Coating Wheel Edge Coating Centrifugal Contamination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing edge coating devices for wood-based panels suffer from excess coating material being thrown off due to centrifugal force, leading to contamination and misapplication, resulting in increased cleaning work and downtime, as well as moisture penetration through uncoated joints in click-profiled floor panels.

Innovation Solution

A device with a coating wheel that has a peripheral surface coated with material via a pump, where excess material is stripped and collected through a second bore, preventing contamination and ensuring only the intended edge is coated, utilizing a scraper and adjustable design to control coating thickness and application.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the coating wheel is immersed in the coating material reservoir, then the coating wheel picks up sufficient coating material, but excess coating material is thrown off due to centrifugal force causing contamination and misapplication

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoating material on wheelVSAvoidcontamination from excess material
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the harmful excess coating material from the system by providing a second bore that allows the removed material to drain away from the coating wheel area. This prevents the excess material from being thrown off and causing contamination, while still maintaining sufficient coating material on the wheel for proper edge coating application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the coating material management into two separate pathways: the first bore supplies coating material to the wheel's peripheral surface for application, while the second bore removes excess material. This segmentation allows independent control of coating supply and excess removal, resolving the contradiction between having enough material and preventing contamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If more coating material is applied to the coating wheel, then better coating coverage is achieved, but cleaning work and downtime increase due to contamination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoating application qualityVSAvoidcleaning time and downtime
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of excess coating material (which would cause contamination and require cleaning) into a beneficial drainage flow. The second bore and drainage channel system takes the excess material that would normally be wasted and redirect it away from the coating area, eliminating the need for cleaning while maintaining proper coating application quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Productivity

If the coating wheel rotates at higher speed, then coating application efficiency increases, but excess material is thrown off more due to centrifugal force

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoating application rateVSAvoidcentrifugal throwing of material
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary drainage system (second bore and drainage channel) that mediates between the coating wheel rotation and the excess material disposal. This intermediary structure allows the wheel to rotate at high speeds for productive coating application while the drainage system intercepts and removes the excess material before it can be thrown off and cause contamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This solution effectively prevents excess coating material from being thrown off, reducing contamination and downtime, while ensuring precise application to the edge, thereby enhancing the protective and decorative functions of the coating and preventing moisture penetration.

Implementation Method 1

a pump (4), with which a coating material (2) can be applied to the circumferential surface (3.2) through the first bore (1.6)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPumping: Pump

Implementation Method 2

Due to the rotating movement, this excess material is thrown off the coating wheel due to centrifugal force

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 3

excess coating material is scraped off the circumferential surface, falls onto the bottom wall and flows out of the container through the second bore (1.7)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP4417324A1Device for coating a workpiece
Publication Date: 2024.08.21 FLOORING TECH LTD
  • EP4417324A1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP4417324A1 patent drawingFigure 5~10
  • EP4417324A1 patent drawingFigure 11~12

AI summary

The invention relates to a device for coating a workpiece, in particular a machined edge (101) of a wood-based panel (100), comprising: a) an upwardly open container (1) with two side walls (1.1, 1.3), two end walls (1.2, 1.4) and a bottom wall (1.5), b) a coating wheel (3) rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation (3.1), which is partially immersed in the container (1), and c) a pump (4), which is characterized in that d) two bores (1.6, 1.7) are provided in the bottom wall (1.5), e) the first bore (1.6) is arranged in a higher horizontal plane (E1) with respect to the axis of rotation (3.1) than the second bore (1.7), f) the coating wheel (3) is arranged relative to the bottom wall (1.5) such that its circumferential surface (3.2) covers at least the first bore (1.6). covered without touching the bottom wall (1.5), g) by means of the pump (4) a coating material through the first bore (1.6) onto the circumferential surface (3.2) is applied, and h) during a rotational movement of the coating wheel (3) excess coating material is wiped off the circumferential surface (3.2), falls onto the bottom wall (1.5) and flows out of the container (1) through the second bore (1.7).