Hopper Gate Disassembly via Segmented Fulcrum Shafts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional combination scales require significant labor and time to disassemble and reassemble hoppers for cleaning due to the need to pivot fulcrum bolts, which complicates the process of cleaning and maintaining the equipment, especially when handling a large number of hoppers.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates fulcrum shafts with regulating members that are detachably engaged circumferentially around the shafts, allowing for easy disassembly and reassembly of hopper gates without the need for tools like spanners, and includes stoppers to prevent accidental displacement during handling and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fulcrum bolts are used to pivotably support gates on hopper bodies, then the gates are securely fitted and stable, but the disassembly and reassembly process becomes laborious and time-consuming requiring spanners
Solution Approach 1:
The fulcrum bolt assembly is segmented into multiple components: the fulcrum shaft fixed to the hopper body, the gate with its side parts, and the regulating members that can be independently attached and detached. This segmentation allows the regulating members to be removed separately, enabling the gate to be easily detached from the fulcrum shaft without requiring spanners, while the fulcrum shaft remains securely fixed to the hopper body.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple fulcrum bolts are used to support both side parts of the gate, then the gate is stably supported, but the number of fastening operations increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The fulcrum shafts are preliminarily fixed to the hopper bodies during assembly, and the regulating members are preliminarily attached to the gates. When disassembly is needed, only the regulating members need to be detached, which are already in position to regulate gate movement. This preliminary arrangement of components reduces the disassembly process to simply removing the regulating members, rather than having to manipulate multiple fulcrum bolts.
3Strength
If the gate is tightly fitted to the hopper body with fulcrum bolts, then the structure is rigid and stable, but the gate cannot be easily removed for thorough cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the gate and hopper body is made dynamic rather than static. The regulating members can be attached when the gate needs to be secured and removed when cleaning is required. This dynamic connection allows the structure to transition between a rigid state (when regulating members are attached) and a disassembled state (when regulating members are removed), accommodating both structural stability and ease of cleaning requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A hopper has a gate pivotable to open and close the lower opening of a hopper body, wherein opposing side parts more spaced apart than a width of the body are extending from the gate, and the opposing side parts of the gate are externally fitted pivotably to fulcrum shafts protruding from outer side surfaces of the hopper body. The hopper further includes regulating members interposed between the outer side surfaces of the body and the opposing side parts of the gate. The regulating members are configured to regulate movements of the gate in pivotal directions thereof and are detachably engaged with the fulcrum shafts circumferentially around the fulcrum shafts.