanism (3). |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a dispensing apparatus for powder material, and more particularly to a dispensing apparatus for powder material that includes a rotatable carrying table, a powder delivery mechanism, and shifting mechanism.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The conveying and dispensing of powder materials are frequently needed in many different industrial applications. A conventional powder dispensing apparatus includes a fixedly mounted powder hopper for holding only one type of powder material. Containers for holding the dispensed powder material are movably positioned to work with the dispensing apparatus. In the event more than one type of powder material are to be dispensed, or when a liquid material or an auxiliary agent has to be added to the dispensed powder material, the dispensing of such powder materials, liquid material, and/or auxiliary agent must be done in several separated steps to consume a lot of time and labors, and would result in increased loss of material. It is therefore desirable to develop a dispensing apparatus that allows dispensing of more than one type of powder material and adding of liquid material or auxiliary agent to the dispensed powder materials at the same time.
[0003] Powder materials have specific properties and treatment requirements, and require treatment apparatus different from that for conveying and dispensing liquid. Generally speaking, it is more difficult to convey and dispense powder materials than liquid because powder materials are not easily quantitatively controlled, dispensed, and measured. In some applications, such as in the dyeing industry, different types of powder material are to be dispensed. This further increases the difficulty of designing an optimized dispensing apparatus for powder materials.
[0004] For the purpose of automated and smooth production, some other processing mechanisms, such as mechanisms for adding various liquid material and/or auxiliary agent to the dispensed powder materials, are desirable for working with the powder material conveying and dispensing apparatus. Currently, there is not such apparatus available for this purpose.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] A primary object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus adapted to convey a selected type of powder material to a specified processing position.
[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus adapted to dispense more than one type of powder material at the same time.
[0007] A further object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing apparatus for powder material that is adapted to dispense, measure, and add liquid or auxiliary to powder materials in an automated production.
[0008] To achieve the above and other objects, the dispensing apparatus for powder material according to the present invention mainly includes a carrying table having a turntable, and at least one powder hopper arranged around an upper outer periphery of the turntable. The powder hopper is provided at a bottom with a powder delivery chamber, in which a delivery auger of a powder delivery mechanism is rotatably mounted. A rotation-driving device located behind the powder hopper may be moved forward by a shifting mechanism to a first position to couple with and rotate the delivery auger, so that powder material in the powder delivery chamber is pushed forward by the rotating delivery auger and discharged from the chamber via a powder outlet at a front end of the chamber. A measuring device is closely provided below the turntable corresponding to the powder hopper to be dispensed, and a container is removably supported on the measuring device for holding the powder material dispensed into the container by the powder delivery mechanism.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing apparatus for powder material according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the dispensing apparatus for powder material of Fig. 1 viewed from another angle;
Fig. 3 is a side view showing the dispensing apparatus of Fig. 1 in adding a liquid auxiliary agent;
Fig. 4 is a side view showing the dispensing apparatus of Fig. 1 in dispensing a desired type of powder material;
Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the circled area A of Fig. 3 showing the state of the dispensing apparatus of the present invention before dispensing the powder material; and
Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the circled area B of Fig. 4 showing the state of the dispensing apparatus of the present invention in dispensing the powder material.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0010] Please refer to Figs. 1 and 2 that are perspective views of a dispensing apparatus for powder material according to the present invention viewed from different angles, and to Figs. 3 and 4 that are two side views of the dispensing apparatus of the present invention. As shown, the dispensing apparatus for powder material according to the present invention mainly includes a carrying table 1 serving as a worktable for dispensing the powder material. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the carrying table 1 is rotatable and includes a supporting frame 11 and a turntable 12 mounted to a top of the supporting frame 11. A plurality of hoppers 2 are circumferentially arranged along an upper outer periphery of the turntable 12. A driving motor 13 is mounted below the turntable 12 for moving the latter in circular motion, so as to locate the hoppers 2 arranged above the turntable 12 at a specifiedposition.
[0011] The hoppers 2 are used to store the powder material 20, and are circumferentially arranged along the upper outer periphery of the turntable 12 of the carrying table 1. Covers of known art may be used to openably close open tops of the hoppers 2 to enable feeding of the powder material into the hoppers 2.
[0012] Please refer to Figs. 5 and 6 that are enlarged views of the circled areas A and B, respectively, of Figs. 3 and 4 showing the states of the dispensing apparatus of the present invention before and during dispensing the powder material. As shown, each of the hoppers 2 is provided at a bottom with a powder delivery chamber 21, a front end of which is formed of a powder outlet 22.
[0013] A powder delivery mechanism 3 is rotatably mounted in the powder delivery chamber 21 at the bottom or each hopper 2, and mainly includes a delivery auger 31 located in the powder delivery chamber 21. A front end of the delivery auger 31 serves as an end cap 311 adapted to seal the powder outlet 22 at the front end of the powder delivery chamber 21.
[0014] A rear part of the delivery auger 31 is rearward extended through a rear wall 2,3 of the powder delivery chamber 21 to form an extended section 312. A stop ring 313 is formed on the extended section 312 at a predetermined position, so that an elastic element 314 may be put around the extended section 312 of the delivery auger 31 with two ends of the elastic element 314 pressed against the rear wall 23 of the powder delivery chamber 21 and the stop ring 313. When the delivery auger 31 is not subjected to a forward push, it is normally pulled rearward by the elastic element 314, causing the front cap 311 at the front end of the delivery auger 31 to move backward and seal the powder outlet 22 of the powder delivery chamber 21.
