Hopper Rotator Geometry for Reliable Article Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional weighing apparatuses with rotators between hoppers face instability and cleaning challenges due to motor usage, leading to articles getting stuck between hoppers.
Innovation Solution
A rotator with a non-parallel rotation shaft and central axis, which rotates only when an article abuts on it, ensuring reliable article distribution without a motor, and facilitates easy cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a motor is coupled to the rotator to ensure rotation, then the article can reliably drop into either hopper, but the cost increases and cleaning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The rotator is designed to rotate automatically when an article mounts on it, eliminating the need for an external motor. The article's weight and position on the rotator create the rotational force needed, making the system self-powered and avoiding the complexity and cleaning issues associated with motors between hoppers.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor component is completely removed from the system. Instead of coupling a motor to the rotator, the invention extracts the motor function entirely and replaces it with a passive mechanical design where the article itself drives the rotation when it mounts on the rotator.
2Device complexity
If the rotator is designed without a motor, then the configuration is simpler and easier to clean, but the article may remain on the rotator without rotating
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation shaft and central axis of the rotator are deliberately designed to be non-parallel, creating an asymmetric configuration. This asymmetry ensures that when an article mounts on the rotator, it creates an unbalanced force that causes rotation, preventing the article from remaining stationary on the rotator.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static design to a dynamic one where the rotator rotates based on the article's position. The non-parallel shaft and axis configuration creates dynamic rotational behavior that adapts to the article's placement, ensuring rotation occurs when needed without requiring external power.
3Reliability
If the rotation shaft and central axis are made non-parallel, then the rotator rotates reliably when article abuts, but the configuration becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention intentionally introduces asymmetry by making the rotation shaft and central axis non-parallel. This asymmetric configuration is relatively simple to implement but effectively ensures that when an article abuts on the rotator, it creates rotational motion, achieving reliable rotation with minimal added complexity.
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
Enables reliable article distribution into adjacent hoppers with a simple configuration, reducing costs and cleaning time.
Implementation Method 1
the rotator rotates when the article abuts on the rotator
Implementation Method 2
the rotation shaft and a central axis of the rotator are not parallel, the rotator rotates when the article abuts on the rotator
Data Source
AI summary
A weighing apparatus (1) according to an embodiment includes: adjacent hoppers (12A, 12B); and a sorting mechanism (20) disposed between the adjacent hoppers (12A, 12B), the sorting mechanism (20) sorting an article given from outside into one of the adjacent hoppers (12A, 12B), in which the sorting mechanism (20) includes a rotator (21) rotatable around a rotation shaft (21R), the rotation shaft (21R) and a central axis (21C) of the rotator (21) are not parallel, the rotator (21) rotates when the article abuts on the rotator (21), and the rotator (21) does not rotate when the article does not abut on the rotator (21).