Disk Roller Screen Anti-Clogging Mechanism

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional screens with disk rollers face issues with clogging due to elongated elements like filaments or sheets of plastic, especially when wet, which can trap and obstruct the anti-clogging tubes, leading to inefficient operation and increased energy consumption.

Innovation Solution

The screen incorporates anti-rotation rods within the idle tubes to prevent complete rotation, ensuring that trapped elements do not cause clogging, and features a supporting structure that optimizes spacing and motor control for efficient aggregate advancement and reduced energy use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If idle tubes are used to prevent clogging, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclogging preventionVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements idle tubes nested within the roller structure, with each idle tube containing an anti-rotation rod inside it. This nested configuration allows the idle tubes to rotate freely about the roller shafts while the anti-rotation rods prevent complete rotation, creating a compact and efficient anti-clogging mechanism without excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The idle tubes act as intermediary elements between the roller disks and the material stream. They provide a rotating barrier that prevents elongated elements from bridging between disks, while the anti-rotation rods within them provide the necessary constraint to maintain their effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If anti-clogging tubes are added to prevent element trapping, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The anti-rotation rods are nested inside the idle tubes, creating a simple two-component system that is easy to manufacture and assemble. The rods can be inserted into the tubes after the tubes are positioned on the roller shafts, simplifying the manufacturing process while ensuring proper functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The anti-clogging function is segmented into two distinct components: the idle tubes that provide the rotating barrier and the anti-rotation rods that prevent complete rotation. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using simple processes, then assembled together

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If conventional screens with nets are used for separation, then separation effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseparation effectivenessVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the complex mechanical advancement system required by net screens with a simpler gravity-fed system. Material is loaded onto the rollers and advances through gravity and the rolling motion itself, eliminating the need for powerful drive mechanisms while maintaining effective separation through the disk roller geometry

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2926915B1Screen with disk rollers
Publication Date: 2017.08.30 PROMECO ENERGY & PLANTS SRL
  • EP2926915B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2926915B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2926915B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A screen with disk rollers (10), comprising a plurality of mutually parallel rollers (30) that are installed on a supporting structure (20) and actuated by way of at least one motor and means for transmission in a same direction of rotation, the rollers (30) being each constituted by a shaft (35) on which a plurality of disks (40) is fixed; the rollers (30) comprise idle tubes (45) arranged between pairs of adjacent disks (40), the idle tubes (45) being provided with rods (50) adapted to mechanically prevent the complete rotation of the idle tubes (45).