Screw Feeder With Dynamic Pitch For Low-Density Material Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing screw feeders struggle to continuously transport a constant amount of materials with low bulk density, such as feathers, due to compression and uneven distribution, leading to strength and stiffness issues in fiber structures like recycled paper.
Innovation Solution
A screw feeder design with a rotational shaft and spirally mounted blade portion that alternates between slope-down and slope-up directions, combined with a jet ejector or stirring member, ensures continuous and uniform transport of low-density materials by lifting and disentangling them, preventing compression and clogging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional screw feeder is used to transport low bulk density material, then the material can be transported, but the material is compressed by the blade portion and bulk density changes, making continuous constant amount transport impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The screw blade is designed with dynamic pitch variation along the rotation direction, transitioning from a steep pitch angle at the material intake end to a gentle pitch angle at the discharge end. This dynamic geometric configuration allows the screw to effectively convey low bulk density materials without compression, maintaining constant transport amount while enabling continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The pitch angle of the screw blade is changed as a parameter along the rotation direction. By varying the pitch angle from steep to gentle, the system adapts to the specific requirements of low bulk density materials, preventing compression while ensuring continuous transport and maintaining consistent transport amount
2Productivity
If material is not transported in constant amount, then transport speed may vary, but uniform mixing of melting material and functional material with defibrated fibers cannot be achieved, causing uneven distribution and reduced strength
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamically varying pitch angle along the screw rotation direction ensures that materials are conveyed at a controlled, consistent rate. This prevents both compression and excessive air entrapment, enabling uniform mixing with defibrated fibers and consistent distribution of melting and functional materials, thereby maintaining product strength and composition stability
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 design allows for the continuous and accurate transport of low-density materials, ensuring uniform distribution of melting and functional materials in fiber structures, thereby improving the strength and consistency of the final product.
Implementation Method 1
a jet ejector that projects a jet of gas to an inside of the case
Implementation Method 2
a stirring member that stirs an inside of the case
Data Source
AI summary
A screw feeder includes: a case that includes a material putting-in portion through which a fluff material is put in and a material putting-out portion through which the fluff material is put out below the material putting-in portion; and a screw that includes a rotational shaft and a blade portion, the rotational shaft being provided rotatably inside the case, the blade portion being spirally mounted on the rotational shaft; wherein the screw is rotated with repeated alternation of a slope-down direction in which the blade portion slopes downward spirally in a vertical direction and a slope-up direction in which the blade portion slopes upward spirally in the vertical direction.