Cam Roller Trickling Apparatus for Uniform Floating Flake Release

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing trickling devices for creating thin vertical surfaces of pressure-sensitive materials like artificial snow and glitter are limited by the need for steep surfaces, strong airflow, noise, and risk of material compaction, which restricts their use in decorative settings like trade fair stands and shop windows, and fail to maintain a consistent, visually smooth effect over time.

Innovation Solution

An elongated trickling apparatus with a storage container and an electrically driven, hollow roller with cams or a tube with perpendicular rods ensures that trickling material is released without mechanical transport, allowing it to float by gravity, preventing compaction and ensuring a consistent, even distribution of large and light flakes or flocculent materials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If material with good buoyancy properties is used, then visual effectiveness is improved, but sliding performance deteriorates requiring very steep surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual effectivenessVSAvoidsliding performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical sliding system with a pneumatic transport system. A blower creates upward airflow that carries the trickling material vertically, eliminating the need for steep sliding surfaces. The material is sucked up by the blower and fed into the trickling device through air flow rather than mechanical sliding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses pneumatic principles to transport trickling material. A blower generates controlled airflow that picks up material from the ground and delivers it to the trickling device, enabling material transport without mechanical contact or steep surfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Productivity

If strong airflow is used to transport material upwards, then material transport is improved, but noise increases and disruption risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial transportVSAvoidnoise and disruption risks

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a blower with adjustable airflow strength that provides just enough force to transport material vertically without excessive velocity. This partial action approach achieves the necessary transport function while minimizing noise and disruption risks associated with high-velocity airflow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If trickling material is captured and pressed by rollers or cylinders, then material transport is improved, but material compaction occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial transportVSAvoidmaterial integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical roller or cylinder-based transport systems with pneumatic conveyance. Material is transported through controlled airflow rather than being mechanically captured and pressed, eliminating compaction and crushing of pressure-sensitive materials like artificial snow and glitter.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Area of stationary object

If a wide surface is created, then visual coverage is improved, but optical uniformity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface coverageVSAvoidoptical uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The trickling device is designed as an elongated structure with multiple trickling zones along its length. Each section independently releases material, and the overall wide surface achieves optical uniformity through the coordinated operation of segmented sections rather than a single uniform surface.

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

The apparatus achieves a problem-free trickling of challenging materials, providing a flexible, versatile, and uninterrupted optical effect with minimal disruption, allowing for extended use with minimal material and easy maintenance, enabling the creation of uniform and visually appealing vertical surfaces.

Implementation Method 1

a blower (not described in more detail), in whose upwardly directed airflow the trickling device is suspended

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAirflow: Convection

Implementation Method 2

producing thin vertical surfaces of material floating downwards

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 3

The artificial snow, for example, consists of very lightweight plastic flakes which are very sensitive to pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentEP3182864B1Trickling device

Publication Date: 2019.03.20 MEISNER STEIN MARIA

Figure 1~6
Figure 7~8

AI summary

The invention relates to a trickling device (1) for producing thin vertical surfaces of pressure-sensitive trickling material that floats downward, wherein the trickling material is accommodated in a reservoir (2) having a roller (5), which is located below or in the reservoir and which is electrically driven. The roller (5) has a smooth surface (8) and cams (9) on the surface, by means of which cams the trickling material is entrained and released. During the rotation of the roller or of the tube (5), the material trickles through the opening (4) in the bottom of the reservoir (2) into the open.