Brush Element Coupling Mechanism for Rapid Carcass Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brush elements for processing animal carcasses are laborious to arrange and remove, leading to significant time loss in the brushing device due to wear and tear.
Innovation Solution
A brush element with a coupling member and an elongate flexible whip, featuring a narrowed entrance that can be enlarged under bias, allowing for quick and secure coupling and uncoupling with a rotatable body, facilitating easy exchange and minimizing detachment during use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If brush elements are made secure and fixed during use, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to laborious arrangement and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member incorporates a resilient element that enables dynamic behavior: the narrowed entrance is held closed by elastic bias during normal operation to maintain secure connection, but can be temporarily enlarged by applying force counter to the bias for easy coupling and uncoupling operations
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state of the coupling member changes between two configurations: in the closed state, the resilient element maintains a narrow entrance aperture for secure engagement; during coupling/uncoupling, the entrance is temporarily enlarged by deforming the resilient element, allowing the counter-coupling member to pass through
2Reliability
If brush elements are securely fixed to prevent detachment, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to laborious removal processes
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient element provides dynamic coupling capability: it maintains strong engagement forces during normal operation to prevent detachment, but allows rapid engagement and disengagement by temporarily deforming the narrowed entrance when force is applied
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling system is divided into separate components (coupling member with resilient element and counter-coupling member) that can be independently manipulated, allowing the brush element to be quickly detached and replaced without affecting other parts of the brushing device
3Ease of operation
If the coupling mechanism is simple for quick exchange, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential detachment during use
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient element creates a dynamic locking mechanism: the narrowed entrance passively maintains secure engagement through elastic bias during operation, while allowing active enlargement when needed for coupling or uncoupling, combining simplicity with reliability
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 enables rapid and efficient replacement of brush elements, reducing operational time and maintaining a secure connection during processing, thus enhancing the efficiency and usability of the brushing device.
Implementation Method 1
a narrowed entrance which can be enlarged counter to a bias
Data Source
AI summary
A brush element (1) for processing carcasses of slaughtered animals. The disclosure also relates to an assembly of a rotatable body and such a brush element. The disclosure further relates to a brushing device comprising such an assembly. Also disclosed is a method for coupling a rotatable body and such a brush element mid also a method for uncoupling such a brush element.