Radial Slit Plate Pressing Mechanism for Homogeneous Sintering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing powder feeding devices for saggars fail to ensure homogeneous firing due to inadequate slit grooves near the corners, which hinders gas penetration and escape, leading to inhomogeneous sintering.
Innovation Solution
A powder feeding device with a pressing plate featuring radially arranged slit plates that maintain equal distances to the saggar's sidewall, ensuring slit grooves are formed near the corners, facilitating gas access and escape, and using slit plate tapers and materials like stainless steel or Teflon for reduced abrasion and pressing force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the slit plates are arranged radially from the center of the pressing plate with the same shape, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is simplified, but the slit grooves are not formed near the four corners of the saggar, leading to inhomogeneous firing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by positioning slit plates at different distances from the saggar sidewall. Specifically, at least one slit plate is positioned closer to the sidewall than others, creating asymmetric slit groove distribution. This ensures that slit grooves are formed near the corners of the square saggar, allowing gases to reach and escape from all regions uniformly, thereby achieving homogeneous firing while maintaining a relatively simple radial arrangement from the pressing plate center.
2Productivity
If the powder is compressed densely into the saggar to improve productivity, then the filling efficiency is improved, but it becomes difficult to remove the sintered powder from the saggar
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by creating slit grooves that divide the densely packed powder into separate regions. These grooves act as channels that extend from the pressing surface downward, allowing sintered powder to be separated into segments that can be more easily removed from the saggar after firing, while still maintaining high filling efficiency during the compression process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating localized slit grooves at specific positions where they are most needed - near the corners of the saggar and in regions where gas penetration and powder removal are most difficult. This localized approach ensures that the dense powder structure is maintained in most areas for high productivity, while providing strategic release channels where required.
3Manufacturing precision
If the slit plates are positioned to form slit grooves near the corners of the saggar, then homogeneous firing is achieved, but the pressing force required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the position, number, and dimensions of slit plates to achieve the right balance between pressing force and firing homogeneity. By carefully selecting which radial positions receive slit plates and adjusting their distances from the sidewall, the design achieves uniform gas distribution and homogeneous firing while controlling the required pressing force within acceptable limits.
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 enables homogeneous firing by ensuring uniform gas distribution and escape, maintaining the quality of sintered powder while reducing the pressing force and preventing contamination from abrasion particles.
Implementation Method 1
the powder is compressed when supplied into the saggar so that the saggar is filled with the powder more efficiently
Implementation Method 2
a pressing plate configured to compress the powder in the saggar
Implementation Method 3
when a raw powder material used for an electronic product is to be fired, the powder is supplied into a saggar and then fired
Data Source
AI summary
A powder feeding device configured to fill a saggar with powder by compressing the powder thereinto may include: a pressing plate configured to compress the powder in the saggar; and a pressing mechanism configured to press the pressing plate toward the powder in the saggar. The pressing plate may include a compression plate including a pressing surface that compresses the powder by contacting the powder; and a plurality of slit plates disposed on the pressing surface and extending downward from the pressing surface. The slit plates may be arranged radially as the powder feeding device with the saggar placed therein is viewed from above. When the saggar is placed in the powder feeding device, distances between the slit plates and a sidewall of the saggar may be substantially equal and the distances between the slit plates and the sidewall of the saggar may be 30 mm or less.