Flexible Shutter Drum Oscillation for Regular Roll Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flexible shutter devices face issues with irregular rolls, wear due to friction, complex assembly, and blocking during unwinding, especially under strong winds, due to the bulky and irregular roller formation and multiple parts requiring custom machining.
Innovation Solution
A flexible shutter device with a drum support system allowing the drum to oscillate around a suspension axis parallel to its rotation axis, maintaining contact with the roller through a moment generated by the offset between the drum's rotation and suspension axes, and using return means like helical springs or masses to ensure constant contact and prevent unhooking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the shutter is wound around the drum in successive turns to form a roller, then the shutter can be stored in a compact form, but the roller becomes bulky and irregular, interfering with normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-attaching successive layers of the shutter to each other using adhesive or welding before the shutter is fully wound. This ensures that the layers remain fixed in their intended positions, preventing the formation of bulky and irregular rollers while maintaining compact storage capability.
2Reliability
If pressure means are used to exert thrust force on the roller, then contact between the roller and drum is maintained, but heating occurs causing accelerated wear of the side edges and contact elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary element, specifically a resilient member or damping layer, between the pressure means and the roller. This intermediary reduces direct frictional contact, thereby maintaining roller-drum contact stability while minimizing frictional heating and accelerated wear of the side edges and contact elements.
3Reliability
If multiple parts and springs are used to maintain roller contact with the rotating cylinder, then contact is ensured, but the device complexity increases and assembly becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components into a single integrated structure. Instead of using multiple springs and separate mounting mechanisms, the design combines the contact maintenance function into one unified component that accomplishes the same reliability goal with fewer parts and simpler assembly.
4Device complexity
If the drum is fixedly mounted, then the structure is simple, but the roller cannot maintain contact with the rotating cylinder when the shutter is hindered during unrolling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a static, fixedly mounted drum to a dynamic mounting system that allows the drum to move or adjust its position. This dynamic capability enables the roller to maintain contact with the rotating cylinder even when the shutter encounters resistance during unrolling, while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.
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 ensures a regular roll formation, reduces wear, simplifies assembly, and prevents mechanism blocking during unwinding, even under strong winds, by maintaining constant contact between the roller and contact elements, thus enhancing operational efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
maintaining contact with the roller through a moment generated by the offset between the drum's rotation and suspension axes
Implementation Method 2
return means like helical springs or masses to ensure constant contact and prevent unhooking
Implementation Method 3
maintaining contact between the roller and contact elements, thus enhancing operational efficiency and reliability
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relate to a flexible shutter device, designed for closing a bay (6), cooperating with drive means which permit the movement of the flexible shutter (1) between an open position and a closed position. The device comprises a drum (8) which may turn about the horizontal axis (11) thereof and about which the shutter is wound in the open position forming a roll of turns of successive layers of the shutter attaching one to the other and from which the flexible shutter can be unrolled and pushed into the closed position thereof. Suspension means for the drum comprise a suspension axis (13) parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum about which the rotational axis of the drum can oscillate. Contact elements (16, 36) exert a driving force on the roll essentially radial with relation to the drum. The distance of the axis of rotation (11) of the drum from the reference plane formed by the unwound flexible shutter in the closed position thereof is always less than the distance of the suspension axis (13) from said reference plane, whatever the position of the shutter.