Cloths separating device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cloth separating devices face issues with severely tangled cloths falling due to weight, air jet failure, and belt conveyor overload, requiring manual disentanglement and increasing pick-up cycle time.

Innovation Solution

A cloth separating device with a pick-up mechanism that holds cloths obliquely upward, paired with upper and lower compression conveyors with narrowing clearance, and a push-in mechanism to disentangle and transport cloths automatically, reducing manual labor and cycle time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the carriage picks up severely tangled cloths vertically upward, then the cloths can be lifted from the bundle, but the cloths may fall due to heavy weight and air jet may fail to thrust them onto the belt conveyor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecloth pickup reliabilityVSAvoidcloth falling
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The clamp picks up the cloths obliquely upward rather than vertically, and the push-in mechanism pre-positions the cloths at the entrance of the compression conveyors before the air jet is activated. This preliminary positioning ensures the cloths are properly oriented and supported, preventing them from falling when the air jet is applied.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The push-in mechanism acts as an intermediary between the clamp and the compression conveyors. It receives the cloths from the clamp and actively pushes them into the compression conveyors, bridging the gap and ensuring reliable transfer without relying solely on air jet propulsion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the belt conveyor rocks to disentangle cloths, then some disentanglement occurs, but the cloths may fail to be inserted entirely between the belt conveyor and tucking roller causing overload

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecloth disentanglementVSAvoidconveyor overload protection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The compression conveyors are positioned with their entrance facing the middle part of the picked-up cloths, and the push-in mechanism proactively inserts the cloths into the compression conveyors before they reach the belt conveyor. This preliminary insertion prevents the cloths from failing to be properly positioned, eliminating the risk of overload on the belt conveyor and tucking roller.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the clamp waits for the belt conveyor to pull in cloths before picking up the next batch, then interference is avoided, but the pick-up cycle time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclamp interference avoidanceVSAvoidpick-up cycle time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The clamp picks up cloths obliquely upward at an angle rather than vertically, changing the dimensional approach of cloth pickup. This oblique pickup path allows the clamp to operate independently of the belt conveyor's horizontal motion, enabling continuous pickup operations without waiting for the conveyor to clear, thus reducing cycle time while avoiding interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

By picking up cloths obliquely and using the push-in mechanism to transfer them directly to compression conveyors, the clamp can continuously pick up new batches of cloths without interruption. The oblique pickup path and direct transfer mechanism eliminate the waiting period, maintaining continuous useful action and improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP2947198B1Cloths separating device
Publication Date: 2017.11.29 PUREX CO LTD
  • EP2947198B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2947198B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(b)
  • EP2947198B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

Problem: Reduction of time and labor required for manually disentangling the bundle of cloths to some extent beforehand. Means to solve the problem: A cloths separating device for disentangling a bundle of cloths consisting of a plurality of cloths tangled with one another comprises: a cloths pick-up mechanism 16 which holds a part of cloths on a cloths transport conveyor and picks the part of cloths, in a hanging state, obliquely upward; a pair of upper and lower compression conveyors 20, 19 whose entrance is located so as to face a middle part of the cloths picked up in a hanging state, the clearance between the compression conveyors becoming narrower from the entrance toward an exit; and a cloths push-in mechanism 21 which pushes the middle part of the cloths into the entrance of the compression conveyors.