阅读说明：本技术 能够检测压力及分散度的混炼装置及其制造方法 (Kneading device capable of detecting pressure and dispersion degree and method for manufacturing same ) 是由 齐藤久司 木岛敬昌 于 2020-02-10 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明的课题在于提供一种即使在混炼处理中也能够准确且直接地确认混炼装置内的混炼物的状态的混炼装置。为了解决上述课题,提供一种混炼装置,其使分散质分散于非导电性材料中,其特征在于,具备：压力测量部,具有与由所述非导电性材料和所述分散质构成的混炼物接触的受压部,并且测量施加于由所述非导电性材料和所述分散质构成的混炼物的压力值；及判定部,根据所述压力测量部所测量的压力值来判定所述非导电性材料中的所述分散质的分散状态。(The invention provides a kneading device which can accurately and directly confirm the state of a kneaded material in the kneading device even in a kneading process. In order to solve the above problem, a kneading apparatus for dispersing a dispersoid in a non-conductive material is provided, comprising: a pressure measuring section having a pressure receiving section that is in contact with a kneaded product composed of the non-conductive material and the dispersoid, and measuring a pressure value applied to the kneaded product composed of the non-conductive material and the dispersoid; and a determination unit that determines a dispersion state of the dispersoid in the non-conductive material based on the pressure value measured by the pressure measurement unit.)

1. A kneading apparatus for dispersing a dispersoid in a non-conductive material, comprising:

a pressure measuring section having a pressure receiving section that is in contact with a kneaded product composed of the non-conductive material and the dispersoid, and measuring a pressure value applied to the kneaded product composed of the non-conductive material and the dispersoid; and

a determination unit that determines a dispersion state of the dispersoid in the non-conductive material based on the pressure value measured by the pressure measurement unit.

2. The kneading apparatus according to claim 1,

the dispersoid is a dispersoid with conductivity,

the kneading apparatus further comprises an electrical characteristic measuring unit having an electrode unit that is in contact with the kneaded product composed of the non-conductive material and the conductive dispersoid, and a voltage applying unit that applies a predetermined voltage for measurement between a pair of electrodes included in the electrode unit, and measuring an electrical characteristic value of the kneaded product,

the determination section corrects a relationship between the electrical characteristic value measured by the electrical characteristic measurement section and a dispersion state using the pressure value measured by the pressure measurement section, thereby determining the dispersion state of the dispersoid having conductivity in the non-conductive material.

3. The kneading apparatus according to claim 2,

further comprising a temperature measuring unit having a thermosensitive part that comes into contact with a kneaded product composed of the non-conductive material and the conductive dispersoid and measuring a temperature value of the kneaded product composed of the non-conductive material and the conductive dispersoid,

the determination unit corrects a relationship between an electrical characteristic value measured by the electrical characteristic measurement unit and a dispersion state using a pressure value measured by the pressure measurement unit and a temperature value measured by the temperature measurement unit, thereby determining a dispersion state of the dispersoid having conductivity in the non-conductive material.

4. The kneading apparatus according to claim 3,

the electrical characteristic measuring unit and the pressure measuring unit are disposed in close proximity to each other.

5. The kneading apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4,

the electrode portion has a cylindrical shape, and the pressure receiving portion is disposed inside the cylindrical electrode portion.

6. A method for producing a kneaded product by dispersing a dispersoid in a non-conductive material, the method comprising:

a pressure measurement step of measuring a pressure value applied to a kneaded product composed of the non-conductive material and the dispersoid; and

a determination step of determining a dispersion state of the dispersoid in the non-conductive material based on the pressure value measured in the pressure measurement step.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a kneading apparatus for uniformly mixing two or more substances in all fields of chemical industry, plastic industry, pharmaceutical industry, and the like.

Background

A kneading apparatus is widely used, and for example, in the production of rubber products, an internal kneading apparatus is used in a step of mixing and kneading a raw material rubber and an additive such as an additive ingredient or a filler to produce a compounded rubber. For example, patent document 1 describes a horizontal twin-shaft kneading apparatus in which two mixing chambers are arranged in parallel, the two mixing chambers are connected to each other via a region below a ram and a region above a bridge, and a plurality of rotor blades having shape characteristics are attached to each of the two mixing chambers. In this horizontal twin-shaft kneading apparatus, the rotors are arranged parallel to each other and are rotatable, and by rotating these rotors in opposite directions to each other, the kneaded material can be transferred between the mixing spaces.

Patent document 1: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 4-166222

In kneading of rubber and the like, it is necessary to finely divide the additive and uniformly disperse the additive in the rubber raw material, and thus poor dispersion causes deterioration in the quality of the rubber product.

