Cycle Press Cassette Frame for Maintenance Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cycle presses, particularly those designed for high pressing pressures, require significant effort and complexity for maintenance and repair, making them inefficient and costly.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a cassette frame system for easy assembly and maintenance, with fastening plates and locking clips that allow for simplified replacement of insulating plates and simultaneous fastening of multiple pistons, along with strategically placed hydraulic tanks for improved accessibility and reduced installation space.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If the press is designed for high pressing pressures with large press cylinders, then the pressing force is improved, but the maintenance complexity and difficulty increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressing forceVSAvoidmaintenance difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The press is divided into modular components: press frames, press plates, and press cylinders that can be independently accessed and maintained. The press plates are designed as separate removable components from the press cylinders, allowing maintenance of one without affecting the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The press plates can be removed from the press cylinders without removing the entire cylinder from the press frame. This extraction of the press plate component enables maintenance of the press plate surface and insulating plates while the heavy cylinder remains installed, significantly reducing maintenance effort for high-pressure presses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Temperature

If insulating plates are arranged between pistons and press plates, then thermal insulation is improved, but the complexity of replacing these wearing parts increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal insulationVSAvoidreplacement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insulating plates are segmented into multiple replaceable components positioned between the press plate and piston. These can be individually removed and replaced without affecting the entire press cylinder assembly or requiring removal of the heavy piston from the cylinder.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The insulating plates are designed as consumable wearing parts that can be easily replaced when worn. Their simple design and positioning allow for quick replacement without complex tools or procedures, treating them as inexpensive replaceable components rather than permanent fixtures.

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

3Ease of operation

If press cylinders are completely removed from the press for maintenance, then access to cylinder interior is improved, but the press standstill time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to cylinder interiorVSAvoidpress standstill time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Only the press plate is extracted from the press cylinder for maintenance, not the entire cylinder. This partial extraction provides sufficient access to maintain the press plate surface and insulating plates while leaving the heavy cylinder installed in the press frame, dramatically reducing maintenance time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The press plate is designed to be easily separable from the cylinder before maintenance is needed. The connection mechanisms (such as bolts or quick-release fixtures) allow for rapid detachment of the press plate, minimizing the time the press must be stopped for maintenance activities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If the press is designed for high pressing forces, then the productivity is improved, but the free installation space for maintenance becomes limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressing capacityVSAvoidfree installation space
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The maintenance tasks are segmented into separate accessible components. The press plate and its insulating plates form a maintenance module that can be accessed and serviced independently from the main cylinder body, providing adequate workspace for maintenance activities even in compact high-pressure press designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Maintenance access is provided through dimensional optimization - the press plate thickness and insulating plate arrangement create sufficient clearance in the vertical dimension between the press plate and piston, allowing maintenance tools and operations despite the compact horizontal space constraints of high-pressure presses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2527135B1Cycle press
Publication Date: 2014.07.16 SIEMPELKAMP MASCHINEN UND ANLAGENBAU GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2527135B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2527135B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2527135B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The cycle press comprises several rows of press frames which are arranged in the longitudinal direction, an upper press plate (5) and a lower press plate (6). The press plates are supported on the press frames by the pressing cylinder (7). The insulation panels (23) are arranged between the piston (9) of the pressing cylinder and the press plates and are inserted into the cartridge holders (24) which are connected with each other.