Expandable Air Blast Body With Modular Pressure Chamber Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air blast devices are complex to manufacture, limit design variability, and are difficult to maintain due to their internal valve units and discharge tubes, making them costly and less adaptable to different process chamber sizes.

Innovation Solution

A one-piece, expandable air blast device body with integrated piston guide, valve seat, and connections for additional units, allowing for easy assembly and maintenance, and adaptable to various chamber sizes without welding, featuring symmetrical connections for accessibility and ease of expansion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If an internal top-mounted valve unit is used in the pressure vessel, then the air blast device can generate strong air blasts, but the device becomes complex to manufacture and difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair blast strengthVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The valve unit is extracted from the internal top-mounted position within the pressure vessel and relocated to an external position on the discharge nozzle. This allows the valve unit to be easily accessed, maintained, and replaced without disassembling the pressure vessel, while still maintaining the air blast generation capability through the discharge nozzle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A threaded connection in the discharge nozzle serves as an intermediary mounting structure for the valve unit. This threaded connection provides a standardized interface that simplifies the assembly and disassembly of the valve unit, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the functional integrity of the air blast system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Power

If an internal top-mounted valve unit is used in the pressure vessel, then the air blast device can generate strong air blasts, but the valve unit and discharge tube become difficult to access for maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair blast strengthVSAvoidaccessibility of valve unit
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The valve unit is extracted from the internal position and mounted externally on the discharge nozzle, making it easily accessible for maintenance operations. The external mounting allows technicians to access, inspect, and replace the valve unit without requiring disassembly of the pressure vessel or complex internal components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The threaded connection design enables the valve unit to be easily installed and removed by standard maintenance procedures without requiring specialized tools or complex disassembly processes. This self-service capability allows for quick maintenance and replacement operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of manufacture

If a one-piece air blast device body is used, then manufacturing costs are reduced and maintenance is simplified, but the device cannot be easily adapted to different process chamber sizes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidadaptability to chamber sizes
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The air blast device is segmented into distinct functional modules: a one-piece air blast device body, a separate discharge nozzle, and an externally mounted valve unit. This modular segmentation allows the discharge nozzle and valve unit to be independently selected and configured for different process chamber sizes and applications, while the core body remains a cost-effective one-piece construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The one-piece air blast device body is designed with universal mounting features and standardized connections that allow it to be adapted to various discharge nozzles and valve units. This universality enables the same basic body to serve multiple applications across different process chamber sizes while maintaining cost-effective manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Quantity of substance

If welding is used to connect air blast device bodies, then a common pressure chamber can be formed, but additional inspection costs and manufacturing complexity are incurred

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommon pressure chamber volumeVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The welding process is replaced with a mechanical threaded connection system for joining air blast device bodies to form a common pressure chamber. This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for welding operations, X-ray inspection, and associated quality control procedures, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and complexity while still achieving a sealed common pressure chamber volume.

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

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 provides a cost-effective, low-complexity air blast device that is easy to maintain and adaptable to different chamber sizes, reducing manufacturing costs and improving accessibility for maintenance.

Implementation Method 1

a medium stored in a pressure chamber, such as air or inert gases, is suddenly discharged through a discharge opening. A forced-action pressure pulse is exerted via a valve unit, so that compressed air is abruptly blown from the air burst device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

a valve unit with a cylinder and a movable piston for the sudden ejection of a stored medium. The valve unit is essentially located inside the pressure vessel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP4685424A1Unitary expandable air impact device body and expandable air impact device
Publication Date: 2026.01.28 AGRICHEMA SCHUTTGUTTECHN GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4685424A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4685424A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4685424A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a one-piece, expandable air blast device body (4) with a pressure chamber (3) surrounding a piston guide (20) for receiving a piston (22) and a valve seat (15) for the piston (22), a connection (18) for a pressure vessel (6), a connection (10) for a control unit (30) for controlling the position of the piston (22), and an air outlet opening (14). The expandable air blast device body (4) also includes at least one, preferably three, connections (12) for further air blast device bodies (4, 5) to form a common pressure chamber. The invention further relates to an air blast device (8) comprising at least one such expandable air blast device body (4).