Powder or granular material feeding apparatus

Abstract

A powder or granular material feeding apparatus includes a guide cylinder having a plurality of gas suction holes that guides gas in an interior thereof to an outside, a filter provided on a portion of the guide cylinder where the gas suction holes are formed, a gas feed unit configured to feed inert gas, an auger including a revolving shaft positioned in the guide cylinder and a blade provided on the revolving shaft, and an suction device. The revolving shaft includes a gas feed channel configured to guide the inert gas and a gas feed port configured to allow the inert gas to eject therefrom to cause the powder or granular material to contain the inert gas. The suction device sucks the gas in the guiding cylinder to the outside of the guide cylinder.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A powder or granular material feeding apparatus comprising:
 a guide cylinder for guiding a powder or granular material, having a plurality of through holes formed thereon through which gas in an interior thereof is guided to an outside;   a filter provided on a portion of the guide cylinder where the through holes are formed to allow the gas in the interior of the guide cylinder to flow to the outside via the through holes while prevent the powder or granular material in the guide cylinder from leaking from the through holes to the outside;   a gas feed unit configured to feed inert gas;   an auger including a revolving shaft positioned in the guide cylinder and configured to rotate, and a blade provided on the revolving shaft and configured to transport the powder or granular material by being rotated by the rotation of the revolving shaft in the guide cylinder, the revolving shaft including a gas guide channel configured to guide the inert gas supplied by the gas feed portion and gas feed ports configured to allow the inert gas guided by the gas guide channel to eject therefrom to cause the powder or granular material to contain the inert gas; and   a suction device configured to suck the gas in the guide cylinder to the outside of the guide cylinder via the through holes and the filter.   
     
     
         10 . The powder or granular material feeding apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the revolving shaft includes a plurality of the gas feed ports along the revolving shaft in the axial direction, and
 the guide cylinder includes a plurality of the through holes along the axial direction so as to oppose the plurality of the gas feed ports.   
     
     
         11 . The powder or granular material feeding apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the revolving shaft includes the plurality of the gas feed ports over the entire length of the revolving shaft in the axial direction; and
 the guide cylinder includes the plurality of the through holes formed over the entire length of the guide cylinder.   
     
     
         12 . The powder or granular material feeding apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the guide cylinder includes:
 a gas non-leak portion where the through holes are not formed and opposing the gas feed ports;   an upper sucking portion having the plurality of the through holes formed therethrough and formed upstream of the gas non-leak portion in the axial direction; and   a lower sucking portion having the plurality of the through holes formed therethrough and formed downstream of the gas non-leak portion in the axial direction.   
     
     
         13 . The powder or granular material feeding apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the guide cylinder includes:
 a gas non-leak portion where the through holes are not formed and opposing the gas feed ports;   an upper sucking portion having the plurality of the through holes formed therethrough and formed upstream of the gas non-leak portion in the axial direction; and   a lower sucking portion having the plurality of the through holes formed therethrough and formed downstream of the gas non-leak portion in the axial direction.   
     
     
         14 . The powder or granular material feeding apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the guide cylinder includes a gas ejection port configured to eject the inert gas at a distal end thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The powder or granular material feeding apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the inert gas is nitrogen gas. 
     
     
         16 . The powder or granular material feeding apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the powder or granular material is grain powder. 
     
     
         17 . The powder or granular material feeding apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the powder or granular material is toner for image formation.