Cartridge-Type Single-Screw Pump for Rapid Dye-Meter Maintenance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dye-meters face reliability issues due to complex construction, leading to prolonged machine stoppages and economic losses when batching and delivering devices malfunction or require maintenance, as they often need complete disassembly and lengthy spare part procurement.

Innovation Solution

A cartridge-type single-screw pump design featuring a removable pumping cartridge within an external fixed pump body, allowing for quick and economical replacement during maintenance or malfunctions, ensuring continuous operation with improved reliability and accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the pump is designed as a complete integrated unit, then the structural strength and sealing are improved, but the maintenance time and machine stoppage duration increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepump reliabilityVSAvoidmaintenance stoppage time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The pump is divided into two main segments: a stationary pump body and a removable pumping cartridge. The cartridge contains the rotor, stator, and sealing elements, allowing it to be independently removed and replaced without disassembling the entire pump unit. This segmentation enables rapid maintenance while maintaining the structural integrity of the pump body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pumping cartridge is extracted as a separate replaceable module from the pump body. When maintenance is needed, only the cartridge is removed and replaced, leaving the pump body in place. This extraction principle reduces maintenance time from days to minutes while preserving the overall pump structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Manufacturing precision

If the pump components are made as a single integrated unit, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the ease of repair and replacement of faulty parts deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepump manufacturing precisionVSAvoidpump repair ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The pump is segmented into a precision-manufactured stationary body and a replaceable cartridge. The cartridge can be manufactured with high precision using standardized processes, and when it wears out, the entire cartridge is replaced rather than individual components, maintaining precision while improving repairability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pumping cartridge is designed as a consumable component with a limited service life. When it wears out or malfunctions, the entire cartridge is replaced as a single unit rather than attempting to repair individual internal components, simplifying the repair process while maintaining manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the pump design follows traditional integrated construction, then structural stability is improved, but the productivity during maintenance periods deteriorates due to long stoppages

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepump structural stabilityVSAvoiddye-meter productivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The pump structure is segmented to allow the cartridge to be independently removed while the pump body remains stable and in place. This enables quick cartridge replacement during maintenance, minimizing productivity loss while preserving the structural stability of the overall pump assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pump body and fluid connection systems remain in place and operational throughout the maintenance process. Only the cartridge is removed and replaced, allowing the pump to return to productive operation quickly, thereby maintaining continuity of useful action and minimizing downtime.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 cartridge-type single-screw pump enables rapid replacement of faulty components, reducing downtime and maintenance costs, while ensuring precise volumetric fluid delivery and continuous operation, enhancing the overall efficiency and reliability of dye-meters.

Implementation Method 1

The internal rotor 23 is shaped as a worm screw with progressive recesses whose relative rotation with respect to the stator 22 causes a translation movement of the fluid present inside it

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScrew mechanism with progressive recesses: Screw

Data Source

PatentEP2118489B1Cartridge -type single-screw pump and dye-meter equipped with such pump
Publication Date: 2016.07.13 HERO EURO
  • EP2118489B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2118489B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b
  • EP2118489B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A cartridge-type single-screw pump (1) is described, adapted to volumetrically batch and deliver a certain amount of a fluid contained inside storage means and to supply it to distributing means, comprising an external fixed pump body (10) and a removable pumping cartridge (20), such removable pumping cartridge (20) being adapted to be inserted in at least one insertion seat (11) of the external fixed pump body (10) in order to operatively cooperate with this latter one. A dye-meter is further described, equipped with at least one cartridge-type single-screw pump (1).