Press Ram Fastening Assembly for Wear and Misalignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Solid waste presses face issues with wear and misalignment due to abrasive grit, leading to leaks and connection failures between the actuator and ram under high pressure, as existing fastening systems are not effective in managing axial misalignment and wear.
Innovation Solution
A fastening system with a pin extending from the actuator through a clearance hole in the ram, allowing direct pushing and pulling action without force transfer, and utilizing non-planar plates to compensate for misalignment, preventing damage to the actuator and fastening system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed piston rod fastener (flange, ball joint, clevis, or universal joint) is used to connect the actuator to the ram, then the connection is rigid and stable, but wear and misalignment occur under high pressure leading to leaks and connection failures
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system transitions from a rigid fixed connection to a dynamic adjustable connection. The clevis assembly with adjustable arms allows the connection geometry to adapt during operation, accommodating misalignment between the actuator and ram while maintaining reliable force transmission under high pressure conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The clevis assembly serves as an intermediary element between the actuator and the ram. This intermediate component absorbs and compensates for misalignment through its adjustable geometry, preventing direct transmission of harmful misalignment forces to either the actuator or ram while maintaining effective force transfer
2Force
If the actuator pushes directly against the ram without a clearance hole, then force transfer is efficient, but misalignment causes wear and connection failure
Solution Approach 1:
The force transmission path is segmented into distinct functional zones: the clearance hole provides a wear-free direct push zone, the pin and clevis assembly provide an adjustable connection zone, and the plates provide a distributed load zone. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its function while maintaining overall force transfer efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The pin extending through the clearance hole acts as an intermediary that transfers the pushing force from the actuator to the ram without creating misalignment wear. The pin's position through the clearance hole allows it to accommodate slight misalignments while maintaining efficient force transfer
3Device complexity
If conventional fastening systems are used, then the structure is simple, but they cannot accommodate axial misalignment under high pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system incorporates dynamic adjustability through the clevis assembly with adjustable arms. This allows the connection geometry to adapt to axial misalignment between the actuator and ram, providing the necessary versatility while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure
Solution Approach 2:
The clevis assembly features asymmetric adjustable arms that can be configured to match the specific misalignment conditions. This asymmetric design provides adaptability to accommodate various misalignment scenarios while maintaining structural simplicity
Data Source
AI summary
A press for waste has an actuator (42) that moves a ram (40) in a chamber (30). The actuator and the ram are connected by a fastening system (100). The fastening system allows the ram to be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the length and direction of travel of the actuator. In this way, as inner surfaces of the chamber wear the ram may adjust to the worn surfaces without applying large forces perpendicular to the length of the actuator. When the actuator moves forward, it pushes directly against the back of the ram. When the actuator moves backwards, it pulls a pin (102) that pushes on an inner surface (108) of the ram.