Vibrating Helical Conveyor Sealing Ring Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vibrating spiral conveyors are complex and costly to adjust for separating sealing rings of different sizes, with limited size range due to fixed chute dimensions and pitch constraints, leading to potential jamming and inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

Incorporation of motor-driven barrier parts that alternately penetrate the chute, allowing for adjustable positioning to match sealing ring diameters, ensuring the uppermost ring closes the slit and maintaining a constant top edge height, with interchangeable chute units for different sealing ring sizes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the drop chute is designed with fixed dimensions, then the structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate sealing rings of different sizes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to process different sealing ring sizesVSAvoidcomplexity of adjusting chute dimensions
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The barrier parts are made movable rather than fixed, allowing them to be positioned at different vertical locations. This dynamic adjustment enables the same drop chute structure to accommodate sealing rings of varying diameters by moving the barrier parts to match the specific ring dimensions, thus achieving adaptability without changing the overall chute structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The drop chute is divided into functional segments: the main chute structure remains fixed, while separate barrier parts can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows the barrier parts to be adjusted individually to match different sealing ring sizes, maintaining the simplicity of the overall chute while enabling versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the helix slope is fixed, then the manufacturing is simple, but the size range of sealing rings is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverange of sealing ring sizes that can be processedVSAvoidease of adjusting helix slope
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of making the helix slope adjustable through complex mechanical modifications, the invention uses dynamic barrier parts that can be positioned at different vertical locations. This approach maintains the simple fixed helix slope while achieving size adaptability through the movable barrier parts, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and size range versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the uppermost sealing ring protrudes too far into the pot, then it closes the slot, but it causes accumulation and blockage along the step

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of sealing ring blockageVSAvoidprecision of slot positioning
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The barrier parts are positioned in advance at the correct vertical locations before sealing rings are fed into the drop chute. This preliminary positioning ensures that the barrier parts will automatically stop the uppermost sealing ring at the precise moment it reaches the slot, preventing protrusion into the pot and avoiding accumulation along the step without requiring complex real-time positioning adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Simplifies the separation of various sealing ring sizes by maintaining consistent height and preventing jamming, allowing for a broader range of sizes to be processed with reduced complexity and cost.

Implementation Method 1

a vibratory spiral conveyor (10) for separating sealing rings (24, 25, 26, 27), with a sorting bowl (12), which can be set into vibration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Implementation Method 2

the lowest sealing ring being able to fall onto the receiving point when the lower barrier part is retracted

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP4151564A1Vibrating helical conveyor and sealing ring separation assembly
Publication Date: 2023.03.22 OHRMANN GMBH
  • EP4151564A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4151564A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4151564A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A vibratory spiral conveyor (10) has a sorting bowl (12) that can be set into vibration and has a helical shoulder (18) on its inner surface, on which sealing rings are conveyed upwards and singulated. In a drop chute for singulated sealing rings, vertically stacked barrier elements are provided, alternately penetrating the drop chute and determining the position of the uppermost sealing ring in the chute. Furthermore, a sealing ring singulation assembly with several different drop chute units is proposed.