Follower Plate Seal Structure for Container Tolerance Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seals for follower plates in conveyor devices are difficult to assemble, provide inadequate sealing for highly viscous materials, and fail to compensate for container tolerances, leading to leakage issues.
Innovation Solution
A seal design featuring a first leg acting as a lever to press a second leg against the container wall, with adjustable angular and thickness ratios to enhance sealing efficacy, and an annular clamping band to secure the seal to the follower plate, ensuring effective sealing across varying container diameters and tolerances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid seal with multiple lips is used to prevent material leakage, then sealing effect is improved, but the seal becomes difficult to assemble and cannot compensate for container tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is divided into multiple independent lips (first lip, second lip, third lip) that can function separately. Each lip can be optimized for specific functions: the first lip for initial sealing, the second lip for preventing material accumulation, and the third lip for final sealing. This segmentation allows the seal to maintain reliability while improving assembly ease compared to a single complex rigid seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal design incorporates specific geometric parameters including lip angles (α between 60°-90°, preferably 75°-85°), lip lengths (20-60 mm), and thickness ratios (first leg to second leg between 1.1-2.0) that allow the seal to adapt to container tolerances while maintaining sealing effectiveness. These parameter optimizations enable the seal to function reliably without requiring complex assembly procedures.
2Reliability
If tight tolerances are maintained for container dimensions to ensure sealing, then sealing effect is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is designed with specific geometric parameters including lip angles (α between 60°-90°), lip lengths (20-60 mm), and thickness ratios that provide built-in compensation for container dimensional variations. The first leg thickness to second leg thickness ratio of 1.1-2.0 creates a lever effect that maintains sealing pressure across varying container diameters, eliminating the need for tight container tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal incorporates dynamic elements that allow it to adapt to varying container dimensions. The lips are designed to flex and adjust their positioning based on the actual container geometry, maintaining effective sealing contact even when container diameters vary or the container is not perfectly round. This dynamic adaptation eliminates the need for precise manufacturing tolerances.
3Reliability
If the seal is pressed tightly against the container wall to prevent leakage, then sealing effect is improved, but force required to move the follower plate increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the seal have different properties optimized for their specific functions. The first lip, second lip, and third lip have different geometries and stiffness characteristics. The first leg is thicker than the second leg to provide structural support, while the sealing lips are designed with specific angles and lengths to create effective sealing with minimal friction. This local differentiation allows effective sealing without requiring excessive force across the entire seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal geometry parameters including lip angles (60°-90°), lip lengths (20-60 mm), and thickness ratios are optimized to achieve effective sealing with minimal contact pressure. The first leg thickness to second leg thickness ratio of 1.1-2.0 creates a lever effect that amplifies sealing force at the contact point while requiring less overall force to move the follower plate. These parameter optimizations balance sealing effectiveness with mobility requirements.
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 seal provides a robust and efficient sealing solution that maintains sealing efficacy even with large container tolerances and varying diameters, preventing material leakage and ensuring reliable conveyance of viscous materials.
Implementation Method 1
The first leg (2.1) acts on the second leg (2.3) as a lever
Implementation Method 2
The seal (2), and in particular the leg (2.3), exhibits a certain elasticity for this purpose. This allows the seal (2), to conform to the container wall (1.1)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~8
AI summary
The seal according to the invention for sealing a follower plate against a container has a first leg (2.1) with a first sealing lip (2.2) and a second leg (2.3) with a second sealing lip (2.4). The two legs (2.1, 2.3) are designed such that the first leg (2.1) acts as a lever and, when it presses against the container wall (1.1), presses the second leg (2.3) against the container wall (1.1).