Metering Device Slide Actuation via Spring Intermediary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing metering devices in agricultural distributing machines, particularly centrifugal spreaders, face issues with jamming due to insufficient maintenance and excessive stress on components when using spring elements for actuation, leading to difficulties in adjusting the passage opening effectively.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a spring element between the adjusting element and the slide, which also serves as an intermediate element, allows for a larger adjustment path without excessive stress on components, and using a leg spring or tension spring with a lever element to provide resilience and damping, enabling a simple and stress-free actuation system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a spring element is used to bring the slide into the open position, then the slide can be actuated automatically, but under difficult conditions of use the slide may only slowly reach its open position or may not reach it at all
Solution Approach 1:
A motorized adjusting element is introduced as an intermediary between the control system and the slide. This motorized element positively engages the slide through a gear mechanism, ensuring reliable actuation. The motorized element overrides spring resistance and friction forces that prevent the spring element from reliably opening the slide under difficult conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The unreliable spring-based mechanical actuation system is replaced with a motorized actuation system. The motorized adjusting element provides controlled, powered movement of the slide, replacing the passive spring mechanism that fails under difficult usage conditions.
2Measurement precision
If a motorized adjusting element acts in two opposite directions to bring the slide into open or closed position, then the slide position can be precisely controlled, but a high pressure is always exerted on the stop element by the motorized control element in an undamped and unsprung manner
Solution Approach 1:
A spring element is introduced between the motorized adjusting element and the slide to provide cushioning before the slide contacts the stop element. This spring element absorbs the impact and distributes the force, preventing high undamped pressure on the stop element while the slide is being positioned.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring element serves as a force-distributing intermediary between the motorized adjusting element and the slide-stop element interface. It mediates the force transmission, converting the motorized element's direct pressure into a distributed, damped force application.
3Reliability
If the slide is brought into the open position by a motorized control element and the slider position is determined by the slider resting against a stop element, then the slide can be reliably positioned, but great loads are exerted on the adjustment element, the slide and the stop element
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element provides beforehand cushioning by being pre-loaded between the motorized adjusting element and the slide. This cushioning effect reduces the peak loads on the slide, stop element, and adjustment element during positioning operations, while maintaining reliable positioning through the motorized element's controlled movement.
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
This configuration ensures a simple and stress-free adjustment of the slide's position, reducing wear on components and maintaining effective control over the passage opening, even under challenging conditions, by distributing forces more evenly and providing a resilient actuation mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element between the adjusting element, which is effective in two adjustment directions, and the slide
Implementation Method 2
The spring element effectively arranged between the adjusting element and the slider thus allows a larger adjustment path
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The metering device (4) has a storage container, and a slider which is brought by an adjusting element effective in two attitude directions in closing or opening position. An intermediate element (25) is arranged between the slider and the adjusting element. The intermediate element cooperates with the slider.