Cart Strap Dispenser Pivotal Brake Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cart-type coil dispensers face issues with braking and off-center pulling of straps, inconsistent payout, and difficulty in loading coils due to weight and out-of-round coils, which lead to improper sitting and payout problems.
Innovation Solution
A dispenser with a pivotally mounted brake/payout assembly and adjustable coil retaining elements, featuring a contact roller and feed roller to control strap payout, and a design that includes a frame with wheels for easy movement, along with a carriage that secures the coil between front and rear guards to prevent pull-down and ensure consistent payout.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a traditional brake assembly is used, then the structure is simple, but the strap payout is inconsistent and off-center pulling occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The brake assembly is made pivotally mounted rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and orientation. The brake arm can pivot to accommodate variations in coil positioning and strap tension, automatically centering the strap payout path. This dynamic adjustment eliminates off-center pulling and inconsistent payout without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The brake assembly automatically self-adjusts during operation. As the coil rotates and strap tension changes, the pivotal brake arm naturally repositions itself to maintain optimal contact with the strap, ensuring consistent payout. The system uses the operational forces themselves to maintain proper alignment, eliminating the need for external adjustment mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If heavy coils are loaded manually, then no additional loading mechanism is needed, but loading difficulty increases due to coil weight
Solution Approach 1:
The dispenser utilizes the weight of the coil itself and the gravitational force acting on it to facilitate loading. The coil carriage is designed to roll along the frame rails, and the coil's weight naturally guides it into the correct position between the front and rear guards. The brake assembly's pivotal motion also assists in guiding the coil into proper alignment during the loading process.
Solution Approach 2:
The coil carriage and frame are designed with aligned horizontal surfaces and rolling contacts that create an equipotential loading path. The coil can be rolled onto the carriage along a level path, and the gravitational potential energy is converted to kinetic energy in a controlled manner, making loading effort-independent of coil weight.
3Adaptability or versatility
If out-of-round coils are used, then material variability is tolerated, but the coils do not properly sit in the dispenser and payout is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotal brake assembly dynamically adapts to out-of-round coil shapes during operation. As the coil rotates, the brake arm pivots to track the varying radius of the coil, maintaining consistent strap contact and payout control. This dynamic tracking capability allows the system to accommodate oval or crushed coils without compromising payout accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows the brake arm position and contact point to change parameters during operation. The pivotal motion enables the brake arm to adjust its radial distance and angular position to accommodate variations in coil shape, maintaining optimal strap engagement regardless of whether the coil is perfectly round, oval, or slightly crushed.
4Reliability
If the brake assembly is fixed, then the structure is stable, but strap pull-down and off-center pulling occur
Solution Approach 1:
The brake assembly is designed with pivotal mobility rather than fixed positioning. The brake arm can pivot about a mounting point on the frame, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position in response to varying strap tension, coil rotation speed, and coil shape variations. This controlled mobility enhances reliability by preventing strap pull-down while maintaining payout control.
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 provides controlled and consistent payout of straps, prevents coil pull-down, and allows for easy loading and use with out-of-round coils, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing the need for frequent adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
The brake/payout assembly engages the coil carriage to slow rotation of the carriage. The contact roller can include one or more contact pads on a periphery thereof for contact with the front and/or rear guard to slow rotation of the coil carriage.
Implementation Method 2
The contact and feed rollers can be formed from a low friction material. The strap is configured for receipt in the nip region as it is paid out from the coil.
Data Source
AI summary
A dispenser is used for dispensing flexible material from a coil. The dispenser includes a frame, a coil carriage mounted to the frame and a brake/payout assembly mounted to the frame. The frame defines an axis of rotation about which the coil carriage rotates. The coil is securable within the coil carriage for rotation with the carriage. The brake/payout assembly is operably mounted to the frame and is moveable toward and away from the coil carriage. The brake/payout assembly is biased toward the coil carriage for engagement with the carriage. The brake/payout assembly engages the coil carriage to slow rotation of the carriage and includes a nip region through which the flexible material traverses during payout.