Mesh Drum Workpiece Feeder for Contaminant Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing workpiece feeding apparatuses face challenges in preventing contaminants and fine particles from adhering to workpieces and achieving stable discharge rates, particularly with the drum type, which generates contaminants and causes clumping during discharge.

Innovation Solution

A mesh drum apparatus with a rotary drive and angle adjuster is used, featuring a mesh circumferential wall that rotates and tilts to separate and discharge workpieces, preventing contaminants from adhering by allowing them to pass through the mesh and ensuring a stable discharge rate through controlled mesh size and friction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a drum type hopper is used to discharge workpieces at a fixed rate, then the discharge rate is stabilized and workpieces are not scratched, but contaminants are generated and accumulate on the drum and blade causing them to adhere to workpieces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedischarge rateVSAvoidcontaminant adhesion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The blade is extracted from the drum structure. Instead of having a blade on the drum surface to extrude workpieces, the invention uses a separate bladeless drum that relies on the mesh structure itself to control workpiece discharge, thereby eliminating the source of contaminant generation from blade-workpiece friction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The drum is made with a mesh structure having specific mesh sizes. The mesh allows contaminants to pass through while maintaining the drum's structural integrity and workpiece discharge function. This porous design enables contaminants to be separated from workpieces during the discharge process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Manufacturing precision

If a drum with blade is used to extrude workpieces, then workpieces are discharged at a fixed rate without scratches, but workpieces are discharged as clumps reducing discharge rate stabilization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedischarge rate stabilityVSAvoidworkpiece distribution

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The blade is completely removed from the drum structure. The invention replaces the blade extrusion mechanism with a mesh-based control system where the mesh size and drum rotation work together to individually separate and discharge workpieces, preventing clumping while maintaining stable discharge rates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The drum surface is designed with specific mesh sizes tailored to the workpiece characteristics. This local quality control through mesh selection enables precise control over workpiece discharge, allowing individual workpieces to be separated and discharged steadily without forming clumps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If linear vibration type hopper is used to discharge workpieces, then workpieces are discharged by vibration and tilt, but fine scratches are caused on the workpieces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedischarge rateVSAvoidworkpiece surface quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The vibration-based discharge mechanism is replaced with a rotation-based mesh drum system. Instead of using linear vibration and tilt to discharge workpieces, the invention uses the rotational motion of the mesh drum to gradually release workpieces, eliminating the mechanical contact that causes fine scratches while maintaining efficient discharge

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 mesh drum apparatus effectively prevents contaminants from adhering to workpieces and stabilizes the discharge rate by rotating and tilting, ensuring efficient and clean discharge without clumping, while maintaining the advantages of the drum type.

Implementation Method 1

the mesh drum has a mesh size of the mesh circumferential wall being set according to form of the workpieces to ensure the separating of the workpieces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMesh filtration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 2

The mesh drum rotates and tilts to discharge workpieces therefrom

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 3

The rotating mesh drum causes a workpiece laid on another workpiece to slide down in a rotation direction of the mesh drum while suppressing a workpiece contacting the mesh of the mesh drum from sliding in the rotational direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS10259668B2Apparatus of feeding workpieces with a mesh drum

Publication Date: 2019.04.16 NHK SPRING CO LTD

AI summary

The present invention provides an apparatus of feeding workpieces, capable of preventing generated contaminants from adhering workpieces and improving stabilization in a discharge rate of the workpieces while having advantage of the drum type. The apparatus has a mesh drum, a rotary drive and an angle adjuster. The mesh drum has a mesh circumferential wall that defines a space for accommodating workpieces, the mesh drum is configured to be rotated and tilted by the rotary drive and the angle adjuster. The mesh drum has a mesh size of the mesh circumferential wall being set according to form of the workpieces to ensure the separating of the workpieces.