Coating Material Cassette With Perforation Lines For Edge Banding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing coating material handling systems, particularly in the furniture and component industry, face issues with edge band rolls being exposed to environmental influences during storage, leading to contamination, brittleness, and unintentional unwinding, with additional work steps required for storage and reuse, and difficulties in managing excess material.

Innovation Solution

A coating material cassette with a container featuring perforation lines on the base and top sides that allow for sectionable areas to expose and retract the coating material, enabling easier handling, protection from contamination, and efficient reuse, along with a fixing device to prevent unwinding and a remaining supply determination device for tracking material length.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If edge band rolls are stored opened after coating process, then handling is simple, but edge band is exposed to environmental influences causing contamination and degradation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling simplicityVSAvoidenvironmental contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The edge band roll is nested within a protective container that can be opened and closed. The container acts as a protective shell that encloses the edge band during storage, preventing environmental contamination while allowing easy access during coating operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The edge band roll is pre-loaded into the container before storage. This preliminary action of loading the edge band into the protective container before storage prevents exposure to environmental influences from the outset, eliminating the need for separate protective measures during storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If edge band is placed in container for storage, then protection from environmental influences is improved, but additional work steps and costs are incurred

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection from contaminationVSAvoidstorage process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The container design merges the storage function with the handling function. The same container that protects the edge band during storage also facilitates easy loading and unloading operations, combining multiple functions into a single device to reduce overall process complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The container is designed to be self-sufficient, providing both protection and handling capabilities without requiring additional external equipment or complex operational procedures. The container serves its own protective and handling needs, eliminating the requirement for separate protective measures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If excess edge band protrudes from cassette, then coating process is facilitated, but material loss occurs when cut off for storage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoating process efficiencyVSAvoidedge band material loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The container incorporates a flexible outlet region that can adapt its opening degree. This dynamic adjustment allows the outlet to open sufficiently during coating operations for efficient material feed, then close during storage to prevent material loss, accommodating both operational and storage requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The outlet region's geometric parameters (opening size, position) are made variable rather than fixed. This allows the outlet configuration to change between operational mode (larger opening for material feed) and storage mode (smaller opening to prevent loss), optimizing performance for each state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Object-affected harmful factors

If edge band is stored in cassette, then protection is provided, but remaining length is not immediately clear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection during storageVSAvoidremaining material visibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The container incorporates visual indicators (such as colored markings or transparent sections) that change or become visible to indicate the remaining edge band length. This visual feedback system allows operators to quickly assess material remaining without opening the container, maintaining protection while providing information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Data Source

PatentEP3972791B1Container, cassette for coating material and method for edge banding of workpieces
Publication Date: 2024.04.17 HOMAG GMBH
  • EP3972791B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3972791B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3972791B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A container according to the invention has a base side and a cover side lying opposite the base side. The base side and the cover side are connected together at least in some sections by lateral walls and thereby define a container interior. The container is designed to receive a supply of coating material in the interior for coating workpieces which preferably consist at least partly of wood, wood materials, plastic, aluminum or the like. The base side of the container and/or the cover side of the container has one or more perforation lines. Each of the perforation lines defines a region that can be at least partly detached in the base side and/or the cover side of the container.