Conveyor device for a folding device for folding textiles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conveyor devices for folding textiles face challenges in assembly, disassembly, repair, and pre-testability due to accumulated axis offsets from individual axis tolerances, leading to inefficiencies in process reliability, cost, and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A modular conveyor device design with integrated belt conveyors and transfer units, allowing for precise alignment and connection of subassemblies without side plates, enabling cost- and time-optimized assembly, easy disassembly, and simplified maintenance, with a common drive system and adjustable gap settings for accommodating different textile thicknesses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If all bearings for the axles or shafts of the rollers are arranged in side plates with rigid mounting, then the conveyor belts are supported, but a considerable axis offset accumulates due to individual axis tolerances adding up in a large tolerance chain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocess reliabilityVSAvoidaxis alignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The conveyor device is divided into multiple modular subassemblies, each containing a belt conveyor and transfer unit. These modules can be independently assembled, tested, and replaced. The segmentation allows each module to have its own local alignment references rather than relying on a long cumulative tolerance chain from a single rigid structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces adjustable and adaptable mounting mechanisms that allow for dynamic adjustment of roller positions. Instead of rigid fixed mounting, the system enables fine-tuning of axis positions to compensate for tolerances, with components that can be adjusted during assembly or maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If a large number of individual axes are rigidly mounted to one another, then the conveyor structure is stable, but assembly becomes time-consuming and costly, and pre-testability and ease of disassembly are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidassembly efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The conveyor is segmented into standardized modules that can be pre-assembled and pre-tested independently. Each module maintains structural stability through proper internal design while enabling efficient assembly through standardized connection interfaces between modules.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Individual modules and subassemblies can be pre-assembled and pre-tested before final integration into the complete conveyor system. This preliminary action allows for quality control and functional testing at the module level, reducing assembly time and costs for the complete system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If side plates are used to mount all bearings, then the conveyor belts are supported, but repair access and disassembly ease are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconveyor support stabilityVSAvoidmaintenance accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The modular design allows specific modules to be accessed and removed independently for maintenance. Repair personnel can gain access to internal components by detaching individual modules rather than disassembling the entire conveyor structure, significantly improving maintenance accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Device complexity

If individual axes with tolerances are rigidly connected, then the conveyor structure is complete, but a large tolerance chain accumulates causing misalignment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural completenessVSAvoidaxis alignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the conveyor into separate modules, the overall tolerance chain is broken into shorter segments. Each module has its own limited tolerance accumulation, and the modular connection interfaces provide opportunities for tolerance compensation and alignment adjustment between modules.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3682050B1Conveyor device for a folding device for folding textiles
Publication Date: 2023.05.03 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP3682050B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3682050B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3682050B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a conveyor device for a folding apparatus for folding textiles, having an infeed region (1) for a textile (2) and an outfeed region (130) for the folded textile (2""). A first belt conveyor (3) conveys the textile (2) on a first conveyor plane (8) from the infeed region (1) to a first transfer unit (20), which feeds the textile (2') to a second conveyor plane (45) of a second belt conveyor (48). At least one second transfer unit (60) and at least one additional belt conveyor (70) having an additional conveyor plane (86) are downstream of the belt conveyor (48). At least two subassemblies (49, 81), each designed as modular conveyor units (50, 80) are provided, into which one belt conveyor (48; 70) and at least one transfer unit (20; 60) are each integrated. The conveyor device is modularly designed, in that a plurality of modular conveyor units (50, 80, 100) are arranged one atop the other, connected to each other.