Flat-Profiled Mixing Rotor for Building Materials

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mixing rotors for producing free-flowing building materials, such as mortar or concrete, require complex production steps and are costly due to forging and forming processes, as well as the connection of multiple components.

Innovation Solution

A mixing rotor design where the drive shaft and mixing arms are manufactured from flat-profiled material sections, allowing for simplified production through cutting processes without the need for significant shaping, and can be connected using welding or other material bonds, reducing the number of manufacturing steps and costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If traditional forging and forming processes are used to manufacture mixing rotors, then mechanical strength and durability are improved, but manufacturing complexity and production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the manufacturing approach from traditional forging and forming processes to cutting and shaping processes. Instead of forming complex 3D shapes through multiple forging steps, the invention cuts the mixing rotor components from flat-profiled semi-finished products, significantly reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining mechanical strength through proper material selection and heat treatment of the flat profiles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple components are connected to form the mixing rotor, then functional requirements are met, but production costs and assembly complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional requirementsVSAvoidproduction costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functional components (drive shaft, mixing arms, connecting elements) into a single integrated flat-profiled structure that is cut from one piece of material. This merging eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly of multiple components, reducing production costs and assembly complexity while maintaining all necessary functions through the integrated design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If complex forming processes are used to create mixer geometries, then design flexibility is improved, but production time and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign flexibilityVSAvoidproduction time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the mixing rotor design into modular flat-profiled components with standardized connection interfaces. This segmentation allows different mixing arm configurations and geometries to be created by simply changing the cut patterns and arrangements of the flat profiles, providing design flexibility without requiring complex forming processes for each variation, thus reducing production time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3199228B1Mixing rotor and device for producing free-flowing building materials
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 KNAUF PFT GMBH & CO
  • EP3199228B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3199228B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP3199228B1 patent drawingFigure 7~9

AI summary

Mixing rotor (1) for mixing flowable building materials, based in particular on mortar or concrete mixtures. The mixing rotor (1) comprises a drive shaft (2) designed for coupling with a drive, in particular a drive chuck (14), and a mixing unit (3) connected to the drive shaft (2) with at least one mixing arm (4), wherein the drive shaft (2) and/or at least one mixing arm (4) is/are formed at least partially from a flat-profiled material section (2, 4, 6, 18).