Elastic Container Metering Device for Bulk Material Segregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing screw filling machines are inefficient for filling product mixtures, as they often destroy sensitive products, cause segregation, require high drive power, and are limited by high rotational speeds, leading to pulsating discharge and inconsistent dosing.
Innovation Solution
A metering device with an asymmetrical, elastic container and a vertically extending screw that tapers towards the outlet, combined with external activation means like paddles for gentle deformation, allowing precise and continuous dosing of bulk materials without direct impact, enabling operation at various speeds and preventing product segregation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an agitator is used to break up product bridges and ensure even feeding, then the bulk material can be fed evenly to the screw, but sensitive products are destroyed and the breakage rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (vibrating container wall or rotating eccentric element) that indirectly activates the bulk material without direct contact. This mediator transmits mechanical energy through the container wall to prevent product bridges and ensure even feeding while avoiding direct impact on sensitive products, thus resolving the contradiction between even feeding and product destruction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional direct-contact mechanical agitator with an indirect activation system using vibrations or eccentric rotation. This substitution eliminates the need for direct mechanical contact with the bulk material, preventing product destruction while maintaining the function of ensuring even feeding to the screw
2Productivity
If a ready-mixed product mix is stored to fill multiple components, then filling can proceed, but the agitator causes product mix separation and the desired mixing ratio cannot be guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary vibration or eccentric rotation mechanism that gently activates the stored product mix without direct aggressive mixing. This indirect activation prevents product bridge formation and ensures continuous flow while maintaining the original mixing ratio, avoiding the segregation caused by traditional agitators
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies mechanical vibrations to the container wall or uses eccentric rotation to create gentle tumbling motion. This vibration prevents product bridges and ensures even feeding to the screw while being gentle enough to maintain the stability of the product mix composition and prevent segregation
3Productivity
If the screw rotates at high speed to increase productivity, then more material can be conveyed, but the screw no longer fills properly and produces pulsating discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary activation of the bulk material through vibrations or eccentric rotation before the material reaches the screw. This pre-action ensures the material is properly prepared and flows smoothly into the screw, allowing the screw to fill properly even at high rotational speeds and eliminating pulsating discharge while maintaining dosing precision
4Speed
If horizontally running screws are used to feed bulk material, then material can be conveyed, but the screws cannot operate above approximately 200 rpm due to improper filling and pulsating discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary activation of the bulk material through vibrations or eccentric rotation before it reaches the horizontally running screw. This pre-action ensures proper material preparation and flow, enabling the screw to operate at higher rotational speeds without improper filling or pulsating discharge, thus improving both speed and reliable continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic activation mechanisms (vibrations or eccentric rotation) that adapt to the screw's operational speed. This dynamic pre-activation ensures the bulk material is continuously prepared for high-speed conveying, allowing the horizontally running screw to operate reliably at higher speeds without loss of filling propriety or discharge consistency
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 ensures precise dosing, reduces product degradation, maintains consistent mixing ratios, and allows for continuous operation with variable screw speeds, enhancing the efficiency and reliability of bulk material handling.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic container (2), in particular with two sloping side walls (3), and activating means (21) which act mechanically on the container (2) from the outside in such a way that the container (2) is deformed at least partially elastically
Implementation Method 2
a vertically extending screw (5) which extends, for example, into the connecting attachment or even beyond it into a pipe (6) if the pipe is connected to the dosing device
Implementation Method 3
The outlet opening (14) of the container (2), which is located outside the center of the container (2), points, for example, downward
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a metering device for the precise feeding of bulk material from a container, the metering device comprising: a screw for metered conveying of bulk material; a container which stores the bulk material, wherein the container is at least partially elastically deformable and tapers towards a lower region, and wherein an outlet opening for metered discharge of the bulk material is arranged in the region of a lower corner of the container, wherein the screw is arranged such that it performs metered conveying essentially in a vertical direction towards the outlet opening, wherein the bulk material can be activated for metered conveying by a mechanical deformation of the container and fed to the screw. The invention further relates to a system comprising several metering devices of this type.