Adjustable Blade Cutting Tool for Plastic Spacer Notching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cutting devices for forming frame-shaped spacers in insulating glass panes with non-rectangular corners, such as acute-angled or obtuse-angled corners, face issues with material displacement and gaps, leading to unfavorable appearance and sealing problems.

Innovation Solution

A cutting device with adjustable blades that can vary the angle of cut surfaces to match the inner angle of corners, allowing for seamless notching without gaps or material compression, using a guide device and a cutting tool with blades that can be pivoted about an axis perpendicular to the feed direction, enabling efficient machining of notches in a single linear movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed-angle cutting tool is used for notching the plastic strip, then the cutting process is simple and fast, but the device cannot accommodate non-rectangular corners (acute or obtuse angles) without creating gaps or material displacement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different corner anglesVSAvoidcomplexity of cutting tool
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting tool incorporates an adjustable blade angle mechanism that allows the cutting edge to be dynamically repositioned relative to the strip's longitudinal direction. This enables the same tool to create notches at various angles (acute, right, obtuse) by adjusting the blade inclination, transforming a static fixed-angle tool into a dynamic multi-angle tool that adapts to different corner requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameter of the cutting tool - specifically the angle between the cutting edge and the longitudinal direction of the strip. By making this angle adjustable rather than fixed, the tool can produce notches with different internal angles that complement various corner angles to 180°, eliminating gaps and material displacement while maintaining sealing integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If two overlapping miter cuts are made to form W-shaped cut surfaces, then the device can handle some non-rectangular corners, but material displacement and gap formation still occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecision of corner fitVSAvoidease of notch production
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using multiple fixed cutting passes to create W-shaped notches, the invention employs a single adjustable cutting edge that can be positioned at the precise angle needed. This dynamic angle adjustment eliminates the need for overlapping cuts and their associated problems with material displacement and gaps, achieving precise corner fit in a single manufacturing operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If a semi-cylindrical recess is punched in the band, then the corner formation is simplified, but gaps and material displacement problems persist

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of corner formationVSAvoidprecision of cut surface alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the geometric parameter of the notch - specifically the internal angle of the cut surfaces. By designing the notch with adjustable internal angles that complement the corner angles to 180°, the cut surfaces meet precisely without gaps or material displacement. This precise angular parameter control maintains ease of operation while eliminating the alignment problems inherent in fixed semi-cylindrical recesses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP1839789B1Separating device for notching a plastic sheet to manufacture a frame-shaped spacer for insulation glass
Publication Date: 2010.03.31 BYSTRONIC LENHARDT
  • EP1839789B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1839789B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP1839789B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A cutting arrangement for releasing a plastic band (13a), comprises a guide unit (30) which holds the band in the longitudinal direction (25) and allows it to be moved, and a cutting tool (18) for releasing the band at right angles to the longitudinal direction. The cutting tool has a blade (22,23) whose angle to the longitudinal direction can be adjusted. The blades are arranged in opposite directions, and can swivel about an axis, which is parallel to the advancing direction.