Corrugated Sheet Machine Wedge Vane Profile
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional machines for producing corrugated sheet-like elements are complex, expensive, and limited in shape flexibility, unable to create acute and right-angle corrugations, and are restricted by the diameter of roller formers, which limits the thickness of cardboard to 5 mm, while ideal corrugations would be triangular for optimized material usage and strength.
Innovation Solution
A machine with an upper and lower conveyor system where upper abutment elements are bars and lower abutment elements have a wedge-like cross-section, allowing for a pitch-to-height ratio of corrugation less than 2, enabling more corrugations per length, suitable for various materials, including reduced-thickness rigid materials and heat-sealable poly-coated paper, with a simple design and reduced space occupation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If roller formers with teeth are used to form corrugations, then the machine can continuously produce corrugated elements, but the corrugation shape is limited to sinusoidal profiles with pitch-to-height ratio equal to 2
Solution Approach 1:
The roller former is segmented into multiple independent teeth arranged in a specific pattern. Each tooth acts as an independent forming element, allowing the creation of complex corrugation profiles (triangular, rectangular, or custom shapes) rather than being limited to sinusoidal patterns. The teeth are positioned to create acute and right angles in the corrugation profile.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the roller former have teeth with different geometries and positions tailored to create specific local corrugation characteristics. This allows the formation of triangular or rectangular profiles in specific zones while maintaining continuous production capability throughout the roller's circumference.
2Shape
If larger diameter roller formers are used, then greater corrugation heights can be achieved, but the machine complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The roller former is designed with adjustable tooth positioning and geometry, allowing the corrugation height and profile to be dynamically changed without replacing the entire roller. This enables achieving various corrugation heights with a single roller unit of moderate diameter, avoiding the need for excessively large rollers.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing roller diameter in one dimension to achieve greater corrugation height, the invention uses optimized tooth geometry and arrangement in the circumferential direction. The teeth are positioned and shaped to create high corrugations through their angular configuration rather than through large roller radius.
3Strength
If the pitch-to-height ratio of corrugation is reduced below 2, then more corrugations can be packed per unit length improving compression resistance, but conventional roller formers cannot achieve such ratios
Solution Approach 1:
The roller former teeth are segmented and positioned to create multiple corrugations per roller circumference. By optimizing the number, position, and geometry of individual teeth, the system achieves pitch-to-height ratios less than 2, packing more corrugations per unit length to enhance compression resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the roller former teeth (angle, height, spacing) to achieve the desired pitch-to-height ratio. The teeth are designed with specific angular configurations that enable acute and right angles in the corrugation profile, allowing precise control of the pitch-to-height ratio below the conventional limit of 2.
4Shape
If conventional machines with rods are used to form corrugations, then acute and right angle corrugations can be formed, but the machine becomes very complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the corrugation-forming function from the complex rod insertion and extraction mechanism and integrates it directly into the roller former teeth. The teeth themselves perform the forming action during continuous rotation, eliminating the need for separate rod mechanisms and their associated complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex mechanical rod insertion system is replaced by a simpler rotating roller former with shaped teeth. The continuous rotational motion of the roller, combined with the tooth geometry, substitutes for the intermittent rod-based forming mechanism, achieving the same angular corrugation profiles with significantly reduced complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The machine achieves a higher number of corrugations per length with improved compression resistance, enabling the use of thicker cardboard and diverse materials, while being economically competitive and reliable, with precise corrugation profiles and enhanced material usage efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
lower abutment elements which are extended substantially transversely with respect to said longitudinal direction of motion of said ribbon, said upper abutment elements being interleaved between said lower abutment elements in a work area
Implementation Method 2
said lower abutment elements each comprise a vane, which has a substantially wedge-like transverse cross-section and is adapted to receive said ribbon in order to deform it
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic machine for providing corrugated sheet-like elements includes elements for the continuous corrugation of a ribbon which moves in a longitudinal direction. The corrugation elements include an upper conveyor and a lower conveyor. The upper conveyor includes a plurality of upper abutment elements extended substantially transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of motion of the ribbon. The lower conveyor includes a plurality of lower abutment elements extended substantially transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of motion of the ribbon. The upper abutment elements are interleaved with the lower abutment elements in a work area. The upper abutment elements each include a bar adapted to make contact with the ribbon, while the lower abutment elements each include a vane, which has a substantially wedge-like transverse cross-section and is adapted to receive the ribbon in order to deform it.