Wheel Washer Drying Nozzle Alignment for Spoke Coverage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wheel washing machine drying devices suffer from inefficient air flow distribution, failing to effectively dry wheels with radial spokes and varying diameters, leading to residual liquid on certain areas and increased drying cycles.

Innovation Solution

The drying device features aligned nozzles oriented in predetermined directions, forming planar air sheets that impinge on wheel surfaces at inclined angles, ensuring thorough drying of both outer and inner surfaces regardless of wheel size, with adjustable nozzle configurations for optimal coverage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If fan arrangement of drying air flows are dispersed in the washing chamber, then the air flows can cover a large area, but the angles of incidence become ineffective and drying efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage areaVSAvoiddrying efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from dispersed point-source air flows to planar air sheets, changing the dimensional structure of the drying medium. The nozzles generate two-dimensional planes of air flow that simultaneously cover large areas while maintaining effective incidence angles across the entire wheel surface.

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

2Manufacturing precision

If drying air flows are directed toward the high middle portion of the wheel, then the central area is effectively dried, but residual dripping occurs on wheel portions that rotate across the underlying area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying uniformityVSAvoidresidual dripping
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The drying system is segmented into multiple nozzle groups positioned at different locations and orientations. Each nozzle group targets specific wheel zones, with upper nozzles addressing the central area and lower nozzles covering the bottom portions, ensuring comprehensive drying without residual dripping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If standard size drying devices are used, then the device structure is simplified, but the effectiveness varies considerably with wheel diameters

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice standardizationVSAvoiddrying effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The drying device incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable nozzle arrangements that can be dynamically adapted to different wheel diameters. The nozzle positions, orientations, and configurations can be modified to optimize the planar air sheet distribution for various wheel sizes, maintaining high drying effectiveness across different specifications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Productivity

If wheels with radial spokes are dried using conventional air flows, then the general surfaces are dried, but the spoke portions parallel to the axis of rotation cannot be dried

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoverall drying speedVSAvoidcomplete drying coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by directing planar air sheets at specific angles to target difficult-to-reach spoke portions. The nozzle configurations are optimized to create air flow patterns that effectively impinge on radial spokes, ensuring complete drying coverage on all wheel surfaces including previously inaccessible areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 solution enables complete drying of wheel surfaces, including hard-to-reach areas, reduces drying time, and maintains effectiveness across different wheel diameters, preventing residual dripping and improving drying efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

each comprises a compressed-air manifold, which is fed by a compressor device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompressed air: Gas Compressor

Implementation Method 2

the drying air flows impinge upon both faces of the wheel on both sides

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir flow impingement: Jet

Data Source

PatentEP2527216B1Drying device for a wheel washing machine
Publication Date: 2016.04.20 TECO SRL
  • EP2527216B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2527216B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP2527216B1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

The drying device for a wheel (R) washing machine (1) comprises: a first blowing element (40) which can be fed with a drying fluid fed by a source and facing a first surface (35) of a wheel (R) to be dried; a second blowing element (60) which can be fed by a drying fluid and facing a second surface (35') of a wheel (R) to be dried, opposite to said first surface (35); a first set of blowing nozzles (50) mounted to said first blowing element (40); a second set of blowing nozzles (61) mounted to said second blowing element (60), said first and second sets of blowing nozzles (50, 61) being aligned on a first common alignment plane (P1) and a second common alignment plane (P2).