Patent ID: 6057515
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: B65G,G01G,G05D

Abstract:
A control apparatus for a powder feeder which comprises a vibrator having a top end which oscillates with elliptic motion when applied a driving voltage with a resonance frequency, a powder feed path attached to the top end of the vibrator, a powder storing hopper for feeding the powder to the powder feed path, application means for applying the resonance frequency to the vibrator according to a duty ratio, and weight sensor means for detecting a weight of the powder in the powder storing hopper, the control apparatus comprising:feeder calibration means for conducting feeder calibration before the powder feeder is used;calibration curve preparing means for preparing a calibration curve based on the feeder calibration and for storing the calibration curve;duty ratio calculation means for calculating the duty ratio corresponding to a target feed amount which is preset, based on the calibration curve prepared by the calibration curve preparing means; anddrive means for starting drive of the vibrator based on the duty ratio calculated by the duty ratio calculation means until a feed amount of the powder reaches to the target feed amount.