Confectionery Wrapping Machine Brush Unit Smoothing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing confectionery wrapping machines fail to achieve uniform smoothing of wrapping material over the entire surface of confectionery products due to the product being held by the lateral surface during the smoothing process, resulting in unsatisfactory wrapping.

Innovation Solution

A wrapping method and machine design that utilizes grippers to hold the product by both the end and base, allowing a brush unit to smoothly wrap the material over the entire lateral surface, ensuring complete coverage and uniformity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the product is held by the lateral surface during smoothing, then the smoothing process can be performed, but the sheet is not smoothed at the grippers and the wrapping is not entirely satisfactory

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesmoothing uniformityVSAvoidgripper holding method

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of holding the product by the lateral surface during smoothing, the invention inverts the approach by holding the product by the base and rounded end portions. This allows the brush unit to smoothly wrap the material over the entire lateral surface without interference from grippers, achieving complete and uniform smoothing coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The product is preliminarily positioned and held by the base and rounded end portions before the smoothing operation begins. This preliminary holding arrangement ensures that the smoothing brush can access the entire lateral surface including the gripper areas, preventing unsMOOTHED spots and ensuring complete coverage before the wrapping is finalized.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If the sheet is smoothed while held by lateral surface grippers, then the smoothing device can access the product, but the sheet is not smoothed at the grippers resulting in unsatisfactory wrapping

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewrapping qualityVSAvoidgripper positioning system

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention inverts the conventional approach by changing which parts of the product are held during smoothing. Instead of lateral surface grippers, the base and rounded end portions are used for holding, which eliminates the problem of unsMOOTHED gripper areas and achieves complete smoothing coverage across the entire lateral surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The disturbing element (lateral surface grippers) is extracted from the smoothing process. By holding the product at the base and rounded end portions instead, the lateral surface becomes completely accessible to the smoothing brush, ensuring uniform smoothing without interference from gripper mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If the product is held by lateral surface during smoothing, then the product can be retained, but the smoothing cannot be performed on the entire surface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct retentionVSAvoidsurface coverage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention inverts the holding strategy by switching from lateral surface gripping to base and rounded end portion holding. This inversion maintains reliable product retention while simultaneously enabling complete surface coverage for smoothing, as the brush can now access the entire lateral surface without obstruction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The product is preliminarily secured by the base and rounded end portions before smoothing begins. This preliminary holding method ensures reliable retention throughout the smoothing process while allowing the brush unit to achieve complete surface coverage, including areas that would otherwise be blocked by lateral surface grippers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2942294B2Wrapping method and wrapping machine for confectionery products

Publication Date: 2024.05.15 AZIONARIA COSTRUZIONI MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE A C M A SPA

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AI summary

Described is a machine (1) for wrapping a food product (100) comprising a lateral surface (103), an end portion (102) and a base portion (101) which are positioned on opposite sides of the lateral surface (103) comprising a unit (13) for folding a sheet (200) of wrapping material provided with a first and a second jaw to engage the end portion (102) and the base portion of the food product (100), the first (23) and the second (24) jaw being relatively movable between a close position for retaining the food product (100) and a far position; the folding unit (13) comprises at least one brush unit (18) defining a channel (19) for the passage of the food product (100) relatively movable between a first operating position substantially at the first jaw (23) and a second operating position substantially at the second jaw (24) for smoothing the sheet (200) of wrapping material on the food product (100) when the first (23) and second (24) jaws are in the close position.