Piston Material Lock for Gas-Tight Pressure Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for transferring bulk materials between areas of different pressure levels are complex and prone to gas exchange, leading to potential faults and inefficiencies in processes like injection molding.
Innovation Solution
A material lock with a piston arrangement that defines a sluice chamber, allowing for gas-tight transfer between areas by displacing the lock chamber between receiving and output positions, and utilizing a gas evacuation device to prevent gas exchange, ensuring a simple and reliable design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple socket valves or pinch valves are arranged in series to transfer bulk material between pressure levels, then material transfer capability is achieved, but device complexity increases and reliability decreases due to numerous gas-tight components
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer passage is segmented into multiple gas-tight sections by piston arrangements, with each piston defining a transfer chamber. This segmentation allows independent control of gas-tight sealing at each section while maintaining overall system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston arrangement acts as an intermediary mechanism between the first and second areas, providing gas-tight separation while enabling material transfer. The piston-defined transfer chambers serve as intermediate volumes that facilitate controlled material movement without direct gas exchange between pressure levels.
2Device complexity
If a simple material lock design is used for transfer, then device complexity is reduced, but gas exchange between different pressure levels cannot be prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The piston arrangements provide flexible gas-tight sealing within the transfer passage, creating movable barriers that prevent gas exchange while allowing material transfer. The pistons act as flexible seals that maintain gas-tight separation between pressure levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston-defined transfer chambers create isolated environments that prevent unwanted gas exchange between the first and second areas, effectively creating inert zones for material transfer.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If piston arrangements with gas-tight sealing are implemented, then gas exchange is prevented, but the system requires precise positioning and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The piston arrangements are designed to automatically position themselves to define gas-tight transfer chambers, reducing the need for external control mechanisms. The pistons self-adjust to maintain proper sealing positions during material transfer operations.
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 solution effectively prevents gas exchange between areas of different pressure levels, reducing complexity and potential faults while maintaining efficient material transfer, particularly in injection molding processes.
Implementation Method 1
a piston arrangement which is configured to define a transfer chamber in the transfer passage, such that the transfer chamber has two longitudinal ends opposite each other in the longitudinal direction of the transfer passage, which are sealed gas-tight against an inner surface of the transfer passage
Implementation Method 2
the piston arrangement is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the transfer passage so that the transfer chamber can be moved between a receiving position and a discharge position
Data Source
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AI summary
System for sluicing, metering and injection-moulding material (M), wherein the system comprises a material sluice (10) for sluicing material between regions at different pressure levels, a sluicing passage (12), which has a passage inlet (13) for connecting to a first region (B1), at a first pressure level (P1), and a passage outlet (14), for connecting to a second region (B2), at a second pressure level (P2), which is different from the first pressure level (P1), wherein the passage inlet and the passage outlet are at a distance from one another in a longitudinal direction (LR) of the sluicing passage, and has a piston arrangement (30), which is designed to define a sluicing chamber (12.1) in the sluicing passage such that the sluicing chamber has two longitudinal ends opposite from one another in the longitudinal direction of the sluicing passage and sealed in a gastight manner from the sluicing passage, wherein the piston arrangement can be made to move along the sluicing passage such that the sluicing chamber can be displaced between a receiving position, in which it is in connection with the passage inlet and is separated in a gastight manner from the passage outlet, and a discharging position, in which it is in connection with the passage outlet and is separated in a gastight manner from the passage inlet. The material sluice is of a simple construction and reliably prevents an exchange of gas between the regions at different pressure levels.