Powder feeder, powder filling and packaging machine, and method of manufacturing powder package

Abstract

[Object] To provide a powder supply device, a powder filling packaging machine and a method of manufacturing a powder package capable of high-speed operation while suppressing false operations. [Means to Attain the Object] A powder supply device includes: a member 1 including a plate portion having holes 2 formed to penetrate through the plate portion; a moving mechanism 18 that moves the member 1 in such a manner that top openings of the holes 2 move along a specific moving path; an opening/closing member 5 that makes bottom openings of the holes 2 in closed state and opened state as the member 1 moves; a powder filling unit 14 that fills a specific amount of powders 3 in each of the holes 2 within a predetermined section in the moving path; and a sensor 4 that is provided above a path within a section other than the predetermined section in the moving path and that continuously monitors the moving path on the plate portion.

1 . A powder supply device comprising:
 a member including a plate portion having holes formed to penetrate through the plate portion;   a moving mechanism that moves the member in such a manner that top openings of the holes move along a specific moving path;   an opening/closing member that makes bottom openings of the holes in closed, state and opened state as the member moves;   a powder filling unit that fills a specific amount of powders in each of the holes within a predetermined section in the moving path; and   a sensor that is provided above a path within a section other than the predetermined section in the moving path and that continuously monitors the moving path on the plate portion.   
   
   
       2 . The powder supply device according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is provided above the moving path at a position where the bottom openings of the holes are in opened state. 
   
   
       3 . The powder supply device according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes: a light projecting unit that projects a light; and a light receiving unit that receives reflected light of the projected light, so as to detect an amount of the received light. 
   
   
       4 . The powder supply device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plate portion is in a disk shape, and
 the moving mechanism is a rotating mechanism that moves the member in such a manner that the plate portion rotates.   
   
   
       5 . The powder supply device according to  claim 1 , wherein the moving mechanism is a reciprocating mechanism that reciprocates the member. 
   
   
       6 . A powder filling packaging machine comprising:
 a member including a plate portion having holes formed to penetrate through the plate portion;   a moving mechanism that moves the member in such a manner that top openings of the holes move along a specific moving path;   an opening/closing member that makes bottom openings of the holes in closed state and opened state as the member moves;   a powder filling unit that fills a specific amount of powders in each of the holes within a predetermined section in the moving path;   a guide unit that guides the powders dropped from the holes when the bottom openings of the holes are in opened state into a packaging bag;   a sealing unit that seals the packaging bag in which powders guided by the guide unit are filled; and   a sensor that is provided above the moving path within a section other than the predetermined section in the moving path and that continuously monitors the moving path on the plate portion.   
   
   
       7 . The powder filling packaging machine according to  claim 6 , wherein the sensor is provided above the moving path at a position where the bottom openings of the holes are in opened state. 
   
   
       8 . The powder filling packaging machine according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the sensor includes: a light projecting unit that projects a light; and a light receiving unit that receives reflected light of the projected light, so as to detect an amount of the received light.   
   
   
       9 . A method of manufacturing a powder package comprising:
 moving a member including a plate portion having holes formed to penetrate through the plate portion in such a manner that top openings of the holes move along a specific moving path;   making bottom openings of the holes in closed state by an opening/closing member;   filling a specific amount of powders in each of the holes within a predetermined section in the moving path;   making the bottom openings of the holes in opened state and dropping the powders in the holes;   guiding the powders into a packaging bag positioned below the plate portion to fill the packaging bag; and sealing the packaging bag, wherein   a sensor that is provided above a path within a section other than the predetermined section in the moving path continuously monitors the moving path on the plate portion and if anomaly is detected, a predetermined operation is performed.   
   
   
       10 . The method of manufacturing a powder package according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the monitoring is performed when the bottom openings of the holes are in opened state to monitor the powders dropping from the holes.   
   
   
       11 . The method of manufacturing a powder package according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the monitoring is performed by using an optical sensor that includes: a light projecting unit that projects a light; and a light receiving unit that receives reflected light of the projected light, so as to detect an amount of the received light.