Variable Winding Screw Conveyor for Building Material Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for applying building materials, such as cement-like substances, face issues with inconsistent flow due to the need for frequent refilling, and are not adaptable to different materials effectively.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a mixer with a screw conveyor and agitator shaft, optimized for various building materials by adjusting the spacing of windings and agitator elements based on the material's composition, including fibers, to ensure continuous flow and prevent blockages, along with a method for producing structures using pumpable concrete and additives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a container system is used to store and apply building material, then the application can be performed portably, but the flow of building material becomes inconsistent due to repeated refilling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the storage container, mixing chamber, and application nozzle into an integrated portable system. The container directly feeds into the mixing chamber which is connected to the nozzle, eliminating the need for separate refilling operations and maintaining continuous material flow throughout the entire application process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary mixing of components within the portable device before application. By pre-mixing the building material components in the mixing chamber and maintaining them in a ready-to-apply state, the system ensures consistent flow during application without requiring interruptions for refilling or remixing.
2Productivity
If the conveyor device has closely spaced windings to improve mixing, then mixing efficiency increases, but blockages occur when processing materials with fibers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a variable winding spacing design where the distance between windings changes along the length of the screw conveyor. The windings are spaced closer together in regions requiring intensive mixing and farther apart in regions where material with fibers passes through, allowing the system to dynamically adapt to different material characteristics and prevent blockages while maintaining mixing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the screw conveyor have different winding spacing configurations tailored to their specific functions. The mixing section has closely spaced windings for efficient mixing, while the conveying section has wider spacing to accommodate fibrous materials, giving each part of the device the optimal local structure for its purpose.
3Ease of manufacture
If the device structure is simplified for economic manufacturing, then production cost decreases, but adaptability to different building materials is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves adaptability to different building materials by adjusting parameters such as winding spacing, agitator shaft rotation speed, and conveyor pitch rather than redesigning the entire device structure. This allows a single standardized device design to be adapted to various materials including fibrous concretes and injection materials through parameter modification, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while ensuring versatility.
4Manufacturing precision
If the agitator shaft rotates at high speed to improve mixing, then mixing homogeneity increases, but the risk of fiber entanglement and blockage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the agitator shaft rotation speed based on the specific building material being processed. For materials containing fibers, the rotation speed is optimized to a range that ensures sufficient mixing homogeneity without exceeding the threshold that would cause fiber entanglement and blockage, achieving a dynamic balance between mixing quality and blockage prevention.
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
The solution enables continuous and consistent application of building materials, preventing blockages and ensuring stable structure production with enhanced bending strength and homogenous mixing, allowing for adaptation to different materials and faster hardening.
Implementation Method 1
the conveyor device is designed as a screw conveyor with windings
Implementation Method 2
a mixer for mixing the first component and the second component, wherein the mixer comprises a drive and a mixing chamber provided with an agitator shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A system for applying a building material, including: a movement device for modifying a site of application in a space; a first component of the building material; a second component of the building material; and a mixer for mixing the first component and the second component, the mixer including a drive and a mixing chamber provided with a stirrer shaft and a conveyor device, the conveyor device being designed as a screw conveyor with windings, and the mixer being adapted to the building material.