Seamless Plastic Hopper for Cement Chute Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing concrete hoppers used with ready mix chutes are costly to manufacture and labor-intensive to assemble, with complex hardware requirements and seam issues that complicate cleaning and material flow.
Innovation Solution
A seamless one-piece plastic hopper with a funnel shape and aligned hollow receptacles for a rod attachment, along with a hanger assembly and elongate sleeve, reduces hardware needs and simplifies assembly, while the seamless design enhances cleaning and material flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional hopper with bent plastic ends and hardware fastening is used, then the hopper can be assembled, but extensive labor and expensive hardware are required for assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper is formed as a single integrated piece of plastic material where the cone body and elephant trunk are merged into one continuous structure. This eliminates the need for separate components and hardware fastening, reducing both manufacturing complexity and assembly labor requirements while maintaining functional integrity
2Reliability
If hardware fastening is used to connect the elephant trunk to the hopper, then the connection is secure, but labor intensive processes and expensive hardware are required
Solution Approach 1:
The elephant trunk is integrated directly into the hopper structure as a continuous plastic formation rather than a separate component. This merging eliminates the need for hardware connections while maintaining structural integrity and reliability through the unified plastic construction
3Ease of manufacture
If seams and fastening hardware are present in the hopper, then the hopper can be assembled from pieces, but concrete or grout-like material becomes embedded and cleaning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper is formed as a seamless single piece of plastic material without joints or seams. This continuous construction prevents concrete or grout-like material from becoming embedded in connection surfaces, making the entire interior surface easy to clean while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through single-piece formation processes
4Ease of manufacture
If a seamless one-piece plastic hopper is used, then manufacturing and assembly costs are reduced and cleaning is easier, but the design must accommodate rod insertion through hollow receptacles
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper structure incorporates paired hollow receptacles formed as integral portions of the single-piece plastic construction. These receptacles are positioned to receive the rod and provide attachment points for the hanger assembly, combining structural functionality with the seamless design to reduce overall complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A concrete accessory for use with a ready mix chute comprises a funnel shaped hopper. The hopper has a wide upper opening of a size corresponding to that of a ready mix chute and tapering to a narrow lower opening. The hopper has a seamless inner surface and a pair of hollow aligned receptacles on opposite sides of the hopper and extending outwardly therefrom proximate the upper opening. An elongate rod has a length greater than the spacing between the aligned hollow receptacles to be received therein. A hanger assembly removably attaches the rod to a ready mix chute, in use, to support the hopper below the chute.