Abrasive Supply Apparatus with Rotating Disc and Piston Sealing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing abrasive supply apparatuses fail to maintain a constant abrasive flow during blasting processes, especially with dry ice or ice particles, due to leakage of compressed gas and abrasive, leading to uneven processing and contamination of the work environment.
Innovation Solution
A rotating disc with measuring holes is used, combined with an abrasive charge section allowing pressureless abrasive introduction and an abrasive mixing section with cylinders and pistons to mix compressed gas and abrasive, preventing gas and abrasive leakage by maintaining contact between pistons and the disc, ensuring a constant abrasive supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a pressure vessel abrasive tank is used to eject abrasive, then abrasive can be supplied in a constant amount, but the tank cannot be replenished during blasting work and requires predetermined charging
Solution Approach 1:
The abrasive tank is divided into an upper storage chamber and a lower pressure chamber separated by a partition wall. The upper chamber stores abrasive without pressure, while the lower chamber receives pressurized abrasive. This segmentation allows continuous supply while enabling easy replenishment in the upper chamber during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Abrasive is preliminarily stored in the upper chamber before being transferred to the lower pressure chamber. This preliminary storage allows the system to maintain constant pressure supply in the lower chamber while the upper chamber can be replenished without interrupting the blasting operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dry ice or ice particles are stored in a heap, then they can be supplied as abrasive, but the particles adhere to form lumps and cannot be charged into measuring holes
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesion problem is avoided by extracting dry ice or ice particles from heap storage and immediately transferring them through the pressure differential system. The particles are taken directly from the upper chamber through the partition wall opening into the lower chamber, preventing lump formation that would occur with heap storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state and movement of abrasive particles are changed by applying pressure differential. The pressure difference across the partition wall forces particles to move individually from the upper to lower chamber, preventing the adhesion and lumping that occurs when particles are stored in heaps at atmospheric pressure.
3Speed
If rotation allowance clearances are provided for smooth disc rotation, then the disc rotates smoothly, but compressed gas and abrasive leak through the clearances
Solution Approach 1:
A seal member is introduced as an intermediary between the rotating disc and the stationary housing. This seal member allows the disc to rotate smoothly while preventing the leakage of compressed gas and abrasive through the clearance, thus resolving the contradiction between rotational smoothness and leakage prevention.
4Productivity
If abrasive is charged under pressure, then it can be supplied continuously, but dry ice and ice particles adhere and cannot be charged properly
Solution Approach 1:
Different pressure conditions are applied in different locations: the upper chamber maintains atmospheric or low pressure for storing and charging abrasive (especially dry ice and ice particles) without adhesion, while the lower chamber applies pressure for continuous supply. This local differentiation of pressure quality allows both continuous supply and proper charging of sensitive materials.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution allows for continuous, accurate supply of abrasives, including dry ice and ice particles, without gas leakage, maintaining processing accuracy and preventing contamination, while reducing the load on the motor driving the rotating disc.
Implementation Method 1
abrasive contained in the abrasive tank 110 is charged into the measuring holes 121
Implementation Method 2
a compressed-air flow from the air introduction path 112 to the abrasive transport path 111 acquires the abrasive from each of the measuring holes 121 and is mixed with the abrasive
Implementation Method 3
When compressed gas is introduced into the cylinders 41, 42, the pistons 43, 44 are moved by the compressed gas
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for supplying a constant amount of abrasive which can supply even dry ice particles, ice particles, or the like as abrasive in a constant amount is provided. In order to take out abrasive contained in measuring holes 21 of a rotating disc 20, an abrasive mixing section 40 for blowing a compressed gas into each of the measuring holes 21 has a cylinder 41′ which opens toward one surface of the rotating disc at the position where the measuring holes are formed. A piston 43′ is inserted into the cylinder. A fluid channel 45 opens toward the cylinder 41′ through the intermediary of the rotating disc 20 and whose opening rim 45a is in sliding contact with another surface of the rotating disc 20. One of the cylinder 41′ and the fluid channel 45 communicates with a compressed-gas supply source through the intermediary of a compressed-gas introduction path 52. The other one of the cylinder 41′ and the fluid channel 45 communicates with the abrasive transport path 51. The piston 43′ has a through-hole 43a passing therethrough in such a manner as to coincide with the position where the measuring holes are formed.