Paper-Piece Stirring Apparatus With Elevated Blades to Prevent Clumping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stirring apparatuses for recycled paper production often cause paper pieces to clump together, leading to increased load on rotary driving devices due to compression between the stirring member and the bottom surface, resulting in uneven supply to processing portions.

Innovation Solution

A stirring apparatus with a rotary body having blades and a protruding member that rotates to stir paper pieces, preventing compression and lump formation, and includes a sealing member to prevent paper from entering the gap between the rotary body and the bottom surface, ensuring stable and uniform supply.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a stirring member rotates on the bottom surface to stir paper pieces, then paper pieces are fed to a subsequent processing portion, but paper pieces are compressed between the stirring member and bottom surface causing clumping

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepaper piece supplyVSAvoidpaper piece uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The stirring member is divided into multiple blade elements arranged radially, creating segmented stirring zones that prevent paper compression by distributing stirring action across multiple discrete elements rather than a continuous surface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stirring member is elevated above the bottom surface, transitioning from a two-dimensional surface contact to a three-dimensional configuration with vertical clearance, eliminating compression between the stirring member and bottom surface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Quantity of substance

If paper pieces are compressed between stirring member and bottom surface, then a predetermined amount of paper pieces are supplied to processing portion, but load on rotary driving device increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepaper piece amountVSAvoidrotary driving device load
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful compression function is extracted from the stirring member by elevating it above the bottom surface, removing the source of excessive load while preserving the beneficial stirring and feeding functions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The clearance parameter between the stirring member and bottom surface is changed from zero (contact) to a positive value, fundamentally altering the interaction mechanics to reduce friction and compression forces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If paper pieces are compressed and clumped, then lump-shaped paper pieces are sent to subsequent processing portion, but stable supply cannot be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing portion supplyVSAvoidpaper piece distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The rotating blades create dynamic mechanical action that prevents paper pieces from settling and clumping, maintaining uniform distribution through continuous motion-induced agitation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #18Mechanical vibration

Solution Approach 2:

The elevated stirring member acts as an intermediary that stirs and distributes paper pieces without directly compressing them against the bottom surface, mediating between the storage function and feeding function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 apparatus effectively prevents lump formation and ensures a stable, uniform supply of paper pieces to processing portions, reducing the load on the rotary driving device and maintaining consistent processing efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a sealing member 192 disposed between the rotary portion 190 and the bottom surface 182

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical barrier: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentEP3753629B1Stirring apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 SEIKO EPSON CORP
  • EP3753629B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3753629B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3753629B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A stirring apparatus (130) includes a case (170) that houses fiber pieces containing fibers, and a rotary body (172) that is disposed inside the case and that stirs the fiber pieces, in which the rotary body includes a rotary portion (190) that forms a portion of a bottom surface of the case and that rotates, and blades (196) that stand upright on the rotary portion.