Clay Application Device with Integrated Heating and Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for applying free-flowing and paste-like masses, such as industrial clay, suffer from non-homogeneous segregation during transport, leading to undesirable quality variations and surface effects due to particle migration and phase separation, especially when used in automotive development where high-quality clay is required.
Innovation Solution
A device with an integrated mixing device, either static or dynamic, and a heating element that maintains the clay at an optimal processing temperature of 60° C. to 80° C., ensuring homogeneous mixing and preventing segregation, using components like electrical resistance heaters and static or dynamic mixers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the clay is conveyed through a heated tube to the application nozzle, then the clay can be transported to the site of application, but the components of the clay segregate over the transport path leading to non-homogeneous quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-heating the clay in a heating device before it enters the conveying tube. This preliminary thermal treatment maintains the clay's homogeneity and prevents segregation during transport, rather than attempting to correct segregation after it occurs. The heating device ensures the clay is at the optimal temperature (60-80°C) before conveyance, preventing phase separation and component migration during the transport process.
2Productivity
If the clay is heated and conveyed in a heated tube, then the clay can be transported to the application site, but striations and marbling effects occur due to segregation of components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-heating the clay in a heating device before it enters the conveying tube. This preliminary thermal treatment maintains the clay's homogeneity and prevents segregation during transport, rather than attempting to correct segregation after it occurs. The heating device ensures the clay is at the optimal temperature (60-80°C) before conveyance, preventing phase separation and component migration during the transport process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the temperature of the clay within a specific range (60-80°C) during conveyance. This temperature parameter control prevents the clay from cooling and solidifying, which would cause segregation and striations. The heating device maintains this temperature range throughout the conveyance process, ensuring homogeneous material properties and preventing surface defects like marbling and striations.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a mixing device is integrated into the application device, then homogeneous mixing of clay components is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by integrating the heating device and mixing device into a single application device unit. Rather than using separate standalone devices, the heating and mixing functions are combined in one integrated system that also performs application. This merging reduces overall system complexity while maintaining the benefits of thermal treatment and homogeneous mixing, as all functions are accomplished in a single coordinated operation.
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 solution ensures uniform color and structure characteristics across the entire surface of the applied clay, maintaining high-quality processing by preventing segregation and striations, even under increased conveying pressure and length.
Implementation Method 1
Examples of possible heating devices are an electrical heater, resistance heater, strip heater, silicon heating pad and/or cartridge heater
Implementation Method 2
The mixing device may be a static and/or dynamic mixer
Implementation Method 3
The mixing device may be a static and/or dynamic mixer
Data Source
AI summary
An application device for paste-like and/or flowable material, including a housing with a feed region for material and at least one discharge region for material. At least one mixing region is formed between the feed region for material and the discharge region for material and the at least one mixing region is designed as at least one mixing device.