Screw Conveyor Intermediate Support Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing screw conveyor intermediate supports are complex and costly to install and remove, and they wear out quickly due to exposure to pulverized material and grease, leading to premature damage.
Innovation Solution
A screw conveyor intermediate support design featuring a connecting shaft, bushing, and supporting body with annular shields and lubricating chambers, which isolates the grease from the pulverized material and prevents undesired rotations, allowing for easier assembly, maintenance, and extended lifespan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If intermediate supports are equally spaced along the whole length of the shaft, then structural support is provided, but fitting and removing them becomes complicated and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate support is divided into separate components: a shaft portion with external threads, a body portion with internal threads, and a bushing. These segments can be independently assembled and disassembled, allowing the support to be fitted and removed without complicated procedures while maintaining structural integrity along the shaft length.
Solution Approach 2:
The bushing is extracted as a separate removable component that fits into the body portion. This allows the lubricating grease to be contained within the bushing, isolating it from pulverized material while enabling easy removal and replacement of the bushing without removing the entire intermediate support from the shaft.
2Reliability
If intermediate supports are exposed to pulverized material and grease, then they provide structural support, but they wear out fast due to contamination and hardening
Solution Approach 1:
The bushing acts as an intermediary component that contains the lubricating grease and isolates it from the pulverized material. The bushing with its lubricated internal surface provides the necessary bearing function while preventing contamination of the grease, thereby extending the service life of the intermediate support.
Solution Approach 2:
The bushing acts as a protective shell that encloses the lubricating grease, creating a barrier between the grease and the harmful pulverized material. This protective enclosure prevents the grease from hardening and maintains its lubricating properties throughout the service life of the intermediate support.
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 design simplifies installation and maintenance, reduces wear, and extends the lifespan of the intermediate supports by isolating them from the pulverized material and lubricating grease, while maintaining structural integrity and preventing axial slack.
Implementation Method 1
a bushing fitted to the second shaft; and a fixed assembly, which is also coaxial with the axis of rotation, and comprises a supporting body fitted to said bushing
Implementation Method 2
a number of annular shields coaxial with the axis of rotation and interposed between the supporting body and the bushing
Implementation Method 3
the grease lubricating the supports, eventually hardens, thus damaging the supports
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An intermediate support (5) for a screw conveyor (1), which has a first shaft (3) rotating about an axis of rotation (X) and defined by a number of segments (3*); and a casing (2). The intermediate support (5) has a movable assembly (MA), which is coaxial with and rotates about the axis, of rotation (X), is integral with the first shaft (3), and has a second shaft (6) for connecting two segments (3*), and a bushing (7) fitted onto the second shaft (6); and a fixed assembly (FA), which is coaxial with the axis of rotation (X), and has a supporting body (8) fitted to the bushing (7) and connected rigidly to the casing (2), and a number of annular shields (33) coaxial with the axis of rotation (X) and interposed between the supporting body (8) and the bushing (7).