Combing Machine Roller Pairs with Loop Buffer for Lower Drive Energy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing combing machines face high energy consumption and mechanical stress due to the pilgrim-step motion of detachment rollers, requiring powerful motors and high-performance servo converters, which leads to significant power losses and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a combing machine design with a first pair of tear-off rollers performing a reciprocating rotary movement for soldering and tearing, and a second pair performing a constant rotary movement, forming a loop that acts as a material buffer to compensate for different rotational speeds and directions, allowing for a simpler and less powerful drive motor for the second pair.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the detachment rollers perform a pilgrim-step motion with frequent direction changes and acceleration/deceleration, then the combing process can be maintained, but energy consumption increases significantly and mechanical stress rises

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombing cycle rateVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the detachment roller drive system into two independent roller pairs: the first pair maintains the traditional pilgrim-step motion for tearing and soldering fiber tufts, while the second pair rotates continuously in one direction to form and manage a loop buffer. This segmentation allows each roller pair to have optimized drive requirements, with the second pair consuming significantly less energy due to its continuous rotation without frequent acceleration and deceleration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the detachment rollers perform pilgrim-step motion with frequent direction changes, then the combing process function is maintained, but mechanical stress on shafts and components increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombing cycle rateVSAvoidmechanical stress on shafts
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the detachment roller drive system into two independent roller pairs: the first pair maintains the traditional pilgrim-step motion for tearing and soldering fiber tufts, while the second pair rotates continuously in one direction to form and manage a loop buffer. This segmentation allows each roller pair to have optimized drive requirements, with the second pair consuming significantly less energy due to its continuous rotation without frequent acceleration and deceleration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If powerful motors with high-performance servo converters are used to drive the detachment rollers, then the pilgrim-step motion can be maintained, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombing cycle rateVSAvoidmotor and converter system
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the detachment roller drive system into two independent roller pairs: the first pair maintains the traditional pilgrim-step motion for tearing and soldering fiber tufts, while the second pair rotates continuously in one direction to form and manage a loop buffer. This segmentation allows each roller pair to have optimized drive requirements, with the second pair consuming significantly less energy due to its continuous rotation without frequent acceleration and deceleration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a loop buffer as an intermediary material reservoir between the two roller pairs. This loop buffer absorbs the motion differences between the first pair (pilgrim-step motion) and the second pair (continuous rotation), allowing the second pair to operate with simpler, less powerful motors without affecting the overall combing process functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Productivity

If the second pair of detachment rollers performs pilgrim-step motion, then the fiber web is processed correctly, but a material buffer cannot be formed to compensate for speed differences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiber web processingVSAvoiddrive synchronization
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a loop buffer as an intermediary material reservoir between the two roller pairs. This loop buffer absorbs the motion differences between the first pair (pilgrim-step motion) and the second pair (continuous rotation), allowing the second pair to operate with simpler, less powerful motors without affecting the overall combing process functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4284970B1Combing machine and method for operating a combing machine
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 TRÜTZSCHLER GRP SE
  • EP4284970B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4284970B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2c

AI summary

The invention relates to a combing machine and a method for combing fibres, comprising a combing machine having a plurality of combing heads (20), wherein at least one lap strip (4) unwinds from a lap roll (1) at each combing head (20) and is fed to a feed cylinder (7) and a nipper assembly (5), the noils are combed and removed by suction from the lap strip (4) by means of a fixed and cylindrical comb (9, 8), and the fibre web created is formed by means of a trumpet (15) into a fibre strip, which is drawn with the other fibre strips from the other combing heads to a single fibre strip. The invention is characterized in that a first pair of draw-off rollers (10, 12) and a second pair of draw-off rollers (11, 13) are arranged downstream of the nipper assembly (5), wherein the first pair of draw-off rollers (10, 12) is designed to execute a back and forth rotary movement for a process of joining and tearing off a fibre fringe to or from a fibre web (14), and that the second pair of draw-off rollers (11, 13) is designed to execute a constant rotation, so that a loop (32) of the fibre web (14) is formed between the pairs of draw-off rollers (10, 12 and 11, 13), which loop changes in length during a combing cycle.