Vibratory Floor Shaker Module Dust Control and Pressure Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vibratory floors fail to effectively empty cohesive products like soybean meals and highly hydrophilic materials due to dust accumulation, which blocks operation and damages sealing membranes, and are unable to handle cohesive products without manual intervention, posing safety risks.

Innovation Solution

The vibratory floor design includes a shaker module with a connection to a clean air source through pipes and an anti-pressure plate system to prevent dust accumulation and reduce pressure on motor-driven vibrators, allowing for efficient emptying of all grainy and powdery products, including cohesive ones, without manual intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the vibratory floor operates without a clean air connection, then the structure remains simple, but dust accumulates between the metal sheet and filler material, blocking spring compression and damaging sealing membranes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A clean air connection system is introduced as an intermediary between the external environment and the internal module space. This system includes a clean air source, a connection pipe with opening directed toward the module interior, and allows controlled air flow that prevents dust accumulation without requiring complex sealing or isolation mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The dust accumulation problem is addressed by extracting harmful dust particles from the module interior through the clean air flow. The clean air current carries dust particles out through the connection pipe opening, effectively removing the harmful factor that blocks spring compression and damages sealing membranes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Productivity

If the vibratory floor uses standard design without anti-pressure plate, then the structure is simpler, but cohesive products harden and exert excessive pressure on motor-driven vibrators, preventing effective emptying

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemptying efficiencyVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

An anti-pressure plate is positioned above the motor-driven vibrator to counterbalance the excessive pressure exerted by cohesive products. This plate distributes and reduces the load on the vibrator motor, enabling it to effectively empty hardened cohesive materials without requiring a completely redesigned structural support system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the vibratory floor is designed for non-cohesive products only, then the design remains simple, but it cannot empty cohesive products like soybean meals and hydrophilic materials without manual intervention

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct type adaptabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The vibratory floor system is enhanced with multiple functional components: a clean air connection for dust removal, an anti-pressure plate for load management, and a deflector for product flow control. These additions enable the same basic structure to effectively handle both non-cohesive and cohesive products across various container types without requiring manual intervention or complete redesign

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

4Force

If the motor-driven vibrator operates under high pressure from cohesive mass, then the vibratory force is stronger, but the cover of the motor-driven vibrator cannot withstand the pressure and operation fails

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibrating forceVSAvoidmotor cover integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The anti-pressure plate positioned above the motor-driven vibrator creates a counterbalancing effect that reduces the net pressure on the motor cover. This allows the vibrator to maintain strong vibrating force for effective emptying while the anti-pressure plate prevents excessive compression that would damage the motor cover

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

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 ensures reliable and safe operation by preventing dust accumulation and enabling the efficient emptying of cohesive products, maintaining equipment integrity and ensuring operator safety.

Implementation Method 1

A vibratory floor is made up of one or more shaker modules, arranged on the slightly inclined bottom of a grainy or powdery material container. The function of the vibratory floor is to empty the residual piles, i.e., material that does not flow by gravity.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Implementation Method 2

Compression springs fixed on the crosspieces bear a metal sheet subject to at least one motor-driven vibrator and a peripheral sealing membrane. When the container is filled with material, the springs bearing the metal sheet are compressed, and the metal sheet bears on the filler material.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 3

The shaker module in question includes a pipe placed near the module, and an outer pipe arranged in a cable raceway, these pipes allowing the conveyance of the electrical power cable to the motor-driven vibrator. The junction between the two pipes is done inside the shaker module using a connecting piece including at least one hole. Furthermore, the outer pipe and the electric cable emerge outside the container

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3205611B1Vibratory floor with controlled atmosphere, for cohesive products
Publication Date: 2022.01.19 VIBRAFLOOR SAS
  • EP3205611B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3205611B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3205611B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a vibratory floor made up of shaker modules protected against the entry of dust, and capable of emptying cohesive products. The inner volume (10) of each module is connected by means of a pipe (14) to an air or clean gas volume (19). Each module past the first row is provided with an anti-pressure device (46) made up of an anti-pressure plate (47) situated above the motor cover (44), supported by two flanges (48) and (49) resting on stationary parts (36) on either side of the module. The modules thus formed are protected against the entry of dust, and effectively emptying any cohesive product from silos, vessels, railroad cars or any other containers, without human or mechanized intervention.