Therefore, in the internal kneading apparatus, the kneading time, the temperature inside the kneading apparatus, the power consumption, the position of the ram, and other externally observable values are measured, and the kneading process is managed when these values reach predetermined values, thereby maintaining the product quality constant. However, these values are merely indirect representations of the state of the kneaded product, and it is not clear what state the kneaded product is actually in. On the other hand, as a method of directly checking the state of the kneaded material, there is a method of opening the internal kneading apparatus, sampling a part of the kneaded material, and performing a predetermined inspection of the sampled kneaded material, but this is not preferable from the viewpoint of work efficiency.

Therefore, a kneading apparatus capable of accurately confirming the state of a kneaded material without sampling the kneaded material is desired.

Disclosure of Invention

That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a kneading apparatus capable of accurately confirming the state of a kneaded material in the kneading apparatus even during a kneading process.

The present inventors have conducted intensive studies on the above problems, and as a result, have obtained the following findings: in the kneading apparatus, the dispersion state of the dispersoid in the kneaded material can be accurately determined based on the pressure value applied to the kneaded material composed of the non-conductive material and the dispersoid. The present invention has been accomplished based on this finding.

That is, the present invention relates to a kneading apparatus and a method for producing a kneaded product as follows.

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a kneading apparatus for dispersing a dispersoid in a non-conductive material, the kneading apparatus comprising: a pressure measuring section having a pressure receiving section that is in contact with a kneaded product composed of the non-conductive material and the dispersoid, and measuring a pressure value applied to the kneaded product composed of the non-conductive material and the dispersoid; and a determination unit that determines a dispersion state of the dispersoid in the non-conductive material based on the pressure value measured by the pressure measurement unit.

In a kneaded product containing a dispersoid, an index indicating a dispersion state of the dispersoid varies depending on a pressure value applied to the kneaded product. Therefore, according to the kneading apparatus, the dispersion state of the dispersoid in the kneaded material is determined based on the pressure value applied to the kneaded material, and therefore, the dispersion state of the kneaded material can be accurately determined.

In addition, an embodiment of the kneading apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the dispersoid is a conductive dispersoid, the kneading apparatus further includes an electrical characteristic measurement unit that has an electrode unit that comes into contact with a kneaded product composed of a non-conductive material and the conductive dispersoid, and a voltage application unit that applies a predetermined voltage for measurement between a pair of electrodes included in the electrode unit, and measures an electrical characteristic value of the kneaded product, and the determination unit determines the dispersion state of the conductive dispersoid in the non-conductive material by correcting a relationship between the electrical characteristic value measured by the electrical characteristic measurement unit and the dispersion state using a pressure value measured by the pressure measurement unit.

In a kneaded product containing a dispersoid having conductivity, an index indicating a dispersion state of the dispersoid varies depending on a pressure value applied to the kneaded product. Therefore, according to the above feature, the electrical characteristic value of the kneaded material containing the dispersoid having conductivity is measured, the dispersion state of the dispersoid having conductivity in the kneaded material is measured from the electrical characteristic value, and the correction is performed based on the pressure value measured by the pressure measuring unit, whereby the dispersion state of the kneaded material can be confirmed directly and accurately.

In addition, an embodiment of the kneading apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the kneading apparatus further includes a temperature measuring unit that has a heat sensitive portion that is in contact with the kneaded product composed of the non-conductive material and the dispersoid having conductivity, and that measures a temperature value of the kneaded product composed of the non-conductive material and the dispersoid having conductivity, and the determining unit determines the dispersion state of the dispersoid having conductivity in the non-conductive material by correcting a relationship between the electrical characteristic value measured by the electrical characteristic measuring unit and the dispersion state using a pressure value measured by the pressure measuring unit and a temperature value measured by the temperature measuring unit.

In a kneaded product containing a dispersoid having conductivity, an index indicating a dispersion state of the dispersoid varies depending on a temperature value of the kneaded product. Therefore, according to the above feature, the electrical characteristic value of the kneaded product including the electrically conductive dispersoid is measured, the dispersion state of the electrically conductive dispersoid in the kneaded product is measured from the electrical characteristic value, and the dispersion state of the kneaded product is corrected using the pressure value measured by the pressure measuring unit and the temperature value measured by the temperature measuring unit, whereby the dispersion state of the kneaded product can be directly and accurately confirmed.

In one embodiment of the kneading apparatus of the present invention, the electrical characteristic measuring unit and the pressure measuring unit are disposed in close proximity to each other.

