Cinch Valve Elastic Elements Bulk Bag Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The handling and discharging of bulk materials from bulk bags pose challenges, particularly when materials are non-free-flowing or packed, and there is a need to manage material changes before the bag is empty, which is costly and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A cinch valve system with rotatable plates and elastic elements, where cables converge to form a woven closure, allowing for secure sealing and easy tie-off of bulk bags, incorporating elastic devices like torsion, compression, or extension springs to facilitate opening of the closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cables are converged to form a woven closure to seal the bulk bag discharge spout, then sealing reliability is improved, but the closure becomes difficult to open without additional elastic elements
Solution Approach 1:
Elastic elements (springs) are pre-installed on the cables to store mechanical energy in advance. When the orbital plate rotates to converge the cables into a woven closure, the springs are compressed or twisted, accumulating potential energy that automatically pushes back to assist opening the closure later, counteracting the tight sealing force.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic elements act as cushioning components that absorb and store the mechanical energy generated during closure formation. This beforehand cushioning ensures that when opening is needed, the stored energy provides the necessary force to separate the cables without requiring excessive external force, balancing sealing strength with ease of opening.
2Productivity
If traditional bulk bag discharge methods are used without a cinch valve, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to perform material changes before bag emptying is lost, reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge spout sealing function is segmented from the bulk bag structure itself and implemented as a separate cinch valve assembly with independent cables, orbital plate, and elastic elements. This modular segmentation allows the sealing mechanism to be added without fundamentally redesigning the bulk bag, enabling material changes while maintaining relatively simple overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure mechanism uses a rotatable orbital plate that dynamically adjusts the position of cables between open and closed states. This dynamic configuration allows the system to transition between different operational modes (open for filling/discharge, closed for material change), providing versatility without requiring multiple static sealing structures.
3Strength
If cables are made rigid to provide strong sealing force, then sealing strength is improved, but the ease of operation and ability to form tight woven closure is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cables are designed with flexible characteristics, allowing them to bend and weave together when converged by the orbital plate rotation. This flexibility enables the cables to form an interlaced woven closure pattern that distributes sealing force effectively, while the elastic elements provide the necessary force to overcome cable stiffness and achieve proper closure formation.
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 efficient closure of bulk bag discharge spouts, allowing for material changes without discharging the entire bag, reducing costs and time, and providing a secure, tight seal for storage and material handling.
Implementation Method 1
One or more elastic devices are arranged such that when the cables converge to form the woven closure, the one or more elastic devices urge their respective corresponding cables in a direction that tends to open the woven closure
Implementation Method 2
incorporating elastic devices like torsion, compression, or extension springs to facilitate opening of the closure
Data Source
AI summary
A cinch valve includes a first plate with a first aperture, an orbital plate with a second aperture that is substantially aligned with the first aperture. The first plate is arranged to rotate relative to the first plate between a first (open) position and a second (closed) position. The cinch valve includes multiple cables, each of which has a first end coupled to the first plate and a second end coupled to the orbital plate. Rotation of the orbital plate from the first position to the second position causes the plurality of cables to converge and form a woven closure. One or more elastic devices are arranged such that when the plurality of cables converges to form the woven closure, each elastic device urges a corresponding one of the cables in a direction that tends to open the woven closure.