Debris blower
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional debris blowers face challenges such as complex alignment requiring shimming, difficulty in presetting and maintaining the nozzle angle, reliance on a remote control for operation, and inefficient engine speed management during turns, leading to increased operator involvement and gas consumption.
Innovation Solution
A chassis design with a rectangular frame and integrated components for easy assembly, automatic nozzle angle adjustment using trip devices and sensors, a fixed auxiliary control for remote loss scenarios, and a resume switch for seamless engine speed transitions between idle and operating speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If shimming is used to align the turbine housing relative to the chassis, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of manufacture deteriorate due to extra components and skilled technician requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The turbine housing is pre-aligned to the chassis during manufacturing with flat parallel connection planes, eliminating the need for field shimming. This preliminary alignment action ensures that when the housing is bolted to the chassis, proper alignment is achieved without requiring additional shimming components or skilled alignment procedures.
2Reliability
If screen guards are used to enclose engine and turbine components, then safety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in removal and replacement requiring at least two persons
Solution Approach 1:
The screen guard is divided into multiple separable sections that can be independently removed. This segmentation allows a single operator to access and service engine or turbine components by removing only the necessary screen guard sections, eliminating the need for two persons to handle the entire guard assembly.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the nozzle angle is manually adjusted during operation, then adaptability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to time loss in setting the angle on the fly
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle is pre-positioned at the optimal blowing angle during manufacturing. This preliminary positioning allows the nozzle to automatically return to the correct angle after turning operations without requiring manual adjustment, saving time and maintaining productivity while preserving adaptability through the ability to make adjustments when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor detects the position of trip devices on the nozzle and provides feedback to the control system. When the nozzle turns, the sensor signals the controller, which automatically commands the nozzle to return to its preset optimal angle, eliminating manual adjustment and improving operational efficiency.
4Use of energy by moving object
If the engine is throttled down during turns, then energy consumption is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to considerable operator involvement required to throttle up and down
Solution Approach 1:
The control system automatically manages engine speed based on operational state. During turns, the sensor detects the turning condition and automatically throttles down the engine speed to reduce gas consumption and noise. During blowing operations, the engine automatically returns to optimal speed, eliminating the need for operator intervention in throttle management.
5Ease of operation
If a remote control is used to operate the debris blower, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates when the remote is lost or damaged requiring several days for replacement
Solution Approach 1:
A secondary control interface is provided as an intermediary alternative to the remote control. This could be a wired control box or onboard controls that allow the operator to maintain control of the debris blower if the remote is lost or damaged, ensuring operational continuity without requiring several days for replacement.
Data Source
AI summary
A debris blower includes an engine mounted to an engine mount and connected to a turbine. The engine mount and housing of the turbine are respectively mounted between a second side of a frame and first and second longitudinal supports connected to and between first and second sides of the frame. A screen guard is secured utilizing bolts extending in a non-rotatable manner from a top plate connected between the second longitudinal support and the second side. Due to the frame and engine mount having a parallelism and flatness tolerance, the engine and turbine can be aligned without shimming. A sensor senses first and second trip devices positioned at circumferential locations on the exit nozzle to rotate the exit nozzle to preset angles. Remote and hard wire controls each include direction and speed switches. A resume switch throttles the engine between idle and operating speeds.