Rail Medium Collector With Sealed Valve Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medium supply systems for rail-guided transport carriages face challenges in safely and leak-proofly delivering gaseous or liquid media over part of their route, particularly when the transport carriages are in motion.

Innovation Solution

A medium supply system featuring a stationary mounted hollow profile with a rail-guided medium collector, where valves are arranged along the profile to transfer media to the collector, which can be sealed and opened magnetically, pneumatically, or mechanically, allowing for efficient medium transfer without the need for the transport vehicle to pull a supply hose.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a supply hose is pulled behind the transport vehicle, then the medium can be delivered to the transport carriage, but the system becomes complex and prone to leakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveleak-proof medium deliveryVSAvoidsupply hose arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the medium delivery function from the moving transport vehicle and relocates it to the stationary hollow profile. The hollow profile itself becomes the medium carrier, eliminating the need for flexible supply hoses that connect moving and stationary parts. This extraction resolves the contradiction by removing the leakage-prone hose while maintaining reliable medium delivery through the fixed profile's integrated valve system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces valves as intermediary elements within the hollow profile that control medium transfer to the transport carriage. These valves act as mediators between the stationary medium source and the moving consumer, enabling leak-proof delivery by confining the medium within the sealed hollow profile until the precise moment of transfer, rather than relying on external hoses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If valves are arranged along the hollow profile for medium transfer, then medium can be delivered to moving transport carriages, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemedium transfer to moving carriageVSAvoidvalve arrangement in hollow profile
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hollow profile with integrated valves serves itself as both the medium carrier and the distribution system. The valves are内置 (built-in) to the hollow profile, eliminating the need for external hose connections and manual medium transfer operations. This self-service arrangement simplifies operation while the modular valve design keeps complexity manageable through standardization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The hollow profile performs multiple functions: it serves as the structural support element, the medium carrier, and the housing for the valve system. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by consolidating components that would otherwise be separate, while still enabling easy medium transfer to moving carriages through the integrated valve arrangement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If the transport carriage moves at varying speeds, then productivity increases, but maintaining medium flow becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransport carriage speedVSAvoidcontinuous medium flow
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention makes the valve system dynamic by enabling selective opening and closing of individual valves along the hollow profile based on the transport carriage's position and speed. This dynamic control allows the system to adapt to varying speeds while maintaining continuous medium flow - valves are opened in sequence as the carriage passes, ensuring uninterrupted supply regardless of speed variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-positioning multiple valves along the hollow profile at predetermined locations. This preliminary arrangement allows the medium flow to be maintained continuously as the carriage moves, since valves are already in place and can be activated in the correct sequence without interruption, supporting both high speed operation and flow reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 safe and leak-proof delivery of media like compressed gases, vacuum, or liquids to rail-guided transport vehicles, ensuring continuous operation by maintaining medium flow even during motion, with the system designed to accommodate varying speeds and media types.

Implementation Method 1

The valve overrun by the medium consumer can be opened magnetically

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic attraction: Magnetism

Implementation Method 2

The medium consumer has a receiving housing surrounding the cross section of the hollow profile and accommodating the transmission cavity, which is slidably sealed in a medium-tight manner on its end faces penetrated by the hollow profile

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSliding seal: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3553335B1Medium supply system
Publication Date: 2023.05.31 ZIMMER GUNTHER
  • EP3553335B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3553335B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3553335B1 patent drawingFigure 3~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a medium supply system with at least one stationary hollow profile (10) carrying a gaseous or liquid medium and a medium receiver (130) that is at least partially in contact with the hollow profile and can be guided along it. A closed transmission cavity is provided between the medium receiver and the hollow profile. The medium receiver takes in the medium present in the hollow profile via valves (20) arranged in the hollow profile. The opening of at least one valve opens into the transmission cavity of the medium receiver. The valve that is passed over by the medium receiver is apparently magnetically triggered. The passed, open valve can be closed mechanically, pneumatically, or magnetically triggered when it leaves the transmission cavity.The present invention provides a medium supply system for one or more rail-guided transport vehicles, enabling the transport vehicles to be supplied with a gaseous or liquid medium safely and without leakage, at least on part of their route.