Rotor Disk Conveying Ribs Prevent Polymer Wedging

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Solution Overview

Problem

In large-scale polymer processing systems, polymer particles and dust tend to accumulate in the critical area between the disc and the container bottom, leading to uncontrolled melting, agglomeration, and equipment jamming due to insufficient conveying capacity of conventional disc designs.

Innovation Solution

The disc features conveying ribs with a slanting flank surface and a triangular cross-section, which prevents particles from becoming wedged and facilitates their easy removal, combined with a thickness reduction and increasing rib height towards the outer edge, ensuring effective particle transport and preventing overheating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional straight radial ribs are used on the disc, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the conveying capacity is insufficient for large containers with high filling volumes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidconveying capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the geometric parameters of the conveying ribs by introducing a slanting flank surface with a specific angle (10°-35°) and a triangular cross-section, transforming the conventional straight radial rib design into a more effective configuration that enhances conveying capacity while maintaining manufacturability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies curvature by designing the flank surface of the conveying ribs with a slanting angle rather than a straight vertical configuration. This curved/slanted surface geometry improves the mechanical pushing action on polymer particles, enabling effective conveying in large containers while retaining ease of manufacture through simple angular geometry

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Productivity

If the speed of mixing tools is increased to increase dwell time, then the mixing effectiveness improves, but the friction generates more heat leading to local melting of flakes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedwell timeVSAvoidlocal temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts polymer particles that have accumulated in the critical area between the disc and container bottom by using conveying ribs with slanting flank surfaces to actively push them outward. This removes the source of excessive friction and heat generation from stationary particles, allowing the system to maintain higher mixing speeds without local melting

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potentially harmful accumulation of particles (which causes friction and heat) into a beneficial conveying mechanism. The slanting flank surfaces of the ribs utilize the natural friction between particles and rib surfaces to push particles outward, transforming the harmful frictional heating into a useful conveying action that prevents particle accumulation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Quantity of substance

If large discs with large diameters are used for large containers, then the filling volume capacity increases, but the manufacturing precision and rotational smoothness requirements become very high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilling volumeVSAvoiddisc rotational precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by introducing varying rib heights across the disc surface, with taller ribs at the outer periphery and shorter ribs toward the center. This localized differentiation optimizes particle conveying in different radial zones of large discs, enabling effective operation of large-diameter discs without requiring excessively high manufacturing precision across the entire disc surface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 design effectively prevents particle accumulation in the critical area, ensuring homogeneous processing, reducing downtime, and maintaining the quality of the polymer material by preventing local overheating and melting.

Implementation Method 1

the treated plastic material is thrown against the side wall of the container by the centrifugal force of the revolving tool carriers or tools... heated it at the same time... sufficiently heated by the occurring frictional forces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

The treated plastic material is thrown against the side wall of the container by the centrifugal force of the revolving tool carriers or tools

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 3

the tools grasp and, if necessary, crush the plastic material in the container while heating it at the same time... sufficiently heated by the occurring frictional forces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFrictional heating: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2523790B1Rotor disk
Publication Date: 2014.07.16 EREMA ENGINEERING RECYCLING MASCHINEN & ANLAGEN GMBH
  • EP2523790B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2523790B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2523790B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a rotor disk (1) for inserting into a receiving container (2) for treating polymers, comprising a disk body (3), on the upper face (4) of which mixing and/or comminuting tools (5) can be provided and on the opposite lower face (6) of which a number of conveying ribs (7) extending from the inside out is provided, by means of which conveying ribs polymer particles can be conveyed outward during operation or which conveying ribs exert a force directed outward from the center (8) of the rotor disk (1) on the polymer particles caught by the conveying ribs (7) during operation. According to the invention, the conveying ribs (7) have a conveying surface (11), which is straight in the running or rotational direction and that is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the lower face (6), and a flank surface (12) that falls at a slope in a direction opposite the running direction, or have a substantially triangular cross-section.