Pellet Mill Roller Holder Frame Support Extraction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing pellet mill design is economically inefficient due to oversized main axle bearings and complex safety features, which hinder adjustment mechanisms and feeding mechanisms, and requires precise assembly with potential safety risks from belts and chains.
Innovation Solution
A pellet mill design where the roller holder is supported by the frame instead of a roller holder axle, allowing moveable roller axles to prevent overload damage, reducing the number of bearings, simplifying the adjustment mechanism, and facilitating a feeding mechanism with feed conduits positioned between rollers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the roller holder axle is supported within the main axle using roller holder axle bearings, then the safety function is provided allowing the roller holder axle to rotate with the annular die during overload, but the main axle bearings must be oversized to carry the loads from the roller holder axle bearings, resulting in uneconomical design
Solution Approach 1:
The roller holder axle is extracted from the main axle and repositioned to be supported by the frame instead. This separation removes the unnecessary load path from the main axle bearings, allowing them to be sized according to actual loads rather than being oversized to accommodate the roller holder axle bearing loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is segmented into frame-supported elements (roller holder axle) and main axle-supported elements (annular die). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with the roller holder axle bearings being adequately sized for their actual loads rather than contributing to main axle bearing oversizing.
2Reliability
If the roller holder axle is supported within the main axle, then the roller holder axle bearings are subjected to high loads requiring oversized bearings, but this construction hinders the provision of adjustment mechanisms for adjusting the distance between rollers and the inner surface of the annular die
Solution Approach 1:
The roller holder axle is extracted from the main axle and repositioned to be frame-supported, creating clear spatial separation between the roller holder support structure and the adjustment mechanism. This extraction eliminates the interference that previously hindered adjustment mechanism provision.
Solution Approach 2:
The support and adjustment functions are segmented into separate structures: the roller holder axle support (frame-supported) and the adjustment mechanism (accessible from the exterior). This segmentation allows the adjustment mechanism to be provided without compromising bearing service life.
3Reliability
If the roller holder axle is supported within the main axle, then the construction provides overload protection through co-rotation capability, but this construction requires precise assembly with potential safety risks from belts and chains
Solution Approach 1:
The roller holder axle is extracted from the main axle and repositioned to be frame-supported with direct bearing support. This extraction eliminates the belt or chain drive system that connected the roller holder axle to the main axle, removing the associated safety risks and assembly complexity while maintaining overload protection through the torque limiter.
Solution Approach 2:
The belt or chain mechanical transmission system is replaced with a direct bearing support system. This substitution eliminates the intermediate transmission elements (belts, chains, pulleys) that posed safety risks and assembly complexity, while the torque limiter maintains the overload protection function.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a pellet mill (20) for preparing pellets from a pelletizable material supplied to the pellet mill (20), comprising a frame (22), a main axle (28) rotatably mounted in said frame (22) and having a first end (30) and an opposite second end (32), an annular die (42) being supported by said second end (32) and having an inner surface (44) for receiving a portion of said pelletizable material (106) supplied to said pellet mill (20), an outer surface (46), and a plurality of radial channels (48) extending from said inner surface (44) to said outer surface (46) for preparing pellets from said portion of said pelletizable material (106), a roller holder (54) supported by said frame (22), a number of roller axles (64), each of said number of roller axles being moveably mounted in said roller holder (54), said roller axles may move in said roller holder (54) in the event of an overload to prevent damage to the pellet mill, a number of rollers (80), each of said number of rollers being rotatable around a corresponding one of said number of roller axles (64), each of said number of rollers (80) being adapted to press said portion of pelletizable material (106) against said inner surface (44) for rolling, in response to rotation of said annular die (42), along said inner surface (44) of said annular die (42) for forcing said portion of said pelletizable material (106) from said inner surface (44) to said outer surface (46) through at least one of said plurality of radial channels (48) for preparing said pellets, and a number of actuators (114), each of said number of actuators (114) being operatively connected to a corresponding one of said number of roller axles (64) and being adapted to prevent movement of said corresponding one of said number of roller axles (64) relative to said die holder (54) for maintaining a distance between a corresponding one of said number of rollers (80) and said inner surface (44) of said annular die (42).