Lateral Chip Removal Funnel for Continuous Press Edge Density

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for removing wood chips or other wood particles from a continuous press in wood-based panel production lead to contamination, ignition risks, and uneven density in finished panels due to gas pressure and suction effects, necessitating inefficient humidification systems and edge cutting.

Innovation Solution

A collecting funnel arrangement directs wood chips or particles to a mechanical transport device, such as a series of overlapping transport screws, which collects and transports them away from the press nip without suction, preventing contamination and ignition, and maintaining panel edge density.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-generated harmful factors

If suction means are used to extract chips and particles from the press nip, then chips and particles are removed from the side area, but wood fiber material is also removed from the edge area causing undesirably different density at the edges

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechip removal effectivenessVSAvoidpanel edge density uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A collecting funnel arrangement is introduced as an intermediary device between the press nip and the transport system. The funnel collects chips laterally from the press nip through gravity and geometric confinement, directing them into transport screws without creating suction effects that would affect the wood fiber material at the press edges.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The chip removal function is segmented into distinct components: the collecting funnel arrangement for capturing chips, and the transport screws for removing them. This segmentation allows the chip collection to occur through gravity and geometry rather than suction, preventing the harmful side effect of removing wood fiber material from the panel edges.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If chips are suctioned directly into a suction line, then chips are removed from the press, but the suction effect causes edges of the finished wood fiber board to have undesirably different density than the center

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechip removal efficiencyVSAvoidpanel density uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The collecting funnel arrangement serves as an intermediary that captures chips through gravity and geometric confinement rather than direct suction. This intermediary structure allows efficient chip collection while preventing the suction effect from reaching the wood fiber material at the press nip edges.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful suction effect is extracted and replaced with a gravity-based collection system. The funnel arrangement takes out the chip removal function from the suction system, allowing chips to be collected and transported separately without the negative impacts of suction on panel quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Object-generated harmful factors

If humidification system is installed to moisten emerging chips, then chips can be extracted more effectively, but the system requires great deal of effort when installing and increases device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechip extractabilityVSAvoidhumidification system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The humidification function is completely removed from the system. Instead of moistening chips to improve extractability, the invention uses a mechanical funnel arrangement that collects and transports chips through gravity and geometry, eliminating the need for complex humidification equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical humidification system is replaced with a purely mechanical gravity-based collection and transport system. The funnel arrangement and transport screws provide effective chip removal through mechanical means alone, eliminating the need for water injection, humidification chambers, and associated control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 solution effectively collects and transports wood chips without contaminating the surroundings or igniting hot supply lines, ensuring consistent panel density and simplifying maintenance by forming a prefabricated structural unit that can be easily moved and assembled.

Implementation Method 1

The chips are not sucked directly into a suction line, but fall due to their gravity and their freedom of movement through the side walls of the collecting funnel arrangement limited to a transport device that transports the chips away.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

The chips discharged by the collecting funnel arrangement fall from above into the transport screw which is open at the top and are removed, preferably likewise parallel to the direction of travel of the press.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical transport: Screw

Data Source

PatentEP3363607B1Device and method for carrying away wood chips which emerge laterally from a continuous press
Publication Date: 2020.02.19 SIEMPELKAMP MASCHINEN UND ANLAGENBAU GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3363607B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3363607B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a device and a method for removing wood chips or other wood particles that emerge laterally from a continuous press (2) for the production of wood-based panels, wherein the continuous press (2) has an upper belt (3) and a lower belt (4) rotating with a press gap (5), which can be pressed against a wood fiber material (6) by means of at least partially heated pressure plates (7, 8). According to the invention, the wood chips or other wood particles are removed such that a collecting funnel arrangement (15) for the wood chips or other wood particles is arranged laterally to the side of the press gap (6) at least in one end section of the continuous press (2), which conveys them to a mechanical transport device (18).