Waste Compacting Cell with Balanced Hydraulic Actuator
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing waste compacting cells face challenges in achieving high hydraulic pressures while maintaining reduced dimensions and affordability, with issues of unbalanced forces, buckling, and high maintenance costs due to complex cylinder arrangements and clogging risks.
Innovation Solution
A waste compacting cell design featuring lateral cylinders symmetrically fixed to a central cylinder, balancing forces and reducing the risk of buckling, with a hydraulic actuator system that eliminates the need for supporting elements and allows for high hydraulic pressures, and enables cost-effective production and maintenance by using fewer and more reliable components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single longitudinal cylinder is used to achieve large stroke for optimized container filling, then the filling efficiency is improved, but the cylinder cost increases and the box length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The single longitudinal cylinder is segmented into multiple smaller diameter cylinders arranged in parallel. Each cylinder contributes partially to the total stroke, and their combined effect achieves the required large stroke while keeping individual cylinder dimensions and costs reduced. The box length is also reduced as these cylinders can be arranged more compactly.
2Length of stationary object
If crossed and superimposed cylinders are used to reduce box length, then the longitudinal dimension is reduced, but unbalanced parasitic forces cause the mobile wall to wear, angle, and get stuck
Solution Approach 1:
The cylinders are arranged asymmetrically in parallel rather than crossed and superimposed. This asymmetric parallel arrangement maintains compact box dimensions while ensuring that force vectors are balanced and aligned with the mobile wall movement direction, eliminating parasitic forces that would cause wear and sticking.
3Length of moving object
If coplanar jacks are deployed in the direction of compaction, then the stroke is achieved, but the cylinders are not rigid and risk buckling
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of deploying cylinders coplanar in the compaction direction (one dimension), the invention arranges multiple smaller diameter cylinders in parallel across a broader cross-section (adding spatial distribution in another dimension). This distributes the load, improves overall structural rigidity, and reduces buckling risk while maintaining the required stroke through coordinated extension of all cylinders.
4Stress or pressure
If hydraulic pressures are increased for effective waste compaction, then the compaction capability is improved, but the risk of cylinder buckling increases
Solution Approach 1:
The high hydraulic pressure load is segmented and distributed across multiple smaller diameter cylinders arranged in parallel. Each cylinder bears a portion of the total force, reducing the buckling risk for individual cylinders while collectively achieving the high compaction pressure needed for effective waste compacting.
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 provides a robust, cost-effective, and reliable waste compacting cell capable of applying high hydraulic pressures, reducing maintenance costs and clogging risks, while allowing for efficient filling and loading/unloading operations.
Implementation Method 1
a waste compacting cell, capable of being connected or integrated into a waste container... The compacting cell comprises a box divided into a first compartment open at the top and surmounted by a hopper to form a waste reception area... receiving a telescopic actuator having one end fixed to a bottom of the second compartment and a opposite end connected to a movable wall to move the movable wall in the reception area so as to push the waste into the container
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The cell (1) has a housing divided into a compartment opened to form a receiving area, and another compartment in which a telescopic actuator (7) is suspended, where the actuator includes an end connected to a movable wall (5) to move the movable wall so as to push the waste towards an opening in the former compartment. The actuator includes two side jacks fixed to either side of a central jack, where the central jack engages in a direction opposite to a deployment direction of the side jacks and provides a thrust equal to a sum of the thrust provided by the side jacks.