Baling Press Feed Device Counter-Air Flow Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Baling technologies face significant challenges in preventing fiber contamination of the feed device and produced bales, as loose fibers tend to contaminate the feeder and bales, leading to issues like fiber sticking and destruction, especially during fiber type changes.

Innovation Solution

A counter-air flow is directed against fiber flight to prevent contamination, and a perforated plate feed element allows air exchange, preventing fiber access to the drive and guide areas. The feed device includes an overpressure chamber with passage openings for the drive and guide elements, creating a fiber-free protective space.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a feed device is used to transport loose fiber material, then the fiber material can be fed into the baling press, but fibers contaminate the feed device and produced bales

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiber material feeding capabilityVSAvoidfiber contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into a drive area and a feed area by a partition wall with a passage opening. This segmentation isolates the drive components from direct fiber contact while allowing necessary mechanical passage, thereby preventing contamination while maintaining feeding functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A comb-like seal is introduced as an intermediary element at the passage opening. This seal acts as a barrier that allows the drive rod to pass through while blocking fibers from entering the drive area, effectively mediating between the feed area and drive area to prevent contamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the drive area is sealed to protect from fiber contamination, then fiber contamination is reduced, but drive components cannot access the feed area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiber contamination protectionVSAvoiddrive component access
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The partition wall creates a segmented structure with a controlled passage opening. This allows the drive area to be sealed off from fiber contamination while still permitting drive rods to access the feed area through the designated passage, resolving the contradiction between protection and access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The seal is applied locally at the passage opening rather than sealing the entire partition. This localized sealing approach protects against fiber contamination at the critical interface while maintaining necessary mechanical access for drive components through the passage opening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If fibers are allowed to enter the drive area, then the feed device structure is simpler, but fibers stick to and contaminate the feed device and bales

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeed device structureVSAvoidfiber sticking and contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the housing into separate drive and feed areas with a partition wall, the invention prevents fibers from reaching drive components. This simple structural division effectively eliminates fiber sticking and contamination issues without adding complex mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful factor (fibers) is extracted from the drive area by introducing a partition wall and seal. This removes the source of contamination from the sensitive drive component area, preventing sticking and contamination while maintaining overall system simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If a partition wall with passage opening is introduced to separate drive and feed areas, then fiber contamination is prevented, but the device structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiber contamination preventionVSAvoidhousing structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The partition wall with passage opening provides an effective segmentation solution that prevents fiber contamination. While it adds structural elements, the design remains relatively simple compared to alternative contamination prevention methods, achieving protection with minimal complexity increase.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

This solution effectively prevents fiber contamination of the feed device and bales by blowing away fibers with a counter-air flow and ensuring air pressure equalization, reducing fiber sticking and destruction, and maintaining a clean environment for the drive and guide components.

Implementation Method 1

a protective device (3) which protects the drive and, if necessary, guide area of the feed device (4), in particular its bearing (19), from flying fibers with a counter-air flow (27)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCounter-air flow: Fluid Spray

Implementation Method 2

The feed element (14, 15) is designed as a perforated plate and has air-permeable through-holes in the plate surface. These allow for air exchange and pressure equalization in the areas in front of and behind the perforated plate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir exchange through perforations: Permeation

Data Source

PatentEP3504056B1Feed device, baling press, and protection method
Publication Date: 2024.02.28 AUTEFA SOLUTIONS GERMANY GMBH
  • EP3504056B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3504056B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3504056B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a feed device for use on a baling press (1) and for a loose fiber material (2) to be compressed, wherein the feed device (4) has a movable and driven and possibly guided feed element (14, 15). The feed device (4) is assigned a protection device (3), which protects the drive area and possibly the guiding area of the feed device (4), in particular the bearing (19) thereof, against airborne fibers by using an opposing airstream (27).