Removal device for automatically removing flexible material parts, method for removing flexible material parts, and production system comprising a conveyor device and a removal device
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual removal of large, flexible material parts, such as OPW fabric parts used in airbags, is labor-intensive and requires significant space, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to the 'sail effect' and difficulty in handling and storing these materials.
Innovation Solution
A removal device comprising a winding device with a receiver that can pivot and move to wind up material parts from a conveyor, allowing for simultaneous or parallel handling and storage in a wound-up state, using suction or gripping mechanisms to adhere and clamp the material onto a receiver that can be rotated and positioned for deposition in transport containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual removal of large flexible material parts is used, then the material parts can be handled with simple equipment, but the labor intensity increases and handling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The winding device automatically winds the flexible material parts onto the receiver using suction or gripping mechanisms, eliminating the need for manual handling. The system serves itself by automatically detecting, grasping, winding, and depositing material parts without human intervention, thereby reducing labor intensity while maintaining handling simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling with an automated winding device that uses suction cups or gripping mechanisms actuated by pneumatic or electric systems. This substitution of manual labor with automated mechanical systems increases removal efficiency while keeping the equipment relatively simple.
2Ease of operation
If large flexible material parts are stored in unwound state, then they can be easily accessed, but the storage space requirement increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible material parts are wound onto cylindrical receivers, creating a compact nested structure where the material is coiled around a central axis. This nesting approach reduces the storage footprint from a large flat area to a compact cylindrical form, significantly decreasing the space required while keeping the material easily accessible for future processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the storage form from a two-dimensional flat layout to a three-dimensional cylindrical configuration. By winding the material around receivers, the system utilizes vertical and radial dimensions to compact the storage space, reducing the horizontal area required while maintaining easy access to the material.
3Productivity
If flexible material parts are moved at high speed, then productivity increases, but the sail effect makes handling more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The winding device extracts the flexible material parts from the high-speed conveyor stream and immediately winds them onto receivers. By removing the material from the high-speed flow and securing it on the receiver, the system eliminates the sail effect that occurs when loose flexible materials are moved rapidly, while maintaining high productivity through continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary winding action on the material parts as they come off the conveyor, securing them onto receivers before they can be affected by sail effect issues. This preliminary securing action prevents handling difficulties associated with high-speed movement of loose flexible materials.
4Productivity
If multiple material parts are cut side by side, then the yield from material web increases, but the removal complexity increases due to offset nesting
Solution Approach 1:
The winding device is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple material parts simultaneously or in sequence. The receiver can accommodate different sizes and types of wound material parts, and the system can process offset-nested configurations without requiring complex adjustments, thereby managing removal complexity while maintaining high material yield.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the removal process into discrete steps: detection, grasping, winding, and depositing. Each material part is handled as a separate unit through these segmented operations, even when multiple parts are offset-nested. This segmentation simplifies the overall removal system complexity by breaking down the multi-part handling into manageable individual actions.
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 reduces the space required for handling and storing large flexible materials, enhances efficiency by allowing simultaneous processing of multiple parts, and minimizes the risk of damage during handling.
Implementation Method 1
The receiver (120) has a suction device (122) with which the flexible material part (20) can be adhered
Implementation Method 2
The removal roller (120) is rotated around its axis of rotation (R) in order to wind up the flexible material part (20)
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a removal device for removing flexible material parts. The removal device removes at least one pliable material part from a conveyor device. A receiver is movable to a removal position via a conveyor device and contacts a region of the pliable material part to be removed. The receiver winds up part of the pliable material to be removed. The orientation of a winding device or the receiver may be pivoted and the winding device can be moved to a depositing position.