[0015] A rotation-driving device 4 is arranged closely behind the powder delivery mechanism 3, and includes a motor 41, and a movable seat 42. The movable seat 42 is movably mounted on the turntable 12 of the carrying table 1 using a suitable shifting mechanism known in the art.
[0016] In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, there is a first shifting mechanism 5 fixedly mounted on the turntable 12 of the carrying table 1 to locate behind the rotation-driving device 4. The first shifting mechanism 5 includes an air cylinder 51 or an oil cylinder serving as a shift-driving mechanism. A driving shaft 52 of the air cylinder 51 is adapted to push the rotation-driving device 4 forward to a first position, or pull the rotation-driving device 4 backward to a second position.
[0017] When the air cylinder 51 of the first shifting mechanism 5 pushes the motor 41 and the movable seat 42 of the rotation-driving device 4 forward to the first position, as shown in Fig. 6, a transmission shaft 43 of the motor 41 is coupled with a rear end of the extended section 312 of the delivery auger 31 of the powder delivery mechanism 3, so that the delivery auger 31 is rotated and pushed forward by a predetermined distance. At this point, the powder material 20 in the powder delivery chamber 21 is pushed forward by the rotating delivery auger 31 and discharged from the powder delivery chamber 21 via the powder outlet 22 at the front end of the chamber 21.
[0018] On the other hand, when the first shifting mechanism 5 pulls the rotation-driving device 4 backward to the second position, as shown in Fig. 5, the latter is disengaged from the powder delivery mechanism 3 and the delivery of the powder material is stopped.
[0019] In the practical use of the present invention, a measuring device 6 is arranged below the turntable 12 of the carrying table I corresponding to dispensing hopper 2, and a container 60 is positioned on the measuring device 6. The whole measuring device 6 may be supported on a second shifting mechanism 61, which may include, for example, an air cylinder and a supporting frame, and shifted to different positions, such as an auxiliary agent adding position as shown in Fig. 3, or a powder dispensing position as shown in Fig. 4.
[0020] When it is desired to add a particular auxiliary agent into the container 60, the measuring device 6 along with the container 60 are moved using the second shifting mechanism 61 to a specified auxiliary agent dispensing position, as shown in Fig. 3, at where the auxiliary agent is dispensed into the container 60 via an auxiliary agent duct 71 fixed in place by a support 7. On the other hand, when it is desired to dispense a particular powder material into the container 60, the measuring device 6 along with the container 60 are moved using the second shifting mechanism 61 to a powder dispensing position, as shown in Fig. 3.
[0021] The present invention has been described with a preferred embodiment thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiment can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is to be limited only by the appended claims.
a rotatable carrying table (1) serving as a worktable for dispensing one or more selected types of powder material (20);
at least one powder hopper (2) circumferentially arranged along an upper outer periphery of said carrying table (1) for holding said powder material (20);
a powder delivery chamber (21) provided at a bottom of each said powder hopper (2) and having a powder outlet (22) formed at a front end of said chamber (21);
a powder delivery mechanism (3), which includes a delivery auger (31) rotatably mounted in said powder delivery chamber (21);
a rotation-driving device (4) closely located behind said powder delivery mechanism (3) for driving said delivery auger (31) of said powder delivery mechanism (3) to rotate; and said rotation-driving device (4) being movably mounted on said carrying table (1); and
a first shifting mechanism (5) fixedly mounted on said carrying table (1) behind said rotation-driving device (4) and adapted to push said rotation-driving device (4) forward to a first position or pull said rotation-driving device (4) backward to a second position; and
said rotation-driving device (4) in said first position being coupled with said delivery auger (31) of said powder delivery mechanism (3), so that said delivery auger (31) is rotated to push said powder material (20) in said powder delivery chamber (21) to said powder outlet (22) at the front end of said powder delivery chamber (21); and said rotation-driving device (4) in said second position being disengaged from said delivery auger (31) of said powder delivery mechanism (3) to stop dispensing of said powder material (20).
a supporting frame (11);
a turntable (12) mounted to a top of said supporting frame (11), and said at least one powder hopper (2) being circumferentially arranged around an upper outer periphery of said turntable (12); and
a driving motor (13) adapted to drive said turntable (12) to rotate, so as to move said at least one powder hopper (2) to a predetermined position.
a rotatable carrying table (1) serving as a worktable for dispensing one or more selected types of powder material (20);
at least one powder hopper (2) circumferentially arranged along an upper outer periphery of said carrying table (1) for holding said powder material (20);
a powder delivery chamber (21) provided at a bottom of each said powder hopper (2) and having a powder outlet (22) formed at a front end of said chamber (21);
a powder delivery mechanism (3), which includes a delivery auger (31) rotatably mounted in said powder delivery chamber (21);
a rotation-driving device (4) closely located behind said powder delivery mechanism (3) for driving said delivery auger (31) of said powder delivery mechanism (3) to rotate; and
a measuring device (6) provided below said carrying table (1) corresponding to said powder hopper (2) to be dispensed and adapted to removably support a container (60) thereon for holding said powder material (20) dispensed into said container (60) by said powder delivery mechanism (3).
a supporting frame (11);
a turntable (12) mounted to a top of said supporting frame (11), and said at least one powder hopper (2) being circumferentially arranged around an upper outer periphery of said turntable (12); and
a driving motor (13) adapted to drive said turntable (12) to rotate, so as to move said at least one powder hopper (2) to a predetermined position.