Brick Sorting Apparatus with Segmented Screen Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brick-cleaning machines are inefficient in removing mortar and debris, and often incorrectly sort bricks due to unguided brick placement and inadequate screen plate design, leading to incomplete cleaning and misalignment of bricks.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus uses V-shaped tracks with parallel sides and adjustable openings, along with positioning means and multiple sorting stations, to align and sort bricks by size, ensuring only incorrect or undersized bricks are removed, and a cleaning unit with vibrating wire nets to effectively clean all surfaces of the bricks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a screen plate with openings of different sizes is used to sort bricks, then bricks of different sizes can be separated, but a significant part of bricks or mortar is not removed and bricks of the right size do not all fall through the openings
Solution Approach 1:
The screen plate is divided into multiple rows of openings with progressively smaller sizes. The first row has largest openings for removing large debris, the second row has medium openings for smaller bricks, and the third row has smallest openings for fine sorting. This segmentation allows each row to handle specific size ranges, improving both accuracy and reliability of brick separation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the screen plate have different opening sizes tailored to specific sorting needs. The first row has larger openings for coarse sorting, the second row has medium openings for intermediate sorting, and the third row has smallest openings for precise sorting. This local differentiation ensures that each area performs its specific sorting function effectively.
2Ease of operation
If bricks are led to the screen plate in an unguided manner, then the process is simple, but the position of the bricks is random and in bulk, causing a lot of bricks to be sorted incorrectly
Solution Approach 1:
Before bricks reach the screen plate, positioning means are used to pre-align and guide them into the correct orientation and position. This preliminary action ensures that bricks are properly positioned before sorting begins, preventing incorrect sorting while maintaining operational simplicity.
3Productivity
If the screen plate construction is used for sorting, then bricks can be separated by size, but the construction causes a lot of bricks to be sorted incorrectly and does not provide sufficient removal of mortar
Solution Approach 1:
The screen plate is segmented into three distinct rows with different opening sizes, each row handling specific size ranges. This segmentation improves sorting correctness by ensuring that bricks of different sizes are processed by appropriately sized openings, while maintaining high throughput through parallel processing across all rows.
Solution Approach 2:
The sorting mechanism transitions from a single-plane screen plate to a multi-row three-dimensional structure. By adding the vertical dimension with multiple stacked rows of different opening sizes, the system achieves both high productivity and reliable sorting simultaneously.
4Manufacturing precision
If V-shaped tracks with connecting profiles are used to guide bricks, then bricks are positioned with their longitudinal dimension oriented parallel to the forward direction, but the track construction becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
V-shaped tracks with curved connecting profiles are used to guide bricks smoothly into the correct orientation. The curved geometry naturally orients bricks with their longitudinal dimension parallel to the forward direction while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that avoids excessive complexity.
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 significantly reduces incorrect sorting and ensures thorough cleaning of bricks, allowing for the efficient separation of mortar and debris, while maintaining correct alignment and size sorting, thereby improving the quality of cleaned bricks for reuse.
Implementation Method 1
a cleaning unit with vibrating wire nets to effectively clean all surfaces of the bricks
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Apparatus (1) for sorting used bricks (2). The apparatus (1) is adapted to remove mortar, debris and brick pieces from the used bricks, whereby cleaned bricks are provided. The apparatus comprises a transport unit (4) for transporting the used bricks 2 and at least one sorting unit (5) comprising sorting stations (6) for removing mortar and brick, and a cleaning unit (7) for removing the mortar adhering to the sorted used bricks (2). The transport unit (4) comprises a number of separated parallel tracks (9) adapted to transport the bricks 2 axis-parallel to the transport direction of the tracks (9), and in the tracks (9) at least one sorting station (6) is placed. The sorting station (6) is adapted to lead the used bricks (2) measuring at least a length X from one end to the other end of the brick (2), said length being parallel with the longitudinal axis of the bricks, said bricks passing the sorting unit (5).