Segmented Rotor Disk Spacing for Wood Chipping Maintenance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wood chipping devices face significant downtimes due to difficulties in replacing worn or damaged parts, and maintaining accessibility and interchangeability of components, leading to potential damage and contamination.

Innovation Solution

The device features releasably fixed spacers between rotor disks on the rotor axis, with tubular design and clamping elements for secure attachment, allowing easy disassembly and replacement of parts without welding, and includes cover plates to prevent contamination and uneven loading of rotor disks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If rotor disks are permanently fixed to the rotor axis, then structural stability is improved, but maintenance time and device downtime increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidmaintenance time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor drum is segmented into multiple rotor disks that can be independently removed from the rotor axis. Each rotor disk is a separate component that can be detached without affecting the others, enabling localized maintenance and replacement of individual disks rather than the entire rotor assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fixing mechanism transitions from a permanent static connection to a dynamic removable connection. The rotor disks are fixed to the rotor axis in a way that allows them to be securely held during operation but easily removed when maintenance is needed, providing adaptability between operational stability and maintenance accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Strength

If rotor disks are permanently fixed, then structural integrity is maintained, but ease of repair and component replacement deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidcomponent replacement

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor drum is divided into separate rotor disk components that can be independently accessed and replaced. This segmentation allows damaged knives or rotor disk sections to be replaced without dismantling the entire rotor assembly, significantly easing repair operations while maintaining structural integrity through proper reassembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Individual rotor disks and knives are extracted as separate replaceable components from the rotor assembly. This extraction principle enables maintenance personnel to remove and replace only the specific worn or damaged parts rather than the entire rotor drum, improving ease of repair while preserving the overall structural integrity of the machine.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If rotor disks are arranged close together, then cutting efficiency is improved, but accessibility for maintenance personnel deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting efficiencyVSAvoidmaintenance accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The rotor drum is segmented into multiple independently removable rotor disks. This segmentation creates accessible intervals between disks that allow maintenance personnel to reach and service components without disassembling the entire rotor assembly, thereby maintaining ease of operation while preserving cutting efficiency through proper disk spacing and arrangement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The rotor disks themselves act as intermediaries that provide access points between the cutting elements. By making the disks removable, they serve as mediators that allow maintenance personnel to access knives and other components located between the disks, resolving the conflict between close spacing for efficiency and accessibility for maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Ease of manufacture

If the rotor shaft is exposed, then ease of assembly is improved, but contamination and damage risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of assemblyVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A protective covering or housing encloses the rotor shaft and internal components. This shell-like structure protects the rotor shaft from contamination by wood chips and debris while maintaining a relatively simple assembly process, as the covering can be installed as a separate component rather than requiring complex integrated protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentEP3323572B1Device for chipping wood

Publication Date: 2020.01.01 ESCHLBOCK MASCHBAUU

Figure 1
Figure 2

AI summary

In a device for machining wood comprising a plurality of rotor disks (3) arranged on a rotor shaft (2) of a rotor, at least one knife carrier (13) with a knife (14) detachably fixed thereto is provided on each rotor disk (3), and the rotor disks (3) are arranged at a distance from one another on the rotor shaft (2) with intermediate spacers (5) and are fastened to one another, wherein a detachably fixed spacer (5) is provided between each pair of rotor disks (3) detachably fixed to the rotor shaft (2), each spacer (5) is designed as a substantially tubular element with fastening flanges (6) extending over a tube diameter arranged in its two end regions, and at least the rotor disks (3) are fixed to the rotor shaft (2) by means of clamping elements (4).