Swinging Discharge Gutter for Particulate Material Dispensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing particulate material supplying apparatuses fail to accurately dispense irregularly shaped particles due to clustering and entanglement, leading to inconsistent dispensing amounts.

Innovation Solution

A particulate material supplying apparatus with a discharge gutter having a U-shaped cross section and a swinging motion mechanism, along with a feeder and weighing scale, ensures particles are loosened and accurately weighed for precise dispensing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a downwardly slanting discharge gutter with one-directional rotation is used to dispense particulate material, then the dispensing structure is simple, but the particles cluster together and become entangled, causing inconsistent dispensing amounts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedispensing structureVSAvoiddispensing amount consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge gutter is transformed from a stationary or one-directionally rotating structure into a dynamically oscillating structure that swings back and forth. This dynamic motion creates varying flow conditions that prevent particle clustering and entanglement, thereby improving dispensing consistency without significantly increasing structural complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The discharge gutter performs periodic oscillating motion rather than continuous one-directional rotation or static positioning. This periodic back-and-forth movement creates alternating flow patterns that effectively loosen and separate particles during the dispensing process, ensuring consistent dispensing amounts

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Device complexity

If the discharge gutter performs only one-directional rotation, then the mechanism is simple, but particles cannot be sufficiently loosened, leading to clustering and entanglement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotation mechanismVSAvoidparticle flow consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The rotation mechanism is enhanced to include oscillating motion in addition to or instead of one-directional rotation. This creates a more dynamic particle loosening effect where the back-and-forth movement continuously disrupts particle clustering, improving reliability of particle flow

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The oscillating motion of the discharge gutter creates mechanical vibration effects that actively loosen and separate particles. This vibrational action prevents particles from settling into clustered or entangled states, ensuring consistent particle flow to the weighing scale

Inventive Principle:

Principle #18Mechanical vibration

3Productivity

If high-speed operation is implemented without proper particle loosening, then productivity increases, but dispensing accuracy decreases due to particle clustering

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperating speedVSAvoidweighing accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge gutter performs preliminary loosening and separation of particles through oscillating motion before the material reaches the weighing scale. This preliminary action ensures particles are properly dispersed and ready for accurate weighing, enabling high-speed operation without compromising measurement precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The oscillating motion of the discharge gutter provides continuous particle loosening throughout the dispensing process. This continuous action ensures that particles remain separated and do not cluster, maintaining weighing accuracy even during high-speed continuous operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 apparatus effectively loosens and accurately dispenses particulate materials, reducing errors and increasing efficiency, allowing for high-speed operation with a simple and cost-effective design.

Implementation Method 1

a discharge gutter that extends diagonally downward from a lower region inside the hopper and dispenses the particulate material in the hopper

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravitation: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS10059536B2Particulate material supplying apparatus with a downwardly slanting discharge gutter which rotates side to side

Publication Date: 2018.08.28 SANKO MASCH CO LTD

AI summary

A particulate material supplying apparatus includes a hopper that stores a particulate material, a discharge gutter that dispenses the particulate material, a feeder that transports the particulate material to a weighing scale, the weighing scale that weighs the particulate material, a supply shutter that feeds the particulate material to a machine in the next process step at a predetermined timing, and a controller that controls the operations of these devices. The discharge gutter includes an inclined gutter portion having an opening in an upper surface thereof and a substantially U-shaped cross section. The controller controls the discharge gutter so that the particulate material in the hopper is dispensed to the feeder by causing the discharge gutter to perform a swinging motion in which a forward rotation and a backward rotation each to a predetermined angle are repeated while the opening in the inclined gutter portion faces upward.