Bulk Material Diverter With Movable Chutes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bulk material diverters are inflexible and time-consuming to reconfigure for charging multiple targets, as they have rigidly arranged charging paths that require complex and slow relocation.
Innovation Solution
A bulk material diverter with independently movable chutes that can be shifted between passive and active positions, allowing for flexible and quick redirection of bulk material flow to various destinations, including multiple silos or containers, using a telescopic cylinder drive system for efficient relocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If bulk material chutes are rigidly arranged for multiple feeding destinations, then the structure is stable and simple, but the system lacks flexibility and requires time-consuming relocation
Solution Approach 1:
The bulk material chutes are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to be relocated between passive and active positions. This dynamic configuration enables the system to adapt feeding paths to different destinations without requiring complete system reconfiguration, thus improving versatility while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized movement mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The feeding system is divided into independent chute modules that can be individually relocated. Each chute can be independently positioned between passive and active states, allowing selective activation of feeding paths. This segmentation enables flexible routing to multiple destinations without moving the entire system, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
2Productivity
If multiple fixed feeding paths are provided, then various destinations can be served, but the system requires large space and time-consuming relocation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing multiple fixed feeding paths that occupy large space, the system uses movable chutes that can be quickly repositioned between passive and active positions. This dynamic approach allows rapid switching between destinations without requiring parallel fixed infrastructure for each path, thus improving productivity while reducing the overall space requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable chutes serve multiple functions by being able to direct bulk material to different destinations sequentially. A single chute can serve multiple destinations over time by relocating to different active positions, eliminating the need for dedicated fixed paths to each destination. This multi-functionality improves switching speed while compacting the spatial footprint of the diverter system.
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
Enables rapid and reliable switching between different loading destinations, avoiding the need for complex reconfiguration and ensuring efficient, compact, and fail-safe operation by allowing independent movement of bulk material chutes, thus improving the flexibility and efficiency of bulk material charging systems.
Implementation Method 1
using a telescopic cylinder drive system for efficient relocation
Implementation Method 2
The pouring direction extends, in particular, in the direction of gravity, so that the bulk material can flow passively along the pouring direction due to gravity
Data Source
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AI summary
A bulk material diverter (6) for a bulk material feeding system (1) has an inlet (26), a first outlet (27), and at least two further outlets (28, 29) for the bulk material. The first outlet (27) is connected to the inlet (26) via a bulk volume (30). Each further outlet (28, 29) has a bulk material chute (32, 33) that can be moved independently between a passive position, releasing the bulk volume (30), and an active position. In the respective active position, each bulk material chute (32, 33) projects at least partially into the bulk volume (30) and extends to the respective further outlet (28, 29).