If an electrical characteristic measuring section for measuring an electrical characteristic value of the kneaded product and a pressure measuring section for measuring a pressure value applied to the kneaded product are provided at positions apart from each other in the apparatus, the electrical characteristic value and the pressure value may be values measured for the kneaded products in different states. According to this kneading apparatus, since the electrical characteristic measuring unit and the pressure measuring unit are disposed close to each other, the electrical characteristic value and the pressure value can be measured with respect to the kneaded material in the same or similar state. Therefore, the kneading apparatus exhibits the following effects: when the characteristic value is corrected using the pressure value, appropriate correction is obtained, and the dispersion state of the kneaded material can be determined more accurately.

In one embodiment of the kneading apparatus of the present invention, the electrode portion has a cylindrical shape, and the pressure receiving portion is disposed inside the cylindrical electrode portion.

According to this kneading apparatus, the pressure value and the electrical characteristic value can be measured at the same position of the kneaded material by arranging the positions at which the pressure value and the electrical characteristic value are measured in a limited manner. Therefore, the kneading apparatus exhibits the following effects: when the characteristic value is corrected using the pressure value, appropriate correction is obtained, and the dispersion state of the kneaded material can be determined more accurately.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a kneading method for producing a kneaded product by dispersing a dispersoid in a non-conductive material, the method comprising the steps of: a pressure measurement step of measuring a pressure value applied to a kneaded product composed of the non-conductive material and the dispersoid; and a determination step of determining a dispersion state of the dispersoid in the non-conductive material based on the pressure value measured in the pressure measurement step.

According to the method for producing a kneaded product, the dispersion state of the dispersoid having conductivity in the kneaded product is determined based on the pressure value applied to the kneaded product, and therefore, the dispersion state of the kneaded product can be accurately determined.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a kneading apparatus capable of accurately and directly confirming the state of a kneaded material in the kneading apparatus even during a kneading process.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing the structure of a kneading apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Wherein (A) is a front cross-sectional view of the kneading apparatus, and (B) is a plan view of the kneading apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a schematic explanatory view showing a structure of a pressure measuring unit attached to a kneading apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic explanatory view showing the configuration of an electrical characteristic measuring unit attached to a kneading apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. An example of the electrical characteristic measuring unit in which the electrode unit is flush with the inner surface of the mixing chamber is shown.

FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory view showing another embodiment of an electrical characteristic measuring section attached to a kneading apparatus of the present invention. Wherein (A) is a schematic explanatory view of the electrical characteristic measurement section in a shape in which the electrode section protrudes toward the mixing chamber side, and (B) is a schematic explanatory view of the electrical characteristic measurement section in a shape in which the electrode section recedes toward the outer wall side of the housing.

FIG. 5 is a schematic explanatory view showing the arrangement of a pressure measuring section and an electrical characteristic measuring section attached to the kneading apparatus of the present invention. Wherein (A) is a schematic explanatory view showing a kneading apparatus in which a pressure measuring section and an electrical property measuring section are disposed in a curved surface portion, and (B) is a schematic explanatory view showing a kneading apparatus in which a pressure measuring section and an electrical property measuring section are disposed in a flat surface portion.

Fig. 6 is a schematic explanatory view showing a configuration of a composite measuring section attached to a kneading apparatus according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. Wherein (A) is a front sectional view of a composite measuring section attached to a kneading apparatus, and (B) is a plan view of the composite measuring section attached to the kneading apparatus.

Fig. 7 is a schematic explanatory view showing another embodiment of the composite measurement unit. Wherein (a) is a plan view when the pressure-receiving portion of the composite measurement portion is formed in a substantially quadrangular prism shape and the 1 st electrode, the 2 nd electrode, and the insulating member are formed in a substantially quadrangular cylindrical shape, and (B) is a plan view when the pressure-receiving portion of the composite measurement portion is formed in a substantially quadrangular prism shape and the 1 st electrode, the 2 nd electrode, and the insulating member are formed in a substantially cylindrical shape.

In the figure: 1A, 1B-kneading apparatus, 2-casing, 2 a-inlet, 2B-outlet, 2C-semi-cylindrical left wall, 2 d-semi-cylindrical right wall, 2 e-front wall, 2 f-rear wall, 2 g-inlet cover, 2 h-outlet cover, 3-rotor, 3 a-shaft, 3B-blade, 4-mixing chamber, 5-pressure measuring section, 5 a-pressure receiving section, 5B-buffer section, 5C-pressure sensor, 5 d-guide, 5 e-pressure plate, 5 f-bolt, 6A, 6B, 6C-electrical characteristics measuring section, 6A-1 st electrode section, 6B-2 nd electrode section, 6C-insulating member, 6 d-voltage applying section, 7-temperature measuring part, 8-determining part, 9-composite measuring part, 9 a-pressure part, 9 b-buffer part, 9 c-pressure sensor, 9 d-guide part, 9 e-1 st electrode, 9 f-2 nd electrode, 9 g-insulating part, 9 h-voltage applying part, 9 i-pressing plate, 9 j-bolt, 9 k-pressure part, 9 l-1 st electrode, 9 m-insulating part and 9 n-2 nd electrode.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments of the kneading apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The kneading apparatuses described in the embodiments are merely examples for explaining the kneading apparatus according to the present invention, and are not limited thereto.

