L-Shaped Corner Armor for Shredder Housing Wear Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shredders, such as hammer mills, experience heavy wear and safety hazards due to shredded material hitting the housing at the rotor's offset, leading to uncontrolled material flaking and potential explosions, which existing side wall armor does not adequately address.
Innovation Solution
An L-shaped corner armor is designed as a one-piece arc segment with a cantilever plate that matches the rotor's circular arc, providing additional protection at the offset area and incorporating a radial step to prevent material from entering the shaft receiving space, combined with a cantilever plate transition between the side wall and rotor space plate for enhanced stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional side wall armor is used to protect the housing, then the housing is protected from wear, but the offset area at the rotor level remains vulnerable to heavy wear and material impact
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall armor is segmented into two distinct parts: a side wall plate covering the main housing area and a corner armor plate specifically protecting the offset area at rotor level. This segmentation allows each plate to be optimized for its specific protective function, with the corner armor plate addressing the previously vulnerable offset region.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner armor plate is designed with specific local characteristics including an L-shaped cross-section with a vertical plate portion and a horizontal plate portion. The vertical portion protects the offset area while the horizontal portion extends to cover the gap between the rotor and housing, providing localized protection exactly where material impact and wear occur most severely.
2Reliability
If the side wall is offset close to the rotor to prevent material from passing sideways, then material containment is improved, but heavy wear occurs at the offset area due to material impact
Solution Approach 1:
The corner armor plate provides localized protection at the offset area through its L-shaped configuration. The vertical plate portion shields the offset region from material impact while the horizontal plate portion extends to bridge the gap between rotor and housing, preventing material from exploiting this gap without exposing the offset area to severe wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner armor plate merges two protective functions into a single component: protection of the offset area and sealing of the rotor-housing gap. This integration eliminates the need for separate protective measures and welded joints in the critical offset region, reducing wear while maintaining material containment.
3Reliability
If welded joints are used to connect the side wall armor to the housing, then the armor is secured in place, but the welded joints become hazard points for material accumulation and structural weakness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the welded joint from the critical offset area by designing the corner armor plate to abut directly against the housing wall. This eliminates the need for welded joints at the offset location, removing the hazard points where material would accumulate and structural weaknesses would develop.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner armor plate acts as an intermediary element that fills the gap between the rotor and housing without requiring welded joints. Its L-shaped design allows it to mechanically abut against the housing structure, providing both protection and gap sealing while avoiding the creation of welded joint hazard points.
4Reliability
If the side wall armor covers the housing wall along the circular course, then the housing is protected, but the gap between the rotor and housing creates a pathway for shredded material to escape
Solution Approach 1:
The corner armor plate provides localized protection at the critical gap region between the rotor and housing. Its horizontal plate portion specifically addresses the gap area, preventing material escape while the vertical plate portion maintains housing protection, thus combining both functions in a localized solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The L-shaped cross-section of the corner armor plate adds a dimensional solution to the gap problem. By extending the horizontal plate portion radially outward, the armor creates a barrier in the radial dimension that blocks material escape paths without interfering with the axial housing protection function.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an L-shaped armour plate (216) for protecting the recess (211) of housing walls (230) in shredder installations. The invention also relates to numerous other features of the invention concerning both the rotor and the installation.