Adjustable Bed Roller with Interleaved Belts and Pivotable Fingers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bed roller machines are inefficient and unsafe for rolling large commercial rugs, as they do not produce tightly rolled rugs and lack adequate safety features, posing risks to operators during the rolling process.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable bed roller machine with interleaved belts and pivotable fingers that form a tight initial cylinder, an adjustable height mechanism, and safety features such as a light curtain and automatic shutdown, along with a foot pedal for operation, to ensure safer and more efficient rolling with a smaller roll diameter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a typical prior art bed roller machine is used, then the machine can roll rugs, but the roll diameter is large (about 5 inches) and the rolling process is not safe for operators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamically adjustable fingers that can change their position and curvature radius during the rolling process. The fingers transition from an initial curved position to a more extended position, allowing the machine to adapt to different rug sizes and achieve tighter rolls (2 inches diameter) while maintaining operator safety through controlled mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The rolling mechanism is divided into multiple independent fingers (first set and second set) that can operate independently. The first set of fingers handles the initial curling phase while the second set takes over for the final rolling phase, allowing precise control over the rolling process and enabling safer operation with tighter rolls
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the machine structure is made more complex to improve safety features, then operator safety improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The machine incorporates self-service safety features including a light curtain that automatically detects operator presence and triggers automatic shutdown if intrusion is detected. The system also includes an emergency stop button and automatic finger retraction mechanisms that activate without operator intervention, providing safety through automated responses rather than complex manual control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical safety interlocks with a light curtain detection system that uses optical fields to monitor operator safety. This substitution provides effective safety protection while reducing mechanical complexity compared to traditional multi-component safety mechanisms
3Manufacturing precision
If the first set of fingers is used throughout the rolling process, then the initial cylinder formation is tight, but the machine cannot accommodate growing roll diameter
Solution Approach 1:
The fingers are designed with dynamic movement capabilities, allowing them to change their curvature radius and position during operation. The first set of fingers initially provides tight curvature for the cylinder formation, then rotates or repositions as the roll grows, while the second set of fingers with different curvature characteristics engages to accommodate the increasing roll diameter
Solution Approach 2:
The first set of fingers performs the preliminary action of forming the initial tight cylinder before the second set of fingers engages. This sequential preliminary actions ensure that the rug is properly initialized into a tight cylinder shape before transitioning to the final rolling phase with different finger configuration
Data Source
AI summary
An bed roller machine for use in rolling a rug having a leading edge, comprising a main body having a main bed, a plurality of belts configured to move the leading edge of the rug into the cavity and up, a first set of fingers, each finger of the first set having a surface having a first concave cylindrical curvature, wherein the surfaces of the first set are aligned, and wherein the first set of fingers are movable as a set, and a second set of fingers, each finger of the second set having a surface having a second concave cylindrical curvature looser that that of the first surface, wherein the surfaces of the second set are aligned, and wherein the second set of fingers are movable as a set.