Sagger Alignment Clips for Uniform Heat Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The misalignment of saggers during transportation in large heat treatment devices leads to irregular arrangements, affecting temperature uniformity and material properties, and existing alignment devices fail to maintain stable alignment.
Innovation Solution
A sagger alignment structure comprising first and second clips that connect saggers in a stable alignment, with inclined surfaces to prevent deformation and allow smooth gas flow, ensuring saggers remain aligned and uniformly heated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If saggers are transported in large heat treatment devices without alignment connection, then transportation is simple, but misalignment occurs leading to irregular arrangements and non-uniform temperature distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces clips as intermediary components to connect adjacent saggers together. These clips serve as mediators that mechanically link the saggers, maintaining their relative positions and preventing misalignment during transportation through the heat treatment device.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment system is segmented into multiple independent clips, each responsible for connecting a pair of adjacent saggers. This segmentation allows the alignment function to be distributed across multiple simple components rather than requiring a single complex alignment mechanism.
2Reliability
If clips are designed with solid structure to maintain alignment, then alignment stability is improved, but gas flow within the furnace is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The clips are designed with a porous or open structure featuring through-holes that allow gas to pass through. This enables the clips to maintain their alignment function while simultaneously permitting adequate gas flow within the furnace, eliminating the harmful blockage effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The clips exhibit local quality differentiation where different regions serve different functions: the outer structure provides mechanical connection and alignment stability, while the inner through-holes provide gas flow pathways. This local differentiation allows both requirements to be satisfied simultaneously.
3Strength
If clip thickness is increased to prevent deformation, then structural strength is improved, but heat treatment uniformity is reduced due to restricted gas flow
Solution Approach 1:
The clip structure incorporates through-holes and open spaces that allow heat treatment gas to flow through the clip body. This porous design maintains sufficient structural strength for alignment while preventing the gas flow restriction that would otherwise occur with solid thick clips, ensuring uniform heat treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The clips feature inclined surfaces and curved geometries that facilitate gas flow while maintaining structural integrity. The curved design allows the clip to achieve necessary strength without requiring excessive thickness, thereby preserving gas flow pathways for uniform heat treatment.
Data Source
AI summary
A sagger alignment structure includes: a first clip configured to connect at least one pair of saggers in a state in which sides of the at least one pair of saggers face each other, where the first clip includes: a first clip body; first clip sides bent from opposite sides of the first clip body; and a first insertion space between the first clip sides and configured to accommodate the sides of the at least one pair of saggers, and where the first clip body comprises a first opening that defines a through hole through the first clip body.