Movable Feed Roller In-Feed System for Wood Chippers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wood chippers face challenges in processing oversize materials, as the infeed throat opening is not adequately adjustable to accommodate large logs, leading to feeding difficulties and potential jams.
Innovation Solution
The system uses an ultrasonic sensor to measure the height of incoming material and control a hydraulic actuator to temporarily increase the infeed opening by moving a movable feed roller away from a stationary roller, allowing larger materials to be fed into the chipper rotor, with closed-loop control ensuring precise adjustment and preventing false signals during brush chipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the infeed throat opening is kept small to maintain grip on brush material, then processing efficiency for brush is improved, but the ability to accommodate large logs deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The infeed throat opening is made dynamically adjustable through a movable feed roller that can change its position between a first position (for brush) and a second position (for logs). This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt to different material types, resolving the contradiction between maintaining a small opening for brush efficiency and accommodating large logs.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical parameter of the infeed throat opening size is changed based on the material being processed. The control system adjusts the opening size parameter - keeping it small for brush material to maintain grip and processing efficiency, and enlarging it for logs to accommodate their size, thus resolving the contradiction between these two operational requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the infeed throat opening is increased to accommodate large logs, then adaptability to different material sizes is improved, but the grip on smaller brush material deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the infeed throat opening size based on the detected material type. When logs are detected, the movable feed roller shifts to the second position to enlarge the opening for accommodation. When brush is detected, it returns to the first position to maintain the smaller opening that provides effective grip, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The infeed throat opening size parameter is selectively changed based on material type. For logs, the parameter is adjusted to a larger value to enable accommodation. For brush, the parameter is maintained at a smaller value to ensure effective grip and processing efficiency, resolving the contradiction between these competing requirements.
3Productivity
If a sensor-actuated system is added to automatically adjust the infeed opening, then processing efficiency for both brush and logs is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manual mechanical adjustment system is replaced with an automated sensor-actuated system. The sensor detects material type and the actuator automatically adjusts the movable feed roller position, eliminating the need for manual intervention and improving overall processing efficiency for both brush and logs, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity improvement and increased device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The chipper system performs self-adjustment of the infeed throat opening based on sensor detection of material type. The system serves itself by automatically detecting whether brush or logs are present and adjusting the movable feed roller accordingly, improving processing efficiency without requiring constant operator attention, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and 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
This solution enables efficient feeding of large logs by dynamically adjusting the infeed throat opening, reducing jamming and improving processing efficiency while maintaining grip on smaller, denser materials like brush.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic sensor measures the distance from a reference position to the top of an item being fed into the in-feed members
Implementation Method 2
The actuator shown is a hydraulic actuator that has an outer cylinder with a base that is mounted on a support fixed relative to the frame of the chipper, and a piston rod is extendible to move the moveable roller away from the second roller
Implementation Method 3
the first in-feed member is held against the material being fed by springs in a normal manner
Data Source
AI summary
A wood chipper has a pair of feed rollers, a first of which has a fixed axis position, and a second of which is moveably toward and away from the first feed roller. Springs are provided to urge the moveable roller toward the first feed roller and to a reference position, and an actuator is provided for moving the moveable feed roller away from the first feed roller. A sensor is provided to sense the height of an object on a feed chute as the object approach the feed rollers and cause the actuator to move moveable feed roller away from the reference when the sensor signals the object exceeds a selected amount.