Fiber Distributor Regulator Prevents Blower Blockages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing distributor machines for fibrous materials face blockages due to shredded material being deposited in the blower chamber before the blower reaches full operational speed, which is exacerbated by complex and costly clutch mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A distributor machine with a regulator device that can be moved between a closed and open position to control the feeding of shredded materials, allowing the blower to reach speed without blockages, eliminating the need for a clutch mechanism by using a pivotable support element with regulator elements that extend between the shredder drum blades to prevent material flow until the blower is operational.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the shredder drum and blower are driven synchronously from a common drive input, then the machine structure is simplified, but shredded material is deposited in the blower chamber before the blower reaches full operational speed causing blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The regulator device is moved to the closed position before the blower reaches full operational speed to prevent material from entering the blower chamber. This preliminary action blocks the feeding gap during the critical startup period, eliminating blockages while maintaining synchronous drive simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The regulator device acts as an intermediary between the shredder drum and blower, controlling material flow through the feeding gap. It mediates the synchronous operation by selectively allowing or blocking material passage based on blower speed, resolving the contradiction between simplified drive and blockage prevention.
2Reliability
If a clutch mechanism is used to control drive transmission to the shredder drum, then blockages are prevented by delaying drum rotation, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The clutch mechanism is extracted and replaced with a regulator device that controls material flow instead of drive transmission. This removes the complex clutch mechanism while achieving the same functional outcome of preventing blockages by delaying material feeding until the blower is operational.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical clutch system is replaced with a regulator device that uses a different mechanism (movable barrier in the feeding gap) to achieve control. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical coupling while maintaining blockage prevention functionality.
3Productivity
If the regulator device is kept open during startup, then material feeding is continuous, but the blower chamber becomes blocked before the blower reaches operational speed
Solution Approach 1:
The regulator device implements periodic control of material feeding by transitioning from closed to open position. During startup, it remains closed to prevent blockages, then opens to allow continuous feeding once the blower is operational, achieving both reliability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The regulator device is closed during the preliminary startup phase to prevent blockages. After the blower reaches operational speed, it transitions to the open position to enable continuous material feeding, thus ensuring both blockage prevention and feeding continuity at appropriate times.
Data Source
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AI summary
A distributor machine for distributing fibrous materials comprises a bale chamber (6) for receiving fibrous materials, a shredder device (10) for shredding the fibrous materials, a barrier device (44) associated with the shredder device for holding back or recirculating unshredded materials, and a blower device (8) for distributing shredded materials fed through a feeding gap (47) from the shredding device to the blower device. The distributor machine includes a regulator device (44) for regulating the feeding of shredded materials through the feeding gap (47), said regulator device (44) being moveable between a closed position in which feeding of shredded material is obstructed and an open position in which feeding of shredded material is substantially unobstructed.