Material Plasticizing Device Rotor Supply Path Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Material plasticizing devices with rotors face variations in pressure and flow rate within the scroll groove due to intermittent material supply, leading to inconsistent shaping material output and potential clogging issues.

Innovation Solution

A material plasticizing device with a flat screw rotor and a material supply path formed along the outer peripheral surface of the rotor, ensuring continuous material flow into the scroll groove, reducing pressure variations, and preventing clogging by inclining the bottom surface of the supply path and gradually decreasing its width and cross-sectional area as it moves away from the coupling position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If material is supplied intermittently through a coupling pipeline to the scroll groove, then the device structure is simple, but pressure and flow rate vary causing inconsistent material output

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial flow consistencyVSAvoidmaterial supply path structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The material supply path is pre-formed along the outer peripheral surface of the rotor, ensuring material is continuously available at the material introduction portion before the scroll groove reaches the coupling pipeline. This preliminary preparation of material supply eliminates interruptions and maintains consistent pressure and flow rate during rotor rotation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The material supply path is positioned in a different spatial dimension - along the outer peripheral surface of the rotor rather than through a separate coupling pipeline. This dimensional repositioning allows continuous material supply to occur at the material introduction portion without requiring complex pipeline coupling mechanisms, thus improving reliability while avoiding excessive structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Manufacturing precision

If the end portion of the scroll groove is coupled to a coupling pipeline for material supply, then material can be supplied from an external source, but pressure variations cause flow rate inconsistencies

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshaping material flow rate consistencyVSAvoidpressure variation in scroll groove

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The material supply path ensures continuous material supply to the scroll groove throughout the rotor's rotation cycle. Material is continuously fed along the outer peripheral surface and available at the material introduction portion, eliminating the intermittent supply pattern that causes pressure variations. This continuous action maintains consistent pressure and flow rate, improving manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If material supply path is formed along the outer peripheral surface of the rotor, then continuous material flow is achieved, but the path length and structural complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial supply continuityVSAvoidmaterial supply path length

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The material supply path is localized to specific regions where material introduction is needed. Rather than forming a complete continuous path around the entire rotor perimeter, the supply path is strategically positioned along the outer peripheral surface at locations corresponding to material introduction portions. This localized approach ensures continuous supply reliability while minimizing unnecessary path length and structural complexity.

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 configuration stabilizes the supply of shaping material, reduces pressure variations, and enhances shaping accuracy by ensuring consistent material flow and preventing material adhesion and clogging within the device.

Implementation Method 1

a heater that heats the material in the scroll groove

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentUS11420371B2Material plasticizing device

Publication Date: 2022.08.23 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

The material plasticizing device includes a rotor having a material introduction portion open on an outer peripheral side surface, and a groove forming surface on which a scroll groove kneading a material introduced from the material introduction portion is formed; a case that surrounds an outer periphery of the groove forming surface; a facing portion having a facing surface that faces the groove forming surface, a heater that heats the material in the scroll groove, and a communication hole through which the material plasticized by a heat of the heater flows; and a material supply source that stores the material, in which a coupling pipeline is formed in the case, a material supply path is formed by the case and the outer peripheral side surface of the rotor, and the material flows into the material introduction portion through the coupling pipeline and the material supply path.