Metallurgical Stopper-Rod Control Device with Mode-Switching Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control devices for metallurgical vessel stopper-rods suffer from perturbations during automatic control due to the hand lever oscillating and potentially breaking during resonance, posing a risk to operators.
Innovation Solution
A control device that switches between manual and automatic modes, featuring a rotating member and hand lever connected by a coupling mechanism that allows independent rotation, with a disengaged state preventing power transfer during automatic mode and an engaged state allowing synchronized rotation for manual control, minimizing inertial effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the hand lever permanently cooperates with the stopper-rod during automatic control, then the manual control function is maintained, but the hand lever oscillates and may break due to resonance
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism dynamically changes its state between engaged and disengaged positions. During automatic control, it disengages to prevent oscillation transmission. During manual control, it engages to enable power transfer. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the system flexible rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanism acts as an intermediary between the hand lever and the rotating member. It selectively connects or disconnects the power transmission path based on the control mode, allowing the hand lever to be isolated from oscillations during automatic control while maintaining connection during manual control.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the pivoting mechanism is locked to provide rigid connection between hand lever sections, then structural stability is improved, but inertial effects and perturbations increase during automatic control
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful inertial effects are extracted or removed from the system by disengaging the coupling mechanism during automatic control. This separates the hand lever assembly from the rotating member, eliminating the transmission of oscillations and inertial perturbations to the stopper-rod control.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the hand lever is disconnected during automatic control to reduce oscillations, then perturbations are minimized, but the transition between modes becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism merges the functions of engagement and disengagement into a single integrated component that automatically transitions between states. The actuating member integrates the control function, allowing mode switching through a single operational action rather than multiple separate steps.
Data Source
AI summary
Control device (10) for a metallurgical vessel stopper-rod, operable to switch between a manual mode and an automatic mode, the stopper-rod being manually actuated by an operator in the manual mode for a manual control of a molten metal flow, while in the automatic mode, the stopper-rod is actuated by the driving element (20) for an automatic control of the molten metal flow, the device (10) comprising: a rotating member (110) pilotable about an axis (X); a hand lever (120) pilotable about the axis (X); a coupling mechanism (130) connecting the rotating member (110) and the hand lever (120), the coupling mechanism (130) being structured so that in a disengaged state, the rotating member (110) and the hand lever (120) are both rotatable about the axis (X) independently, while in an engaged state, the hand lever (120) and the rotating member (110) rotate together about the axis (X) of rotation.