Stripping Elements for Bulk Material Container Seal Tightness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bulk material container closure systems fail to ensure complete tightness, particularly with fine materials, leading to contamination and reduced sealing effectiveness over time due to the expansion of sealing components.
Innovation Solution
A closure arrangement featuring an annular connection flange with a passage opening and a movable closure member, incorporating circumferential stripping elements to clean the sealing surfaces, and an elastically deformable seal for improved sealing, along with a locking device for secure connection to the emptying device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional sealing rings are used to prevent bulk material from getting between the connection part and connection flange, then sealing is provided, but fine bulk material still penetrates through and contaminates the closure system
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is divided into multiple segments: the closure element provides primary sealing, while the stripping element provides secondary cleaning function. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its function, with the stripping element specifically designed to remove fine particles that penetrate through the main seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The stripping element performs preliminary cleaning action by removing bulk material and fine particles from the sealing surfaces before the final sealing contact is made. This preliminary removal of contaminants ensures that the sealing surfaces are clean when the closure element makes contact, preventing contamination during the sealing process.
2Reliability
If sealing components are used to ensure tightness, then sealing is improved, but the sealing effectiveness decreases over time due to expansion of the sealing components
Solution Approach 1:
The stripping element is designed with specific material parameters (elastic modulus, hardness) that differ from conventional sealing rings. These parameter changes allow the stripping element to maintain its cleaning function without undergoing significant expansion over time, thus maintaining both sealing effectiveness and operational duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning function is extracted from the sealing function. Instead of relying solely on the sealing ring to prevent contamination, the stripping element is specifically extracted to perform the cleaning task, while the sealing element focuses on providing the seal. This separation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple sealing rings are provided to prevent bulk material penetration, then sealing is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stripping element is merged with the closure element assembly rather than being a separate component. This merging reduces the number of discrete parts while maintaining the dual-function capability of sealing and cleaning, thus enhancing bulk material penetration prevention without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure element assembly is designed to serve multiple functions: primary sealing through the closure element and secondary cleaning through the integrated stripping element. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, simplifying the overall closure system while maintaining effective contamination prevention.
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 significantly enhances the tightness of the closure system, preventing contamination and maintaining sealing effectiveness by effectively removing impurities and adapting to surface profiles, ensuring reliable operation during both emptying and filling processes.
Implementation Method 1
an elastically deformable seal for improved sealing, and a locking device for secure connection
Implementation Method 2
incorporating circumferential stripping elements to clean the sealing surfaces
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 6~8
Figure 9~11
AI summary
The invention relates to a seal assembly comprising: a seal (3) for a bulk material container (2), having a ring-shaped connecting flange (21) with a through opening and a first moving element; and a seal member (22) for selectively sealing or opening the through opening. A container wall (20) of the bulk material container (2) can be attached to the connecting flange (21). The seal assembly also comprises a docking device (1) having a housing (5), a second moving element, and a seal actuating device (13, 14). In order to increase the tightness of the seal (3), one of the moving elements (13, 14, 22) comprises a peripheral first stripping element (34.1), by means of which impurities are stripped from a surface of the connecting flange (21), in a closing process for sealing the though opening of the connecting flange (21).