Concrete Bucket Washing Tower Guide Pads Centering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing washing structures for concrete skips are unsuitable for heavy loads, posing safety risks and making it difficult to wash due to their design, which includes protruding bars that increase space requirements and pose hazards, and are not compatible with standard skips without modification.

Innovation Solution

A washing tower with a support structure formed by metal tubes, featuring two floors with horizontal lateral support tubes and guide pads with rollers for centering and supporting the skip, reducing bulk and hazards, and allowing for precise positioning without external bars, along with a chute for water management and recycling, and a compact one-piece assembly for easy transport and assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If protruding horizontal bars are added to standard skips to enable positioning on washing towers, then skipping adaptability is improved, but device complexity and safety hazards increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveskip positioning compatibilityVSAvoidskip modification requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of modifying the skip with protruding bars to achieve positioning, the invention inverts the approach by providing recessed cradles in the washing tower that receive the skip's existing features. This reverses who needs to be modified - the washing tower adapts to the skip rather than the skip adapting to the tower.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The cradle structure serves multiple functions: it centers the skip horizontally, provides vertical support, and accommodates various skip types without modification. The universal design allows different skip configurations to be processed on the same washing tower.

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

2Measurement precision

If protruding bars are used for skip centering, then positioning precision is improved, but safety hazards and space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveskip positioning accuracyVSAvoidsafety hazards to personnel
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The skip nests into the cradle structure during positioning, with the cradle's horizontal tubes receiving the skip's body. This nested arrangement achieves precise centering while keeping all components contained within the washing tower footprint, eliminating protruding hazards.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of manufacture

If a support structure is designed for light loads, then ease of manufacture is improved, but load bearing capacity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport structure fabricationVSAvoidload bearing capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The support tubes are pre-assembled with cradle components before final installation on the washing tower. This preliminary assembly allows for quality control and proper fit-up while maintaining manufacturing simplicity, ensuring the structure can handle heavy loads without requiring complex post-installation adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary 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

Enables safe and efficient washing of concrete skips without modifying existing skips, reducing space requirements, and ensuring operator safety by stabilizing the skip with rollers, while minimizing external water usage through internal recycling.

Implementation Method 1

each receiving guide pads provided to surround the bucket by constituting the support of two of the inclined faces and by providing support and wedging of this bucket

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRoller: Roller

Implementation Method 2

the inclined lower faces of this bucket sliding on the skids to effect its centering

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3025796B1Scrubbing tower for concrete buckets, comprising pads for centring angled surfaces in said buckets
Publication Date: 2017.11.01 SECATOL
  • EP3025796B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3025796B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3025796B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A washing tower designed to receive a concrete skip (2) for washing, the skip body having lower faces (6) inclined downwards towards the center and terminating below in a concrete discharge opening closed by a trapdoor operated by a lever (8), said washing tower comprising a load-bearing structure formed by metal tubes and having, at its upper part, means for supporting the skip. The tower is characterized in that it comprises two levels (38, 42) and in that the floor of the second level (42) has an opening (58) framed by horizontal lateral support tubes (46) which receive guide pads (48) designed to surround the skip (2), forming the support for two of the inclined faces (6) and providing support and stabilization for the skip. Applicable particularly on construction sites for washing such skips.