Sliding Closure Maintenance via Automatic Plug-in Linear Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for repairing sliding closures on metal melting vessels, particularly during casting, are cumbersome and prone to manual errors due to complex plug-in processes for electrical and media connections, which are not optimized for robotic handling.
Innovation Solution
Assigning electrical plug parts and valve plugs to the linear drive and bracket in pairs, allowing for automatic insertion and removal of the linear drive, thereby simplifying the connection and disconnection of electrical and media lines through a plug-in process, ensuring alignment and directionality for efficient robotic handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual plugging of connecting lines is used for repairing sliding closures, then flexibility in handling is maintained, but the process becomes cumbersome and prone to manual errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service through automatic plugging and unplugging of connecting lines. When the linear drive is inserted into the holder, the plug connections are automatically established without requiring manual intervention. Similarly, when the linear drive is removed, the connections are automatically released. This eliminates manual errors while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the linear drive insertion/removal operation with the electrical and media connection/disconnection operations. By integrating these functions, the system achieves both goals simultaneously - the connecting lines are plugged or unplugged as a direct result of the linear drive being inserted or removed, reducing the number of separate manual steps required.
2Ease of operation
If a pressure lever or adjustment drive is used for plugging connections, then connection capability is achieved, but the system becomes vulnerable to manipulation and damage due to protruding arrangement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the protruding pressure lever or adjustment drive from the system and replaces it with a recessive plug connection mechanism. The connecting lines are plugged directly into recesses on the linear drive and holder, eliminating the need for protruding components that could be damaged by improper operation. The connection is achieved through simple insertion rather than manual manipulation of exposed levers.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate operations are performed for linear drive installation and connection plugging, then each function can be optimized independently, but the overall process time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the linear drive installation operation with the connection plugging operation into a single integrated action. As the linear drive is inserted into the holder, the connecting lines are automatically plugged simultaneously. This eliminates the need for separate manual plugging steps, significantly reducing repair time while maintaining the functional optimization of each component.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug connections are pre-positioned and aligned on both the linear drive and holder before insertion. This preliminary arrangement ensures that as soon as the linear drive is inserted, the connections are automatically established without requiring additional time for manual plugging or adjustment during the repair process.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~6
AI summary
In particular, the invention relates to a method for the maintenance of a sliding closure (10) of a molten metal-containing vessel. The sliding closure (10) has a housing (11), a slide unit which is longitudinally guided therein, a mounting (15), a linear drive (12) which can be inserted into the mounting for adjusting the slide unit, and at least one electric line and/or connection line (16, 17, 18) for a medium, such as gas or air. The at least one electric line and/or connection line (16, 17, 18) for the medium is connected by means of a plug-in process. The plug-in process of the at least one connection line (16, 17, 18) is carried out automatically by inserting the linear drive (12) into the mounting (15) and/or the linear drive is released by removing the linear drive out of the mounting (15). Thus, the handling is simplified in particular when performing maintenance on the sliding closure using a robot, and the process stability and operational reliability while casting are increased as well.