In the following embodiments, the explanation of the kneading apparatus may be replaced with the explanation of each step of the corresponding method for producing a kneaded product.

The kneading apparatus of the present invention is a kneading apparatus for dispersing a dispersoid in a nonconductive material. The nonconductive material is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include polymer materials such as rubber products, plastic products, and films.

The dispersoid in the present invention is a granular material, and may be a non-conductive dispersoid or a conductive dispersoid. Examples of the nonconductive dispersoid include silica particles and sulfur particles, and examples of the conductive dispersoid include carbon particles and metal powder.

[ 1 st embodiment ]

Fig. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing the structure of a kneading apparatus 1A according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. In fig. 1 (a), a one-dot chain line indicates electrical connection between the respective portions. In embodiment 1, a nonconductive material (i.e., a resin used for a rubber product) and a dispersoid (i.e., conductive carbon particles) are kneaded.

As shown in fig. 1 (a), the kneading apparatus 1A mainly includes: a case 2 containing a non-conductive material such as a polymer material and a dispersoid therein; a pair of rotors 3 disposed inside the casing 2; a pressure measuring unit 5 and an electrical characteristic measuring unit 6 disposed in the case 2; and a determination unit 8 disposed outside the case 2 and electrically connected to the pressure measurement unit 5 and the electrical characteristic measurement unit 6.

The nonconductive material and the dispersoid may be collectively referred to as "kneaded material" or "kneaded material".

As shown in fig. 1 (a) and (B), the housing 2 is configured as follows: a mixing chamber 4 surrounded by a semi-cylindrical left wall portion 2c, a semi-cylindrical right wall portion 2d, a front wall portion 2e, and a rear wall portion 2f is formed, and an inlet port 2a for introducing a kneaded material is provided in the top surface of the mixing chamber 4, and an outlet port 2b for discharging a kneaded material is provided in the bottom surface of the mixing chamber 4. The inlet port 2a and the outlet port 2b are provided with an inlet port lid portion 2g and an outlet port lid portion 2h, respectively, so that the mixing chamber 4 can be sealed. The inner surface shapes of the inlet cover 2g and the outlet cover 2h are semi-cylindrical together with the inner surface shapes of the semi-cylindrical left wall 2c and the semi-cylindrical right wall 2 d. The semi-cylindrical left wall portion 2c and the semi-cylindrical right wall portion 2d form a portion of the casing 2 surrounding the pair of rotors 3. The front wall portion 2e and the rear wall portion 2f are disposed so as to be orthogonal to the shaft portion 3a of the rotor 3 in the housing 2. The inner surface shape of the casing 2 can be appropriately determined according to the shape of the vane portions 3b of the rotor 3, and the inner surface shapes of the inlet cover portion and the outlet cover portion can be appropriately determined according to the installation position. For example, when the inlet cover is disposed on the top surface of the housing 2, the inner surface shape may be a flat shape.

The inlet cover 2g is disposed to be movable up and down with respect to the housing 2. In a state where the inlet lid portion 2g is moved upward to open the upper portion of the casing 2, a non-conductive material and a dispersion having conductivity are charged into the mixing chamber 4 as kneading materials. Next, the inlet lid portion 2g is moved downward to seal the mixing chamber 4. The kneading of the kneading materials is performed by rotating the rotor 3 in a state where the mixing chamber 4 is sealed. In addition, the inlet cover 2g may be pressurized toward the mixing chamber 4 by a driving device such as an air cylinder during kneading.

When the nonconductive material and the conductive dispersoid are mixed, the resulting kneaded material is discharged from the discharge port 2 b. The discharge port cover portion 2h is provided in the casing 2 so as to be able to open and close the discharge port 2 b.

The rotor 3 includes a shaft portion 3a and blade portions 3b formed on a surface of the shaft portion 3 a. The blade portion 3b is formed in a spiral shape along the shaft portion 3a in the mixing chamber 4. The rotor 3 is driven to rotate by a rotor driving device (not shown) such as an electric motor to perform kneading.

The rotation direction and speed of the rotor 3 are not particularly limited as long as they are set to allow sufficient kneading. For example, the rotation of the rotors 3 may be a non-meshing type in which the rotation directions of the pair of rotors 3 are different from each other, or a meshing type in which the pair of rotors 3 rotate in the same direction.

