Thick-Walled Hollow Cylindrical Pipe for Coating Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing coating units for fibrous webs, such as paper and cardboard, have complex and costly medium distribution pipes that only handle cross-machine direction distribution, necessitating a more cost-effective solution to remain competitive under constant cost pressure.

Innovation Solution

A hollow-cylindrical medium distribution pipe with an oval or circular cross-sectional shape and thick walls (3-25 mm) provides dimensional stability and eliminates the need for separate outflow channels, using standard pipes and seamless stainless steel tubes connected by welding, with a polished inner surface to ensure uniform medium distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a geometrically complex welded structure or solid base body is used for the medium distribution pipe, then the lateral distribution of medium is achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the wall thickness parameter from the conventional thin-walled design to a thick-walled design (3-25 mm). This parameter change allows the use of simple cylindrical pipes instead of complex welded structures or solid base bodies, significantly reducing manufacturing cost and structural complexity while maintaining the required functional performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs standard cylindrical pipes with thick walls as a cost-effective alternative to expensive complex structures. These simple cylindrical components can be manufactured using standard processes and are much cheaper to produce, achieving the same functional goals at a fraction of the cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Ease of manufacture

If thin-walled medium distribution pipes are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but dimensional stability against deflection deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoiddimensional stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent fundamentally changes the wall thickness parameter from thin-walled to thick-walled (3-25 mm). This parameter change simultaneously achieves both cost reduction (using simple cylindrical pipes instead of complex structures) and enhanced dimensional stability, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing cost and structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If separate cylinder sleeves of defined length are used for outflow channels, then pressure drop control is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure drop controlVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the outflow channels directly into the thick-walled cylindrical base body by forming them as bores through the wall. This eliminates the need for separate cylinder sleeves or defined-length components, significantly reducing structural complexity and manufacturing cost while maintaining precise control over pressure drop through the outflow channels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the outflow channel function directly from the base body structure by creating bores through the thick walls. This integration eliminates the need for separate cylindrical sleeves, simplifying the overall structure and reducing manufacturing complexity while preserving the essential pressure drop control function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3180475B2Coating device
Publication Date: 2021.11.03 VOITH PATENT GMBH
  • EP3180475B2 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a device for the direct or indirect application of a liquid or pasty medium to a running material web, in particular a fibrous web, such as a paper, cardboard or tissue web, having at least one application unit, by means of which the liquid or pasty medium can be applied to a roller or to the material web, and the application unit has a medium distribution pipe which extends in terms of the length thereof in the machine transverse direction of the device and communicates via a plurality of outflow channels which are arranged one behind another in the machine transverse direction with a medium discharge chamber which extends in terms of the length thereof in the machine transverse direction, in such a way that the liquid or pasty medium is first of all distributed in the medium distribution pipe in the machine transverse direction and is fed through the outflow channels to the medium discharge chamber, before said medium passes through an outlet opening of the medium discharge chamber and is applied to the roller or material web. The invention is characterized in that the medium distribution pipe is formed by way of a hollow-cylindrical main body with an oval, in particular round or elliptical cross-sectional shape and a wall thickness of 3 mm or more.