Web Drying Apparatus Blower Units Overlapping Vertical Arrangement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing web drying apparatuses with vertically arranged blower units require larger placement spaces due to their bulky configuration, making it difficult to compactly arrange them between two dry paths.

Innovation Solution

The blower units are arranged to partially overlap each other vertically, with one unit's lower end protruding below the other unit's upper end, allowing for a more compact setup by adjusting the position of the protruding parts and slope plates to reduce vertical space requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If two blower units are vertically arranged between two dry paths, then gas injection function is improved, but placement space increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas injection functionVSAvoidplacement space
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The blower units are arranged in an overlapping vertical configuration where the lower end part of the upper blower unit protrudes below the upper end part of the lower blower unit. This nesting-like arrangement allows the blower units to share vertical space efficiently, reducing the total placement area while maintaining both gas injection functions simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from a traditional side-by-side horizontal arrangement to a vertical overlapping arrangement. By utilizing the vertical dimension more effectively and allowing partial overlap in the vertical direction, the configuration achieves compact space utilization while preserving the dual gas injection capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

This configuration enables a compact arrangement of blower units between dry paths, reducing the overall size of the drying apparatus while maintaining efficient gas injection and drying performance.

Implementation Method 1

one blower unit disposed on an upper side, among the two blower units, faces the upper dry path from downward and injects gas onto web passing through the upper dry path, the other blower unit disposed on a lower side, among the two blower units, faces the lower dry path from upward and injects gas onto web passing through the lower dry path

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas injection:

Data Source

PatentEP3734207B1Web drying apparatus
Publication Date: 2022.02.09 SCREEN HOLDINGS CO LTD
  • EP3734207B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3734207B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3734207B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A web drying apparatus, comprises: two blower units which are arranged vertically between an upper dry path and a lower dry path disposed below the upper dry path and at least partially overlap each other when viewed from a vertical direction. One blower unit disposed on an upper side, the other blower unit disposed on a lower side. The lower end part of the one blower unit deviates from the upper end part of the other blower unit in the horizontal direction and protrudes to be lower than the upper end part in the vertical direction.