Quality verification system for measurement of raw materials in continuous metering processes using calibration weights

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12552071-B2
Application number	US-202217973770-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2022
Priority date	Oct 26, 2021
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

A system for measurement quality verification may form part of an installation located at a site that manufactures rubber mixtures. The system may include a weighing platform having a scale for determining a weight loss of the metered raw materials, a metering device having a metering hopper that receives the raw materials required for performing one or more rubber mixing processes and a metering device that meters the raw materials into the metering hopper in real time, an application and removal system that allows for application and removal of one or more calibration weights relative to the weighing platform, and a motion system that facilitates reciprocating vertical movement of the metering device. An installation may incorporate the above system, and a continuous metering process may be performed by the installation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A system for measurement quality verification that forms part of an installation located at a site that manufactures rubber mixtures, the system allowing raw materials to be metered, the system comprising:
a weighing platform comprising a scale for determining a weight loss of the raw materials, the weighing platform comprising an upper surface, an opposite lower surface and a perimeter; a metering device comprising:
a metering hopper that receives enough of the raw materials that is required for performing one or more rubber mixing processes; and
a metering means that meters the raw materials into the metering hopper in real time;
a system for applying and removing one or more calibration weights that allows application and removal of the one or more calibration weights relative to the upper surface of the weighing platform, such that each of the one or more calibration weights moves in a reciprocating vertical manner between an applied position, in which the one or more calibration weights are placed on the upper surface of the weighing platform, and a removed position, in which the one or more calibration weights are removed from the weighing platform; and a motion system that performs reciprocating vertical movement of the metering device, the motion system comprising at least one lift cylinder for raising the metering device from a lowered position, in which the metering device is disposed on the weighing platform, to a raised position, in which the metering device is no longer disposed on the weighing platform.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the metering means of the metering device comprises:
a screw disposed in a barrel fixed to the installation and placed on the weighing platform; and one or more motors that rotate the screw in the barrel during a continuous metering process.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the metering hopper comprises:
a discharge system that discharges the raw materials stored in the metering hopper to the metering means of the metering device; and one or more sensors that detect a fill level of the raw materials in the metering hopper, the sensors comprising one or more sensors for sensing, from within the metering hopper, a high level of the raw materials in the metering hopper or one or more sensors for sensing, from within the metering hopper, a low level of the raw materials in the metering hopper.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the motion system comprises one or more sensors that detect the lowered position of the metering device and the raised position of the metering device; and
wherein the metering device comprises one or more sensors that detect when each calibration weight of the one or more calibration weights has reached an applied position on the weighing platform or a removed position from the weighing platform of each respective calibration weight of the one or more calibration weights.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the metering device further comprises a placement system that permits free reciprocating movement of each calibration weight of the one or more calibration weights, the placement system comprising at least one corresponding lift cylinder disposed along the perimeter of the weighing platform.

6 . An installation located at a site that manufactures rubber mixtures, wherein the installation comprises:
the system for measurement quality verification of claim 1 ; a frame supporting the system; and a supply station comprising:
a storage zone in which the raw materials required for performing one or more rubber mixing processes are metered during continuous metering processes performed by the system;
a supply hopper in which the raw materials stored at the storage zone are introduced to the system; and
a sluice equipped with a feeder means that establishes communication between the supply hopper and the metering hopper so as to manage a quantity of the raw materials introduced to the system via the supply hopper.

7 . A process of continuous metering performed by the installation of claim 6 , the process comprising the following steps:
a step of performing a measurement quality verification cycle for the raw materials, wherein the measurement quality verification cycle comprises the following steps:
a step of putting the metering device into volumetric mode, during which step a target flow rate of the raw materials stored in the metering hopper is metered;
a step of raising the metering device from the lowered position to the raised position, during which step a zero control of the scale is performed;
a step of recording a weight value of the raw materials given by the scale, the step of recording the weight value being performed once the zero control is obtained during the step of raising the metering device;
a step of applying at least one of the one or more calibration weights to the upper surface of the weighing platform, this step being performed once the zero control is obtained and once the weight value given by the scale is recorded;
a step of checking the one or more calibration weights including a step of comparing the weight value with an expected value of the one or more calibration weights; and
a step of removing each calibration weight of the one or more calibration weights from the weighing platform, during which each calibration weight of the one or more calibration weights is brought into the removed position of each respective calibration weight of the one or more calibration weights; and
a step of performing a filling cycle of the metering hopper that occurs during the measurement quality verification cycle, wherein the filling cycle comprises the following steps:
a step of recording a value for a volume and a weight of raw materials inside the metering hopper, which is performed just before applying a command to raise the metering device; and
a step of calculating a volume and a weight of the raw materials to be introduced into the metering hopper, a calculation thereof being target values for a volume and a weight of the raw materials that would be in the metering hopper at a high level minus the values for the volume and the weight of the raw materials inside the metering hopper, which were previously recorded in the step of recording a weight of the raw materials inside the metering hopper,
wherein the filling cycle starts once the zero control is obtained and once the weight value given by the scale is recorded.

8 . The process of claim 7 , wherein the filling cycle of the process comprises a step of operating the feeder means of the sluice when the calculation, taken during the step of calculating the volume and the weight of the raw materials to be introduced into the metering hopper, indicates a deviation between the volume and the weight of the raw materials that would be in the metering hopper at the high level and the volume and the weight that is calculated based on an estimation of a volume and a weight of the raw materials passed through the feeder means of the sluice.

9 . The process of claim 8 , wherein the sluice shuts off as soon as the volume transferred is greater than or equal to the volume of the raw materials to be introduced into the metering hopper, which was previously calculated during the step of calculating the volume and the weight of the raw materials to be introduced into the metering hopper.

10 . The process of claim 7 , wherein the measurement quality verification cycle further comprises a step of resting the metering device on the weighing platform.

Assignees

• Michelin & Cie

Inventors

• Grandry Sebastien

Classifications

• B29B7/726

  Measuring properties of mixture, e.g. temperature or density (B29B7/724 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29B7/603

  in measured doses, e.g. proportioning of several materials · CPC title

• G01G13/24

  Weighing mechanism control arrangements for automatic feed or discharge · CPC title

• B29B7/94

  Liquid charges · CPC title

• B29B7/90

  Fillers or reinforcements {, e.g. fibres} · CPC title