Ball Screw Actuator for Viscous Material Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional caulking guns face issues with user fatigue due to the need for compressed air, potential loss of balance, and leakage of viscid materials due to high friction in gear-rack mechanisms, leading to inefficient and wasteful dispensing of materials.
Innovation Solution
A device utilizing a ball screw with an actuator and control circuitry, including a trigger sensor and optical sensor, to achieve stable forward and backward movement of the ball screw, reducing friction and preventing gel-drops, while allowing for effort-saving operation and reduced material waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional pneumatic caulking gun uses compressed air to push the silicon cartridge, then the silica gel can be squeezed out, but the user feels tired and may lose balance due to the need to hold the handle with hands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical compression system with an electric motor-driven ball screw mechanism. The motor automatically generates the pushing force through the ball screw's mechanical advantage, eliminating the need for users to manually compress air or hold the handle with significant force. The ball screw converts rotational motion into linear motion with high mechanical efficiency, providing stable pushing force without user fatigue.
2Productivity
If compressed air is used to eject the silicon cartridge, then the silica gel can be dispensed, but the exceed air pressure causes deformation of the silicon cartridge and unnecessary silica gel is squeezed out
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a trigger sensor that detects the user's trigger activation to control the motor's operation. When the trigger is pressed, the motor activates to push the cartridge; when released, the motor stops. This feedback mechanism ensures that air pressure is applied only when needed and at controlled levels, preventing over-pressurization that would deform the cartridge and cause material waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static compressed air storage to dynamic motor-controlled pressure application. The motor can adjust its output force based on the ball screw's mechanical characteristics and the resistance from the viscous material, providing just enough force to dispense material without excessive pressure that would deform the cartridge or cause leakage.
3Ease of operation
If a gear-rack mechanism is used in the caulking gun, then the push rod can be actuated, but the high friction causes leakage of viscid materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the high-friction gear-rack mechanism with a ball screw mechanism. The ball screw uses ball bearings to reduce friction between the screw and nut, achieving much lower friction coefficients. This allows for smooth, reliable actuation of the push rod without the stick-slip behavior that causes material leakage in gear-rack systems. The ball screw's precision and low friction ensure consistent material dispensing.
4Strength
If a ball screw is used instead of gear-rack, then friction is reduced and structure strength is improved, but the device complexity increases due to actuator and control circuitry
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex clutch mechanism from conventional electric caulking guns. By using a ball screw with inherent self-locking properties and low friction, the system achieves reliable bidirectional control (pushing forward and retracting) without needing additional clutch components. The motor directly drives the ball screw, and the trigger sensor provides simple on/off control, reducing overall device complexity despite the sophisticated ball screw mechanism.
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 device ensures a stable flux of viscid materials, prevents leakage, and reduces operational effort and costs by leveraging low friction ball screw technology and intelligent control mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing the low friction factor of a ball screw together with the rotation of an actuator to cause a stable forward moving to force a silicon cartridge forward
Implementation Method 2
the rotation of an actuator to cause a stable forward moving
Data Source
AI summary
A device for dispensing a viscid material includes a supporting body constructed by a carriage. A ball screw is installed within the supporting body. A rod piston is mounted on one end of the ball screw. A transmission module is mounted on a nut of the ball screw. The transmission module is engaged with an actuator controlled by a control circuit device. The control circuit device, which includes a switch and a circuit board, etc, controls the positive and negative rotations and the stop operation of the actuator. A trigger is set up on one side of the supporting body. When the trigger is pressed, the actuator is driven to rotate in the positive direction to drive the ball screw to move forwardly in a stable way. While the trigger is released, a sensor is activated to drive the actuator to rotate in the negative direction.