Deformable Wall Valve for Coarse Enamel Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing devices for building materials, such as ceramic slabs, face limitations in handling coarse enamels or powders due to wear and tear issues with metal shutters and incomplete valve closure, leading to reduced printing quality and limited useful life.
Innovation Solution
A printing device with a deformable rubber wall in the conduit that moves tangentially to the material flow, allowing for complete closure and reduced wear, combined with a pressure control system and a cleaning unit to maintain efficiency and extend the device's lifespan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If metal shutters are used in printing devices, then the device can handle high volume enamels, but the wear and tear of the device significantly increases due to the hardness of solid particles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid metal shutter with a flexible membrane made of elastomeric material. This membrane can deform to accommodate solid particles in the enamel while maintaining closure functionality, significantly reducing wear and extending device life while still handling high volume enamels effectively
2Reliability
If metal shutters with contact surface perpendicular to flow are used, then complete closure is difficult to achieve, but using deformable wall movable tangentially to flow reduces wear and enables complete closure
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the shutter perpendicular to the flow direction (conventional approach), the patent moves the deformable membrane tangentially to the flow direction. This inverted approach allows the membrane to flex with the flow while maintaining closure, achieving both complete sealing and reduced wear
3Quantity of substance
If piezoelectric actuators with micron-level movement are used, then low/medium volume enamels can be dispensed, but coarse enamels with particles larger than microns cannot be handled
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible elastomeric membrane can deform to accommodate particles of various sizes, from fine enamels to coarse materials with particles larger than microns. This flexibility allows the device to handle a wide range of enamel types and volumes, significantly increasing adaptability compared to rigid piezoelectric actuators
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 enables the use of coarse materials with improved printing quality and extended device life by ensuring complete valve closure and minimizing wear, while the pressure control and cleaning systems enhance reliability and maintain efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
inside the tank (2) there is a predetermined first pressure, whereas the actuating means (7) is configured to generate a second pressure on the deformable wall (6), outside the conduit (5)
Implementation Method 2
the conduit (5) comprises at least one deformable wall (6) movable between an operating position, in which it determines the creation of a restriction in the conduit (5)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A printing device for building material articles, comprises a tank (2) for a printing material, solid or liquid, to be dispensed, an outlet mouth (3) suitable for dispensing the printing material onto a work surface, a conduit (5) extending along its own main direction (A) between the tank (2) and the outlet mouth (3), in which the conduit (5) comprises at least one deformable wall (6) movable between an operating position, in which it determines the creation of a restriction in the conduit (5) preventing the flow of the printing material towards the outlet mouth (3), and a rest position, in which it allows the flow of the printing material towards the outlet mouth (3).