Bucket Wheel Unlocking Device for Bidirectional Pivoting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing paddle wheel systems for bucket wheel devices face reliability issues due to complex installation requirements and susceptibility to wear, particularly when reversing direction, as existing locking technologies are prone to dirt accumulation and require precise alignment.
Innovation Solution
A paddle wheel design featuring a holding device that allows blades to pivot automatically via gravity, eliminating the need for additional pivoting forces, with an unlocking device that interacts with the holding device to ensure reliable locking and unlocking, enabling operation in both rotation directions with reduced complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If locking bolts and contact pieces are used to fix blades in pivot positions, then the paddle wheel can operate in both directions of rotation, but the locking mechanism becomes susceptible to contamination and wear due to exposure to conveyed material
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the locking function from the blade-changing mechanism and implements it through gravity-based self-locking at pivot positions. The blades automatically lock when they reach the upper and lower dead centers due to gravitational force, eliminating the need for exposure-prone locking bolts and contact pieces that were previously required for bidirectional operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade changing mechanism utilizes the self-weight of the blades to automatically pivot and lock into position without requiring external locking components. The gravitational force causes blades to naturally settle into stable positions at the upper and lower dead centers, providing self-service locking that is immune to material contamination.
2Ease of operation
If locking bolts and contact pieces are made freely accessible for engagement, then the changeover device can function, but the mechanism requires precise alignment and complex installation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the complex alignment-required locking bolts and contact pieces from the system. Instead, it uses the inherent gravitational behavior of the blades to achieve automatic locking at pivot positions, eliminating the need for precisely aligned engagement components and significantly simplifying installation.
3Measurement precision
If cam profiles and bolts are precisely aligned for reliable locking, then the changeover device works accurately, but the installation becomes very complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the self-weight of blades to automatically achieve precise positioning at pivot points without requiring pre-aligned cam profiles and bolts. The gravitational force naturally guides blades to their correct positions at upper and lower dead centers, eliminating the need for complex precision alignment during installation.
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 provides a simple and reliable method for pivoting blades, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing wear, as blades pivot easily and accurately between positions without requiring active forces, thus improving the overall reliability and ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
In the released position of the holding device, the blade is moved by gravity from the first pivot position to the second pivot position
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a bucket wheel (10) having a bucket wheel frame (18) and a plurality of buckets (12) mounted on the bucket wheel frame (18), the buckets (12) being arranged on the bucket wheel frame (18) such that they can pivot about a pivot axis (16), each bucket (12) having a retaining device (20) and being arranged on the bucket wheel frame (18) by means of the retaining device (20), and the retaining device (20) being designed in such a way as to lock the buckets (12) on the bucket wheel frame (18) in a first pivot position (I) or in a second pivot position (II) in order to operate the bucket wheel (10) in a first rotation direction with the buckets (12) in a first pivot position (I) and in an opposite, second rotation direction with the buckets (12) in a second pivot position (II). The bucket wheel (10) has an unlocking device (14) for moving the retaining device (20) from a retaining position, in which the retaining device (20) prevents a pivoting of the buckets (12) about the pivot axis (16), into a released position, in which the retaining device (20) allows a pivoting of the buckets (12) about the pivot axis (16), such that the buckets (12) in the released position of the retaining device (20) are moved from the first pivot position (I) into the second pivot position (II) as a result of the force of gravity.