Vibratory Bulk Material Dosing for Precise Weight Correction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bulk material dosing systems face issues such as material segregation, damage to fragile materials, dust management, noise, and the need for additional devices for weight calibration, leading to increased costs, variability, and reduced efficiency in producing precise products like gold ingots.

Innovation Solution

A dosing assembly and system that uses vibrators with balancing masses and electronic control to manage forward and backward movements of bulk material, eliminating the need for additional weight correction devices by precisely controlling the discharge and arrangement of material in a single row, ensuring accurate dosing within predetermined tolerances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If additional weight correction devices are used to achieve precise dosing, then dosing precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The dosing system uses the vibrating feeder itself to perform both the primary dosing function and the corrective function. By reversing the vibration direction, the system can add or remove material to achieve precise target weights without requiring separate correction devices, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating additional complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes the vibration direction of the feeder based on real-time weight feedback. The controller reverses the vibration direction when material addition exceeds the target weight, allowing the same mechanism to perform both dosing and correction functions adaptively, thereby maintaining precision without increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If additional weight correction devices are used to calibrate weight, then dosing accuracy is improved, but production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing accuracyVSAvoidproduction time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The vibrating feeder performs both dosing and weight correction functions within a single continuous operation. The system monitors weight in real-time and uses the same feeder to make adjustments, eliminating the need for separate correction steps and reducing total production time while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The dosing process continues without interruption as the system monitors weight and makes corrections on-the-fly using the vibrating feeder. The continuous operation without stopping for separate correction steps maintains both accuracy and efficiency, reducing production time compared to systems requiring additional correction devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple receptacles with different material sizes are used, then dosing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides bulk material into different size segments using multiple receptacles, each containing material of a specific size range. This segmentation allows precise dosing by selecting appropriate material sizes for different dosing requirements, while the centralized control system manages the complexity of coordinating multiple receptacles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple receptacles serve the universal function of material storage and dosing. Each receptacle can be selectively activated based on dosing requirements, allowing the system to handle various material sizes through a single integrated dosing mechanism, thereby managing complexity through multi-functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Manufacturing precision

If vibration amplitude and frequency are adjusted for different materials, then dosing accuracy is improved, but control complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing accuracyVSAvoidcontrol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts vibration amplitude and frequency based on real-time dosing requirements and material characteristics. The electronic control system modifies vibration parameters on-the-fly to optimize dosing accuracy for different materials, managing control complexity through automated dynamic adjustment rather than fixed settings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses weight feedback from the dosing process to automatically adjust vibration amplitude and frequency. The controller monitors dosing progress and modifies vibration parameters in response to actual material flow and weight accumulation, achieving high accuracy while minimizing control complexity through closed-loop feedback control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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

Achieves precise dosing with minimal deviation, reduces production time, and enhances product quality and consistency by eliminating the need for additional weight adjustment, thus improving efficiency and reducing costs.

Implementation Method 1

a vibrator device (2, 2'), operatively connected to the respective first receptacle (10) and to the respective second receptacle (10'), to cause it to vibrate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP4703694A1Bulk material dosing assembly, dosing system and method
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 DS4
  • EP4703694A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4703694A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4703694A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A dosing assembly (1) of bulk material in a collection container (4) comprises a first receptacle (10) suitable for containing a first bulk material having a first size and a second receptacle (10') suitable for containing a second bulk material having a second size, different from the first size. For each of said first receptacle (10) and second receptacle (10'), the dosing assembly comprises a respective vibrator device (2, 2'). Furthermore, a weighing device (3) is suitable for detecting the weight of the amount of first bulk material and second bulk material present in a collection container (4) and discharged from the first receptacle (10) and the second receptacle (10'). An electronic control unit (5) is configured to command the vibrator device (2, 2') based on the weight detected by the weighing device (3) and to send a control signal to the vibrator device (2, 2') to vibrate the first receptacle (10) or the second receptacle (10') so as to move forward the first bulk material or the second bulk material in a discharge direction (D) towards the collection container (4) and in a backward direction (B), opposite to the discharge direction (D). A dosing system and a dosing method comprise the dosing assembly.