Powder Feeder Groove and Scraper for Uniform Discharge
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional powder feeding apparatuses experience variations in powder density and quantity due to compression during rotation, leading to inconsistent discharge and requiring multiple units for multiple processing objects, resulting in increased equipment size and manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A powder feeding apparatus with a tank, bottom plate, oblique section, scraper, and ejector, where the scraper moves accumulated powder to a uniform height, and the ejector takes in and discharges powder from a groove portion, maintaining constant density and quantity, with adjustable discharge settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If powder is pressed on the accumulation surface, projection and outer guide during rotation, then powder is compressed to increase density, but variation in powder density increases leading to inconsistent discharge quantity
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful compression action is removed from the system. The patent eliminates the conical projection and outer guide that caused powder compression during rotation, allowing powder to accumulate naturally without being pressed against the accumulation surface, thereby maintaining uniform density throughout the powder layer.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of compressing powder to increase density as in conventional designs, the patent inverts the approach by preventing compression entirely. The accumulation surface is designed to allow free powder accumulation without mechanical pressing, and the cutter plate cuts the top surface without applying compressive force, thus maintaining natural powder density uniformity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the distance between accumulation surface and cutter plate bottom surface is fixed, then structure is simple, but discharge quantity cannot be adjusted flexibly
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed distance between the accumulation surface and cutter plate bottom surface is changed to a variable distance. The cutter plate is made movable in the radial direction, allowing the distance to be dynamically adjusted. This enables flexible control of discharge quantity by varying the powder layer thickness, while maintaining relatively simple structural design.
3Adaptability or versatility
If only one discharge opening is provided on the rotating plate, then device complexity is low, but multiple powder material feeding apparatuses are required for multiple processing objects
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating plate with single discharge opening is designed to serve multiple processing objects by varying operational parameters. By adjusting the rotation speed, cutter plate position, and discharge timing, a single discharge opening can supply powder material for different processing objects sequentially, eliminating the need for multiple parallel feeding apparatuses and reducing overall equipment size.
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 ensures stable and consistent powder discharge with minimal variation, reducing equipment size and costs by allowing single units to serve multiple processing objects.
Implementation Method 1
the ejector is provided with a suction opening which takes in the powder accumulated in the groove portion of the plate
Data Source
AI summary
A powder feeding apparatus drops powder from a tank storing the powder to an oblique portion, and accumulates the powder on a plate disposed below the oblique portion. The plate is provided with a flat surface portion and a groove portion which is inverted from the flat surface portion to a lower part. The scraper moves powder which has accumulated to a higher level than a constant height on the flat portion and the groove portion, to an outer-side of the flat portion and smoothes the powder on the flat portion and the groove portion to a constant height. An ejector takes in powder which has accumulated on the groove portion of the plate by a suction opening, disposed at a front side of the scraper, in a relative moving direction of the plate, and discharges the powder from the discharge opening.