The size and shape of the blades of the blade section 3b and the period of the spiral structure may be set arbitrarily as long as the flow operation of the kneaded material in the mixing chamber 4 can be optimized and the kneaded material can be sufficiently kneaded.

Further, when the kneading is performed by the rotor 3, heat is generated by shearing, deformation, or the like of the kneaded product, and the kneaded product may become high in temperature. Since the kneaded material may be degraded when the temperature of the kneaded material is increased, a temperature adjusting mechanism for adjusting the temperature inside the mixing chamber 4 may be provided. Examples of the temperature adjusting mechanism include a mechanism for indirectly cooling the kneaded product by flowing a refrigerant to a water jacket disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the casing or a cavity formed inside the rotor, and a mechanism for directly cooling the kneaded product by flowing cold air to the inside of the mixing chamber 4.

(pressure measuring section)

Fig. 2 is a sectional view for explaining the structure of the pressure measuring unit 5. The pressure measuring unit 5 includes: a pressure receiving portion 5a provided on the mixing chamber side surface of the casing 2 at a position contacting the kneaded material, a buffer portion 5b and a pressure sensor 5c located below the pressure receiving portion, and a guide 5d surrounding the periphery of the pressure receiving portion and the pressure sensor. The pressure measuring unit 5 is fixed to the case 2 by a pressure plate 5e and bolts 5 f.

The pressure measuring section 5 is configured to detect a pressure generated by the contact of the kneaded material during kneading with the pressure receiving section 5a via the buffer section 5b by the pressure sensor 5 c. Since the pressure value becomes constant as the kneaded material is kneaded in a smooth state, the dispersion state of the kneaded material can be confirmed by detecting the pressure by the pressure measuring section 5.

The installation position and the number of the pressure measurement units 5 are not particularly limited. The installation position is arranged on at least one of the inlet cover 2g, the outlet cover 2h, the semi-cylindrical left wall 2c, the semi-cylindrical right wall 2d, the front wall 2e, and the rear wall 2f of the housing 2. The pressure measurement unit 5 may be provided at a position where the mixing chamber side surface of the inlet cover portion 2g, the outlet cover portion 2h, the semi-cylindrical left wall portion 2c, and the semi-cylindrical right wall portion 2d of the casing 2 is curved as shown in fig. 5 (a), or may be provided at a position where the mixing chamber side surface of the casing 2 is flat as shown in fig. 5 (B). Further, since the kneaded material is pressed against the curved surface portion by the rotation of the rotor 3, the pressure applied to the kneaded material can be more accurately expressed by providing the pressure measuring unit 5 at the curved surface portion.

(temperature measuring section)

The temperature measuring unit 7 is provided so as to be in contact with the kneaded material on the mixing chamber side surface of the casing 2. The temperature measuring unit 7 sends the temperature detected by the thermosensitive part in contact with the kneaded material to the determining unit 8.

The installation position and the number of the temperature measuring units 7 are not particularly limited. The installation position is arranged on at least one of the inlet cover 2g, the outlet cover 2h, the semi-cylindrical left wall 2c, the semi-cylindrical right wall 2d, the front wall 2e, and the rear wall 2f of the housing 2. The resistance value that decreases due to the temperature rise can be corrected based on the temperature measured by the temperature measuring section 7. In order to determine the dispersion state of the kneaded material more accurately, the temperature measuring unit 7 is preferably provided in the vicinity of the pressure measuring unit 5.

(electric characteristic measuring section)

Fig. 3 is a schematic explanatory view for explaining the structure of the electrical characteristic measurement unit 6. The electrical characteristic measurement unit 6 includes: a pair of electrodes (a 1 st electrode portion 6a and a 2 nd electrode portion 6b) provided at portions of the casing 2 which are in contact with the kneaded material on the mixing chamber-side surface; and a voltage applying unit 6d for applying a voltage for measurement between the pair of electrodes. As shown in fig. 3, the electrical characteristic measurement unit 6 further includes an insulating member 6c for electrically insulating the 1 st electrode 6a and the 2 nd electrode 6 b.

When the voltage applying unit 6d applies a measuring voltage to the pair of electrodes (the 1 st electrode 6a and the 2 nd electrode 6b), a current flows through the kneaded material in contact with the 1 st electrode 6a and the 2 nd electrode 6 b. The electrical characteristic measuring unit 6 then obtains an electrical characteristic value of the current flowing through the kneaded material. Here, the electrical property value is not particularly limited as long as it is a parameter indicating the ease of flowing of the current flowing through the kneaded material, and examples thereof include a current value, a voltage value, and a resistance value.

