Cellular Wheel Sluice Extraction Mechanism for Faster Cleaning Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Displacement of cellular wheels between operational and maintenance positions in cellular wheel sluices is time-consuming and complex, with difficult accessibility to the cellular wheel and housing, posing challenges for cleaning and maintenance, particularly in environments requiring hygiene and safety.
Innovation Solution
A cellular wheel sluice equipped with an extraction device featuring a guide unit and an extraction drive, allowing the cellular wheel to be driven and guided between positions, reducing manual effort and enabling automatic displacement, with a mechanical drive mechanism and safety features to ensure safe and efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cellular wheel is manually moved between operational and maintenance positions, then the displacement can be achieved, but the process is time-consuming and requires significant manual effort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical displacement with an automated extraction device comprising an extraction drive and guide unit. The extraction drive automatically moves the cellular wheel between operational and maintenance positions, eliminating the need for manual handling and significantly reducing both the time and effort required for displacement operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The extraction device enables the cellular wheel sluice to perform its own maintenance setup automatically. The system self-displaces the cellular wheel to the maintenance position where cleaning and maintenance can be performed without requiring external manual intervention for the displacement process itself.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the cellular wheel sluice maintains a closed housing structure, then safety and containment are improved, but accessibility to the cellular wheel and housing for cleaning and maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cellular wheel from the housing by automatically displacing it to the maintenance position. This extraction allows the cellular wheel to be removed from its enclosed operational position and moved to an accessible maintenance position where cleaning and maintenance activities can be performed easily while the housing remains intact and safe.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic positioning capability to the cellular wheel through the extraction device. The cellular wheel can dynamically transition between the operational position (maintaining safety and containment) and the maintenance position (providing accessibility). This dynamic system allows the structure to adapt its configuration based on whether safety or accessibility is the primary requirement.
3Productivity
If manual cleaning and maintenance procedures are used, then the processes can be performed, but health risks from exposure to harmful substances increase and operational effort is high
Solution Approach 1:
The automated extraction device enables the system to prepare for maintenance autonomously by automatically displacing the cellular wheel to the maintenance position. This self-service capability reduces the need for manual handling and exposure to harmful substances, as the displacement process is automated and can be performed with minimal human intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The extraction device acts as an intermediary between the operational cellular wheel and the maintenance personnel. It automatically performs the displacement task that would otherwise require manual effort, serving as a mediator that reduces direct human exposure to harmful substances while still enabling maintenance access.
Data Source
AI summary
A cellular wheel sluice for bulk material comprises a housing having an interior, an extraction side cover releasably fastened to the housing, a cellular wheel which is arranged in an operational position in the housing so that it can be driven in rotation about a longitudinal axis and which is held on the extraction side cover, an extraction device for displacing the cellular wheel between the operational position and an extracted position, wherein the extraction device has a guide unit for guided displacement of the cellular wheel along an extraction direction parallel to the longitudinal axis, and an extraction drive arranged fixed to the housing and coupled to the extraction side cover for automatically driven displacement of the extraction side cover with the cellular wheel.