Rotating Conduit Pressure Lock for Wire Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wire feeding systems face challenges in efficiently transferring wire from high-pressure to low-pressure regions while preventing atmospheric contaminant infiltration and maintaining precise pressure control across multiple atmospheric conditions.
Innovation Solution
A pressure lock system with rotating conduits and multiple pumping stages is employed to create intermediate pressure chambers, ensuring the wire passes through a series of rotating conduits and chambers, each maintained at specific pressures lower than the initial high-pressure region, using pumps and valves to manage pressure differences and prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pressure lock system is used to transfer wire from high-pressure to low-pressure regions, then contamination is reduced and pressure control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure lock system is divided into multiple sealed chambers (first pressure lock chamber and second pressure lock chamber) with distinct pressure zones. Each chamber is equipped with its own pumping system, allowing independent pressure control and reducing the complexity of managing a single large vacuum system.
Solution Approach 2:
Rotating conduits act as intermediaries between different pressure regions. These conduits provide a controlled pathway for wire transfer while maintaining pressure differential, eliminating the need for direct openings between high and low pressure zones that would compromise vacuum integrity.
2Productivity
If rotating conduits are used for wire transfer, then continuous wire feeding is enabled, but friction and wire damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conduits are designed to rotate rather than remain stationary. This dynamic configuration allows the wire to be fed continuously through the rotating conduit, maintaining productivity while the rotation helps reduce friction buildup compared to a fixed conduit system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of wire transfer by rotating the conduits at controlled speeds. This parameter change enables continuous feeding while managing friction effects through rotational motion, preventing wire sticking or damage that would occur in static conduits.
3Measurement precision
If multiple pumping stages are employed to maintain pressure differentials, then pressure control precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum system is segmented into multiple pumping stages, with each stage responsible for a specific pressure range or chamber. This segmentation allows precise control of pressure differentials across each stage while optimizing energy consumption by not requiring a single high-power pump to handle the entire pressure range.
Solution Approach 2:
Each pumping stage operates at partial capacity for its specific chamber rather than one pump working at excessive capacity for the entire system. This distributed pumping approach improves pressure control precision in each zone while reducing total energy consumption compared to a single high-power pump system.
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
This solution effectively reduces contamination and maintains precise pressure control, allowing for efficient wire transfer from high-pressure to low-pressure environments, enhancing the reliability and performance of wire feeding systems in applications like vacuum coating.
Implementation Method 1
maintaining a pressure of the pressure lock chamber lower than a pressure of the first region
Implementation Method 2
A pressure lock system for passing a wire along a wire path from a wire source at a high pressure first region to a destination at a low pressure second region
Data Source
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AI summary
A pressure lock system passes a wire (24) along a wire path (504) from a wire source (32) at a high pressure first region (40) to a destination at a low pressure second region (30). The pressure lock system includes a pressure lock chamber (82). A first conduit (160A) has an interior positioned to pass the wire (24) along the path (504) and is mounted for rotation. A second conduit (160B) has an interior positioned to pass the wire (24) from the pressure lock chamber (82) and is also mounted for rotation. A motor (240) may drive rotation of the first conduit (160A) and the second conduit (160B). Pumps (94) may maintain a pressure (P3) of the pressure lock chamber (82) lower than a pressure (P1) of the first region (40).