The installation position and the number of the electrical characteristic measuring units 6 are not particularly limited. The installation position is arranged on at least one of the inlet cover 2g, the outlet cover 2h, the semi-cylindrical left wall 2c, the semi-cylindrical right wall 2d, the front wall 2e, and the rear wall 2f of the housing 2. The electrical characteristic measuring unit 6 may be provided at a position where the mixing chamber side surface of the inlet cover portion 2g, the outlet cover portion 2h, the semi-cylindrical left wall portion 2c, and the semi-cylindrical right wall portion 2d of the casing 2 is curved as shown in fig. 5 (a), or may be provided at a position where the mixing chamber side surface of the casing 2 is flat as shown in fig. 5 (B). However, it is preferable that the pressure measuring unit is provided at a position where a pressure of the same level as the pressure value measured by the pressure measuring unit 5 is applied, and for example, in the case where the pressure measuring unit 5 is provided at a curved surface portion, the electrical characteristic measuring unit 6 is also preferably provided at a curved surface portion, and in the case where the pressure measuring unit 5 is provided at a flat surface portion, the electrical characteristic measuring unit 6 is also preferably provided at a flat surface portion. The pressure measuring unit 5 and the electrical characteristic measuring unit 6 are particularly preferably provided in a curved surface portion from the viewpoint of accurately representing the pressure applied to the kneaded material and accurately determining the dispersion state.

Further, as for the arrangement of the pair of electrodes (i.e., the 1 st electrode 6a and the 2 nd electrode 6b) of the electrical characteristic measurement section 6, it is preferable to arrange them along the shaft section 3a of the rotor 3 and to arrange them in parallel to each other. Since the kneaded material moves so as to surround the periphery of the rotor 3 by the rotation of the rotor 3, when a pair of electrodes is arranged along the periphery of the shaft portion 3a of the rotor 3, the kneaded material moves between the electrodes. Therefore, the moving speed of the kneaded material also changes according to the number of revolutions (rotational speed) of the rotor 3, and thus the distance of the kneaded material between the pair of electrodes changes. On the other hand, if a pair of electrodes are arranged parallel to each other along the shaft portion 3a of the rotor 3, the distance between the kneaded material and the pair of electrodes is constant even if the rotation speed of the rotor 3 is changed, and therefore, the electrical characteristic value can be accurately measured.

The material and shape of the 1 st electrode 6a and the 2 nd electrode 6b are not limited as long as they can measure the resistance value of the kneaded material in the mixing chamber 4. Examples of the material of the 1 st electrode 6a and the 2 nd electrode 6b include a metal round rod and a metal square rod. The shape of the 1 st electrode 6a and the 2 nd electrode 6B may be, for example, a shape in which the tips of the 1 st electrode 6a and the 2 nd electrode 6B which come into contact with the kneaded material are flush with the inner surface of the mixing chamber 4 as shown in fig. 3, a shape in which the 1 st electrode 6a portion and the tips of the 2 nd electrode 6B protrude from the inner surface of the mixing chamber 4 toward the mixing chamber 4 as shown in fig. 4 (a), or a shape in which the tips of the 1 st electrode 6a and the 2 nd electrode 6B recede from the inner surface of the mixing chamber 4 toward the outer wall of the casing as shown in fig. 4 (B). As shown in fig. 4 (B), when the tips of the 1 st electrode 6a and the 2 nd electrode 6B recede toward the outer wall of the casing, a concave portion may be formed in the inner wall of the mixing chamber 4, and the concave portion may be clogged with the kneaded material. Therefore, the front end of the electrode preferably protrudes on the same plane as the inner surface of the mixing chamber 4 or toward the mixing chamber 4 side. Moreover, when the front end of the electrode is flush with the inner surface of the mixing chamber 4, the following advantages are obtained: when the kneading is carried out, the kneaded material is not accidentally sheared.

The insulating member 6c may be made of any material and disposed so as to be able to insulate between the 1 st electrode 6a and the 2 nd electrode 6 b. The insulating member 6c is made of, for example, a resin member having a large electric resistance. The insulating member 6c is also disposed between the 1 st electrode 6a and the 2 nd electrode 6b and the case 2.

The electrical characteristic measuring unit 6 transmits an electrical characteristic value related to the current flowing between the 1 st electrode 6a and the 2 nd electrode 6b to the determining unit 8, and the determining unit 8 determines the dispersion state of the dispersoid having conductivity in the non-conductive material based on the electrical characteristic value. Since the resistance value of the kneaded product becomes constant as the kneaded product is kneaded so that the dispersion of the dispersoid having conductivity becomes uniform, the dispersion state of the dispersoid in the kneaded product can be directly determined by measuring the resistance value of the kneaded product, for example.

