Annular Double Seal Structure for Washdown Combination Scales
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sealing structures in combination scales are prone to damage during cleaning, leading to water penetration and potential malfunction, especially when multiple linear feeders are circularly arranged, as the troughs and top cones may accidentally hit the bellows, causing cracks and compromising waterproofness.
Innovation Solution
A double sealing mechanism using an annular sealing member with an upper coupler, intermediate coupler, and lower coupler, where the intermediate coupler extends to the lower coupler, providing both outer and inner sealing to prevent water penetration, along with a bulging portion to absorb vibrations and a deformable bent portion to reduce drive load, and optionally made of transparent material for visual inspection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal member is pressed against a rotating pan to prevent dust and water infiltration, then sealing performance is improved, but friction and wear increase causing measurement errors
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is designed as a flexible thin film structure that can conform to the rotating pan surface. This flexibility allows the seal to maintain contact for sealing purposes while accommodating rotational movement, thereby reducing friction and wear compared to rigid sealing structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member is configured to dynamically adapt to the rotating pan through elastic deformation. The pressurizing member applies force to maintain sealing contact, while the seal member's elastic properties allow it to flex with the rotation, preventing excessive friction that would cause measurement errors.
2Reliability
If the seal member is pressed strongly against the pan to prevent infiltration, then sealing performance is improved, but the pan becomes difficult to rotate
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible thin film seal member can deform elastically under pressure, allowing it to maintain sealing contact without creating excessive rotational resistance. The flexibility enables the seal to conform to the pan's rotation while maintaining infiltration prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member's contact pressure is optimized to balance sealing performance and rotational ease. By controlling the pressing force from the pressurizing member and utilizing the seal's elastic properties, the system achieves adequate sealing while minimizing friction that would impede rotation.
3Reliability
If the seal member is made hard to prevent infiltration, then sealing performance is improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to friction
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is specifically designed as a flexible thin film rather than a hard structure. This flexibility allows the seal to maintain contact for preventing infiltration while reducing friction during rotation, thereby avoiding measurement errors that would result from excessive friction.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member utilizes elastic deformation to adapt to the rotating pan surface. This dynamic flexibility enables the seal to maintain sealing effectiveness without the excessive friction that would occur with hard materials, thus preserving measurement accuracy.
4Reliability
If a pressurizing member is added to improve sealing, then sealing performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurizing member is integrated into the existing weighing machine structure, serving both as a structural component and as a means to apply pressing force to the seal member. This multi-functionality approach improves sealing performance without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressurizing member is combined with other structural elements of the weighing machine, merging its sealing function with existing components. This integration approach minimizes the increase in device complexity while achieving improved sealing performance.
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 double sealing mechanism effectively prevents water from entering the center base body even if the outer sealing is damaged, ensuring long-term trouble-free operation of the weighing apparatus by maintaining remarkable waterproofness and facilitating maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member, which allows the seal member to be pressed against the rotating pan
Data Source
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AI summary
A sealing structure is provided that includes a sealing member having an annular shape and elastically deformable. The sealing member is interposed between a top plate of a cabinet mounted with a vibrator and a vibrating head of the vibrator disposed in a manner that protrudes upward out of an opening of the top plate. The sealing member includes an upper coupler, an intermediate coupler continuous to the upper coupler, and a lower coupler continuous to the intermediate coupler. The upper coupler is couplable to an upper part of the vibrating head, the intermediate coupler is couplable to the top plate, and the lower coupler is couplable to a lower part of the vibrating head.