Adjustable Air Nozzle Positioning for Uniform Resin Sheet Quality

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing resin sheet manufacturing methods struggle with inconsistent quality due to inaccuracies in positioning and angling of air nozzles, leading to phenomena such as resonance, neck-in, and unevenness.

Innovation Solution

An air nozzle device with a movable and rotatable air nozzle body, controlled by a drive mechanism and a control unit, allows precise adjustment of position and angle to stabilize the air flow, preventing or suppressing these phenomena.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the air nozzle position and angle are fixed, then the device structure is simple, but the resin sheet quality cannot be uniformly adjusted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresin sheet quality uniformityVSAvoidair nozzle device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The air nozzle is made movable through a drive mechanism that enables adjustment in multiple directions (upward/downward, leftward/rightward, forward/backward) and rotation. This dynamic capability allows the nozzle position and angle to be adjusted to different locations, achieving uniform resin sheet quality while maintaining a relatively simple device structure through controlled mobility rather than fixed complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Measurement precision

If the air nozzle is made movable and rotatable, then the position and angle can be accurately adjusted, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair nozzle position and angle adjustment accuracyVSAvoiddrive mechanism and control system
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drive mechanism provides controlled mobility to the air nozzle, enabling accurate adjustment in multiple directions and rotation. The control unit coordinates these movements to achieve precise positioning and angling, demonstrating that controlled dynamic adjustment can provide measurement precision without excessive device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit manages the drive mechanism to adjust the air nozzle position and angle, implying a feedback control system that monitors and corrects positioning accuracy. This feedback approach enables precise adjustment while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through intelligent control rather than purely mechanical complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the air nozzle position is not accurately adjusted, then the device operation is simple, but resonance and neck-in phenomena occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresin sheet manufacturing stabilityVSAvoidair nozzle adjustment operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit coordinates the drive mechanism to adjust the air nozzle position and angle, implying a feedback control system that monitors and corrects positioning accuracy. This feedback approach enables precise adjustment while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through intelligent control rather than purely mechanical complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically adjusts the air nozzle position and angle through the drive mechanism and control unit, reducing manual intervention. The apparatus self-regulates the nozzle positioning to prevent resonance and neck-in phenomena, improving manufacturing stability while simplifying operation through automation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

The solution ensures consistent resin sheet quality by accurately controlling the air nozzle's position and angle, thereby reducing resonance, neck-in, and unevenness, enhancing the manufacturing process.

Implementation Method 1

an air nozzle body (41) which is to eject compressed air to a resin sheet

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompressed air ejection: Jet

Data Source

PatentEP4706934A1Air nozzle device and resin sheet manufacturing device
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 THE JAPAN STEEL WORKS LTD
  • EP4706934A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4706934A1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4706934A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An air nozzle device according to one embodiment has: an air nozzle body 41 that jets compressed air toward a resin sheet; a support mechanism 42 that movably and rotatably supports the air nozzle body 41; a first drive mechanism that moves the air nozzle body 41; a second drive mechanism that rotates the air nozzle body 41; and a control unit that controls the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism. The control unit can adjust the position of the air nozzle body 41 in at least two different directions, and can also adjust the angle of the air nozzle body 41.