Air Jet Separation for Variable Width Prepregs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices struggle to easily separate prepregs and circuit board sheets based on their width dimension, leading to inefficiencies in separation and conveyance processes.
Innovation Solution
A conveyed-material separation device that employs air jetting units and retaining conveyance units, adjustable according to the width of the materials, to float and separate materials effectively, using suction air to retain and convey sheets without damaging them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional attraction pads with cylinders are used to separate prepregs, then separation and conveyance can be performed, but the separation cannot be easily adjusted in accordance with the width dimension of the prepregs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs movable retaining units that can be positioned at different locations along the conveyance direction, allowing the separation width to be dynamically adjusted according to the prepreg width. This dynamic positioning capability enables the device to adapt to various material widths without requiring a completely different structure for each width dimension.
Solution Approach 2:
The separation device is divided into multiple retaining units (first retaining unit and second retaining unit) that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows each unit to be adjusted to specific locations, enabling flexible adaptation to different prepreg widths while maintaining a modular structure that avoids excessive overall complexity.
2Productivity
If multiple attraction pads are used simultaneously to separate multiple prepregs, then conveyance can be achieved, but precise separation according to width dimension becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining units are designed to be movable along the conveyance direction, allowing their positions to be dynamically adjusted. This enables precise control over which retaining unit interacts with which prepreg, ensuring that separation occurs at the correct location for each material width while maintaining efficient conveyance of multiple prepregs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates detection means that detect the width dimension of the prepregs and provide feedback to the control means. Based on this feedback, the control means adjusts the positions of the retaining units to achieve precise separation according to the detected width, ensuring both high productivity and manufacturing precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fixed-position retaining units are used, then device structure is simple, but the device cannot accommodate various material sizes and widths
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining units are designed with movable capabilities along the conveyance direction, transforming them from fixed-position to dynamically adjustable positions. This allows the same device structure to accommodate various material sizes and widths by simply repositioning the retaining units, rather than requiring multiple fixed structures for different material dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable retaining units serve multiple functions: they can be positioned at different locations to handle different prepreg widths, and the same units can be reused for various separation tasks by adjusting their positions. This multi-functionality allows a single device structure to accommodate various material sizes without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
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
Enables reliable and efficient separation and conveyance of materials without reducing their quality, preventing issues like multifeed or no feed, and accommodating various material sizes and widths.
Implementation Method 1
air jetting units for jetting air to float an end of conveyed materials stacked
Implementation Method 2
at least one retaining unit to retain the floated conveyed materials by suction
Data Source
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AI summary
A conveyed-material separation device (100) includes an air jetting unit (2A to 2C) and a retaining unit (3A to 3F). The air jetting unit jets air to stacked conveyed materials to float an end of a conveyed material. The retaining unit (3A to 3F) retains and separates the conveyed material floated by the air jetting unit (2A to 2C). A position of the retaining unit is changeable according to a width dimension of the conveyed material in a width direction perpendicular to a floating direction of the conveyed material.