It is considered that the relationship between the electrical characteristic value and the dispersion state varies depending on the pressure value or the temperature value of the kneaded material. The reason why the phenomenon in which the relationship between the electrical characteristic value and the dispersion state changes depending on the pressure value of the kneaded material is presumed to occur is as follows: when pressure is applied to the kneaded material, the kneaded material is compressed, and the distance of the dispersoid having conductivity in the non-conductive material is varied. That is, when pressure is applied to the kneaded material, the distance of the dispersoid having conductivity becomes small, and the resistance value decreases. The reason why the relationship between the electrical property value and the dispersion state changes depending on the temperature value of the kneaded material is presumed to be as follows: when the temperature value becomes high, the resistance value of the resin decreases. Therefore, the determination unit 8 corrects the relationship between the characteristic value and the dispersion state based on the pressure value and/or the temperature value, and can accurately determine the dispersion state of the kneaded material.

From the viewpoint of correcting the relationship between the electrical characteristic value and the dispersion state based on the pressure value or the temperature value, it is preferable to obtain the electrical characteristic value, the pressure value, and the temperature value for a kneaded product in the same state. Therefore, it is preferable to dispose the electrical characteristic measuring unit 6, the pressure measuring unit 5, and the temperature measuring unit 7 close to each other. Further, it is preferable that the electrode portion of the electrical characteristic measurement unit 6 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the pressure receiving portion of the pressure measurement unit 5 and/or the heat sensitive portion of the temperature measurement unit 7 are disposed inside the cylindrical electrode portion, so that the electrical characteristic measurement unit 6 and the pressure measurement unit 5 and/or the temperature measurement unit 7 are integrated to constitute a composite measurement unit. The shape of the electrode portion is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a cylindrical shape, an elliptical cylindrical shape, and a square cylindrical shape. The shape of the pressure-receiving portion or the heat-sensitive portion disposed inside the electrode portion is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a cylindrical shape, an elliptic cylindrical shape, and a square cylindrical shape.

When the electrical characteristic measurement unit 6, the pressure measurement unit 5, and the temperature measurement unit 7 are disposed close to each other, the positional relationship is not particularly limited, but the electrical characteristic measurement unit 6, the pressure measurement unit 5, and the temperature measurement unit 7 are preferably disposed in parallel with each other along the shaft portion 3a of the rotor 3. This makes it possible to simultaneously measure the electrical characteristic value by the electrical characteristic measuring unit 6, the pressure value by the pressure measuring unit 5, and the temperature value by the temperature measuring unit 7 for the kneaded material in the same state.

(determination section)

The determination unit 8 is electrically connected to the pressure measurement unit 5, the electrical characteristic measurement unit 6, and the temperature measurement unit 7, and receives the electrical characteristic value measured by the electrical characteristic measurement unit 6, the pressure value measured by the pressure measurement unit 5, and the temperature value measured by the temperature measurement unit 7. The determination unit 8 determines the state of dispersion of the kneaded product based on the electrical characteristic value measured by the electrical characteristic measurement unit 6, the pressure value measured by the pressure measurement unit 5, and the temperature value measured by the temperature measurement unit 7, and displays the progress of the kneading operation.

The determination in the determination unit 8 may be performed based on the results of tests performed in advance. Since the relationship between the state of the kneaded material and the electrical characteristic value, the pressure value, and the temperature value may vary depending on the combination of the nonconductive material and the dispersoid, it is preferable to measure the electrical characteristic value, the pressure value, and the temperature value in a desired dispersion state in advance for each composition of the kneaded material. In particular, when the non-conductive material is a natural material, it is preferable to perform a test in advance because of differences in quality between batches.

Thus, the determination unit 8 can give an instruction to end the kneading at the optimum kneading time, and the work efficiency can be improved.

The information transmission between the determination unit 8 and the electrical characteristic measurement unit 6, the pressure measurement unit 5, and the temperature measurement unit 7 may be performed by a communication means directly connected by a wire or the like, or may be performed by a communication means connected by wireless or the like.

According to the above features, in the kneading apparatus 1A of the present invention, while the kneaded material fed into the casing 2 is kneaded by the rotational motion of the rotor 3, the pressure measuring unit 5, the temperature measuring unit 7, and the electrical characteristic measuring unit 6 measure the electrical characteristic value, the pressure value, and the temperature value of the kneaded material, determine the dispersion state based on the electrical characteristic value, and perform correction using the pressure value and the temperature value, thereby determining the dispersion state of the dispersoids having the conductivity in the non-conductive material, and thus, the dispersion state of the kneaded material can be accurately determined. Therefore, when evaluating the dispersion state of the kneaded material, the kneading operation can be efficiently performed without performing a work such as sampling.

In embodiment 1, a conductive dispersoid is used as the dispersoid, but a non-conductive dispersoid may be used. In this case, instead of the electrical characteristic measuring unit, for example, the dispersoid may be detected by an optical method to determine the dispersion state, and this may be corrected by using the pressure value and the temperature value.

