Selection Ring With Circumferential Cusp For Wood Chip Sorting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current roll-type machines for selecting wood chips are inefficient in separating fine polluting particles like sand and produce excessive wood waste, as they cannot effectively handle smaller sizes and are bulky with many components, leading to non-homogeneous screening and inefficient dimensional selection.

Innovation Solution

A ring with a circumferential cusp and base surfaces connected by lateral surfaces, featuring conical and cylindrical teeth, is used in a machine with rotating rolls to create a serrated discharge gap for precise size and shape selection, allowing for the separation of small inert materials and wood chips, with adjustable discharge gap amplitudes and tooth configurations for improved cleaning and reduced waste.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If roll-type machines with zig-zag discharge gaps are used to select wood chips by size, then dimensional selection is achieved, but the machines are very bulky and have a large number of components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedimensional selectionVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The machine is divided into multiple selection levels with progressively increasing passage sections, where each level handles a specific size range. This segmentation allows efficient dimensional selection while reducing the overall complexity by organizing components into modular functional units rather than a single complex structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from a single-plane screening approach to a multi-level cascade arrangement where selection occurs across vertical levels. Material is fed onto an upper level and progresses through multiple tiers of screens with increasing mesh sizes, utilizing the vertical dimension to achieve comprehensive size classification without requiring a proportionally larger horizontal footprint.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Device complexity

If roll-type machines with fixed discharge gaps are used, then structure is simple, but screening is non-homogeneous especially when machine is unloaded

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestructureVSAvoidscreening homogeneity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge gaps are made adjustable rather than fixed, allowing the operator to modify the gap amplitudes dynamically based on operating conditions. When the machine is lightly loaded, the gaps can be reduced to maintain proper screening action and ensure homogeneous separation, while under heavy load the gaps can be increased to prevent clogging and maintain throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Manufacturing precision

If cascade selection with progressively increasing passage sections is used, then particles of increasing grain sizes are discharged, but both wood material and polluting material below certain sizes are discarded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparticle size separationVSAvoidwood material waste
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Each selection level is equipped with screens having specifically optimized mesh sizes and discharge gap amplitudes tailored to the local size range being processed. This localized optimization ensures that at each stage, the separation parameters are precisely matched to the particle size distribution at that level, maximizing recovery of usable wood material while effectively removing contaminants of corresponding sizes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Manufacturing precision

If multiple rolls with circumferential teeth are used to create serrated discharge gaps, then precise size and shape selection is achieved, then the machine becomes more compact and efficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesize and shape selectionVSAvoidnumber of rolls and teeth
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The circumferential teeth on the rolls serve multiple functions simultaneously: they create the serrated discharge gap pattern for precise size selection, provide mechanical engagement with the material to control flow and prevent bridging, and establish the geometric configuration that enables shape discrimination. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function, making the system more compact despite its capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4010128B1Ring to select incoherent material and corresponding selector machine
Publication Date: 2023.07.26 PAL PONTE DI PIAVE
  • EP4010128B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4010128B1 patent drawingFigure 4
  • EP4010128B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

A ring (10) to select incoherent material in the form of chip, in particular wood- based, and to eliminate inert materials contained in the incoherent material itself comprises a circumferential cusp (14) and two circumferential base surfaces (15) connected to the cusp (14) by means of circumferential lateral surfaces (17), wherein the base surfaces (15) have a smaller diameter than that of the cusp (14).