Exchangeable Hard Rubber Sleeve for Granulator Guide Roller

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing guide rollers for granulating plastic strands require costly recoating and replacement, leading to high assembly, transport, and storage costs due to the need for vulcanizing new hard rubber layers onto metal cores, which complicates the process and increases expenses.

Innovation Solution

A guide roller design featuring a core with a self-centering, exchangeable hard rubber sleeve that can be easily pushed onto and pulled off, eliminating the need for vulcanization and allowing for simpler replacement and reduced costs by only replacing the sleeve when worn, with optional reinforcement using materials like duroplast, fiber-reinforced plastic, or metal alloys for enhanced performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the hard rubber layer is vulcanized onto the metal core, then the guide roller has high reliability and durability, but the replacement process becomes complex and costly requiring complete recoating

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedurability of guide rollerVSAvoidcomplexity of replacement process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide roller is divided into two independent parts: a metal core and a hard rubber sleeve. The sleeve can be replaced independently without replacing the core, thus simplifying the replacement process while maintaining the durability provided by the vulcanized connection during its service life.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hard rubber layer is extracted as a separate replaceable sleeve that can be removed and replaced independently from the metal core. This allows only the worn sleeve to be replaced rather than the entire guide roller, reducing replacement complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the entire guide roller is recoated when the hard rubber layer wears out, then the guide roller maintains its functionality, but assembly costs and assembly time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctionality of guide rollerVSAvoidassembly time for replacement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the guide roller into a permanent metal core and a replaceable hard rubber sleeve, only the sleeve needs to be replaced when worn. This reduces assembly time significantly compared to recoating the entire roller, while the sleeve maintains functionality through its durable vulcanized connection during service.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The metal core is prepared in advance with a conical surface and threading that facilitates quick sleeve installation. The sleeve can be directly pushed onto the prepared core and secured with a nut, eliminating the need for time-consuming recoating operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the guide roller is shipped for recoating, then the hard rubber layer can be renewed, but transport costs and storage costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverenewal of hard rubber layerVSAvoidtransport and storage costs

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The hard rubber sleeve is extracted as a separate replaceable component. When worn, only the lightweight sleeve needs to be shipped and replaced, not the entire heavy guide roller. This dramatically reduces transport and storage costs while achieving the same renewal effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The hard rubber sleeve is designed as a consumable component with a limited service life. When worn out, it is replaced by a new sleeve rather than attempting to renew the original layer, reducing the need for expensive transport and storage of the entire roller for recoating operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Adaptability or versatility

If longitudinal slits and rubber ridges are added to accommodate different strand thicknesses, then the guide roller has higher adaptability, but the manufacturing complexity and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of different strand thicknessesVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity of hard rubber layer

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The hard rubber sleeve is designed to be elastic and deformable, allowing it to naturally accommodate different strand thicknesses through elastic deformation rather than requiring pre-formed slits and ridges. This maintains adaptability while greatly simplifying manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The sleeve is manufactured as a homogeneous hard rubber layer without complex internal structures like slits and ridges. The uniform material properties allow the sleeve to adapt to different strand thicknesses through simple elastic compression, reducing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

Data Source

PatentEP3134240B1Guide roller of a pair of feed rollers of a granulating device for granulating strands of polymeric material

Publication Date: 2019.06.26 MAAG AUTOMATIK GMBH

Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a guide roller of a pair of feed rollers of a granulating device of plastic strands. Said guide roller (1 - 9) comprises a centre (11) and at least one outer hard rubber layer (12) which forms a sleeve (10) which can be pushed onto the centre (11) of the guide roller (1) and can be removed from the centre (11).