[ 2 nd embodiment ]

The kneading apparatus 1B according to embodiment 2 of the present invention is an apparatus having a composite measuring section 9 in which a pressure measuring section 5 and an electrical characteristic measuring section 6 are integrated.

Since the configuration other than the pressure measuring unit 5 and the electrical characteristic measuring unit 6 is the same as that of the kneading apparatus 1A of embodiment 1, a composite measuring unit 9 in which the pressure measuring unit 5 and the electrical characteristic measuring unit 6 are integrated will be described.

Fig. 6 (a) is a sectional view for explaining the structure of the composite measuring unit 9. The composite measurement unit 9 includes a pressure measurement unit configured to include: a pressure receiving portion 9a provided on the mixing chamber side surface of the casing 2 at a position contacting the kneaded material, a buffer portion 9b and a pressure sensor 9c positioned at the lower portion, and a guide 9d surrounding the periphery of these portions. The composite measuring unit 9 further includes an electrical characteristic measuring unit including: a cylindrical 1 st electrode 9e and a cylindrical 2 nd electrode 9f arranged around the pressure receiving portion 9a in a state of being separated by an insulating member 9g, and a voltage applying portion 9h for applying a voltage for measurement between the 1 st electrode 9e and the 2 nd electrode 9 f. The composite measuring unit 9 is provided to the case 2 by a pressure plate 9i and bolts 9 j. The pressure measuring unit and the electrical characteristic measuring unit of the composite measuring unit 9 are electrically connected to the determining unit 8.

In the composite measuring portion 9, the pressure sensor 9c detects the pressure generated by the contact of the kneaded product during kneading with the pressure receiving portion 9a via the buffer portion 9b, and measures the electrical characteristic value of the current flowing through the kneaded product between the 1 st electrode 9e and the 2 nd electrode 9 f. Accordingly, the pressure value and the electrical characteristic value can be measured at the same portion of the kneaded material, and therefore, the correlation between the pressure value and the electrical characteristic value can be accurately maintained, and the dispersion state of the kneaded material can be confirmed.

The installation position and the number of the composite measuring units 9 are not particularly limited. The installation position is arranged on at least one of the inlet cover 2g, the outlet cover 2h, the semi-cylindrical left wall 2c, the semi-cylindrical right wall 2d, the front wall 2e, and the rear wall 2f of the housing 2. In fig. 6 (a), the case of being disposed in a curved portion of the mixing chamber is illustrated, but may be disposed in a flat portion of the mixing chamber 4. The mixing chamber is preferably disposed at a curved portion of the mixing chamber from the viewpoint of appropriate pressure applied to the kneaded material.

The materials and shapes of the 1 st electrode 9e, the 2 nd electrode 9f, and the insulating member 9g of the composite measuring unit 9 are not limited as long as they are set so as to be able to measure the electrical property values of the kneaded material in the mixing chamber 4. The shape of the composite measuring portion 9 is not limited to the cylindrical shape shown in the front cross-sectional view of fig. 6 (a) or the plan view of fig. 6 (B).

The information transmission between the electrical characteristic measuring unit and the pressure measuring unit of the composite measuring unit 9 and the determining unit 8 may be performed by a communication means directly connected by a wire or the like, or may be performed by a communication means connected by wireless or the like.

As described above, the kneading apparatus 1B of the present invention measures the pressure value and the electrical characteristic value of the kneaded product in more limited ranges, and can accurately confirm the state of the kneaded product. This can improve the quality control and the work efficiency of a product containing a nonconductive material and a dispersoid having conductivity.

(other embodiment of the composite measuring section)

The shape of the composite measuring portion is not limited to the cylindrical shape shown in fig. 6, and various shapes can be adopted. Fig. 7 shows another embodiment of the composite measuring unit. For example, the composite measurement unit shown in fig. 7 (a) is a composite measurement unit including a pressure receiving portion 9k having a substantially quadrangular prism shape, a 1 st electrode 9l and a 2 nd electrode 9n having substantially quadrangular cylindrical shapes, and an insulating member 9 m. The composite measurement unit shown in fig. 7 (B) is a composite measurement unit including a pressure receiving portion having a substantially rectangular prism shape, and a 1 st electrode 9e, a 2 nd electrode 9f and an insulating member 9g having substantially cylindrical shapes.

The kneading apparatus of the present invention can be used for confirming the dispersion state of a kneaded product in a kneading process in various industrial fields. Specifically, the kneading apparatus of the present invention can improve quality control and work efficiency in a kneading process in which a dispersoid is uniformly dispersed in a non-conductive material such as a kneading material (i.e., a polymer material) of a rubber product.