Particulate Printing Gas-Assisted Hopper for Consistent Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing processes struggle to provide a reliable and reproducible profiled distribution of particulate material, particularly absorbent particulates, at high process speeds, often resulting in inconsistent filling of recesses and compromised accuracy in pattern formation on carrier layers.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a hopper with a gas supply to enhance powder flowability, combined with a transfer device featuring recesses that receives particulate material and rotates to deposit it onto a carrier layer, using air-assisted filling and vacuum assistance to ensure consistent and accurate distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If process speed is increased to improve productivity, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but the reliability and consistency of particulate material transfer deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic principles by using a gas supply assembly to introduce gas under pressure into the hopper discharge zone. This pneumatic assistance enhances powder flowability and ensures consistent filling of recesses even at high process speeds, resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameters of the particulate material by introducing pressurized gas, which modifies the flow characteristics and density of the powder in the discharge zone. This parameter change enables reliable material transfer at high speeds by improving flow consistency.
2Productivity
If process speed is increased to improve productivity, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing precision of profiled distribution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply assembly uses pneumatic pressure to ensure uniform and consistent filling of recesses with particulate material. This pneumatic assistance maintains the accuracy of profiled distribution by preventing inconsistent filling that would otherwise occur at high process speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas is supplied to the particulate material in advance, before it enters the recesses of the transfer device. This preliminary action of gas assistance prepares the powder for consistent and accurate filling, ensuring manufacturing precision is maintained even at high speeds.
3Reliability
If gas supply is added to improve powder flowability, then reliability of material transfer is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gas supply assembly that connects to the hopper discharge zone. This pneumatic system, while adding some complexity, provides a relatively simple and effective means of improving powder flowability and transfer reliability compared to more complex mechanical or vibrational alternatives.
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
Enables accurate and reproducible profiled distribution of particulate material even at high process speeds, improving the consistency and accuracy of absorbent core formation in absorbent articles.
Implementation Method 1
supplying a gas under pressure to the bulk of particulate material within the hopper discharge zone
Implementation Method 2
supplying a gas under pressure to the bulk of particulate material within the hopper discharge zone; transferring the particulate material through the feed opening
Implementation Method 3
feeding the particulate material under gravity from a hopper to a discharge zone containing an feed opening
Data Source
AI summary
A process and apparatus for depositing particulate material in a predetermined pattern onto a moving surface is disclosed. A particulate material may be fed under gravity from a hopper to a discharge zone containing a feed opening. A gas may be supplied, by a gas supply assembly, under pressure to the bulk of particulate material within the hopper discharge zone. The particulate material may be transferred through the feed opening to the surface of a transfer device, which contains a pattern of particulate-receiving recesses. The transfer device may rotate to a deposition zone and transfer the particulate material to a carrier layer.