Powder supply device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9376272-B2
Application number	US-201414575747-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2014
Priority date	Jan 7, 2014
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

Provided is a powder supply device that can stably supply powder from a main hopper to a powder supply means including a sub-hopper without requiring component replacement and the like. The powder supply device is provided with: a first piping that guides powder accumulated in a main hopper downward; a second piping that is connected to the first piping at a lower end portion thereof while intersecting with the first piping, and that guides the powder guided by the first piping to a sub-hopper; and a switching valve that pressure-feeds the powder temporarily deposited while forming an angle of repose at an intersecting portion of the first piping and the second piping, to the sub-hopper.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A powder supply device that supplies powder accumulated in a first hopper to a second hopper,
the device comprising:
a first piping that guides the powder accumulated in the first hopper downward in a vertical direction of the powder supply device;
a second piping that is connected to the first piping at a lower end portion thereof while intersecting with the first piping, and that guides the powder guided by the first piping to the second hopper; and
a switching valve for switching a supply of a carrier gas that pressure-feeds the powder which is temporarily deposited while forming an angle of repose at an intersecting portion of the first piping and the second piping, the switching valve being disposed in the second piping and on an upstream side of the intersecting portion of the first piping and the second piping,
wherein the second piping includes a bend portion bent downward, a lower end of the bend portion being connected to an upper portion of the second hopper such that an entirety of the second hopper is disposed below the second piping in the vertical direction of the powder supply device.

2. The powder supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the second piping is extended along a horizontal direction.

3. The powder supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the first piping is extended along the vertical direction.

4. The powder supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the second piping includes a curved portion protruding downward at the intersecting portion.

5. The powder supply device according to claim 2 , wherein the first piping is extended along the vertical direction.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Akio
• Kidera Kenji
• Kume Norikazu

Classifications

• B65G53/10 Primary

  with pneumatic injection of the materials by the propelling gas · CPC title

• B23K26/00

  Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring · CPC title

• B23K26/144

  the fluid stream containing particles, e.g. powder · CPC title