Belt-Driven Necker Machine Drive Assembly for Lower Downtime

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Solution Overview

Problem

Shaft-based drive assemblies for necker machines are prone to costly breakdowns and require extensive lubrication, leading to significant downtime when a drive shaft fails, especially if the location is difficult to access.

Innovation Solution

A drive assembly comprising multiple motors with output shafts, drive wheel assemblies, and timing/drive belts, which provides a more reliable and maintainable solution by reducing the need for complex lubrication systems and minimizing downtime due to fewer moving parts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a shaft-based drive assembly is used, then the processing stations can be linked to a motor, but the system requires expensive lubrication systems and suffers from breakdowns and downtime

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrive assembly reliabilityVSAvoidlubrication system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional shaft-based mechanical drive system with a belt-driven system. The drive assembly includes a motor, a drive belt, and drive wheels that transmit power to processing stations without requiring complex lubrication systems. This substitution eliminates the need for expensive lubrication infrastructure while maintaining reliable power transmission across all processing stations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If a shaft-based drive assembly is used, then power can be transmitted to processing stations, but downtime increases when a drive shaft fails

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoiddowntime

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the drive system into modular components where each processing station is independently driven by its own drive wheel and belt connection to the motor. This segmentation means that if one drive wheel or belt fails, other processing stations can continue operating, significantly reducing downtime compared to a centralized shaft system where one failure stops the entire line.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs simpler, more replaceable drive components such as belts and drive wheels that can be quickly swapped if failures occur. These components are designed to be more accessible and easier to replace than embedded drive shafts, reducing maintenance downtime and allowing for rapid restoration of processing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Ease of operation

If a shaft-based drive assembly is used, then processing stations can be connected, but maintenance costs increase due to lubrication system requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrive assembly operationVSAvoidmaintenance cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the lubrication system entirely from the drive assembly design. By using a belt-driven system instead of shaft-based mechanical connections, the invention eliminates the need for lubrication infrastructure, reducing both manufacturing complexity and ongoing maintenance costs while preserving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11890664B2Drive assembly

Publication Date: 2024.02.06 STOLLE MACHINERY CO LLC

AI summary

A drive assembly for a necker machine includes a plurality of motors, each motor including an output shaft, a plurality of drive wheel assemblies, each drive wheel assembly operatively coupled to an associated necker machine drive shaft, and a number of timing/drive belts operatively coupled to each drive wheel assembly.