Corrugated Substrate Feeding With Adjustable Flute Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional corrugation processes are limited by inflexible frequency and amplitude adjustments, high costs due to expensive rollers, difficulty in processing larger amplitudes, and inability to handle materials with low plasticity, such as rubber or certain plastics, which lack the necessary support and water resistance.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that use upper and lower drive rollers to drive substrates and a middle substrate at varying velocities, allowing for the formation of corrugated products with adjustable flute patterns, adaptable to different materials, and incorporating a bonding device for attaching the middle substrate to the upper and lower substrates, enabling more efficient and versatile corrugation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional corrugating rollers are used to mold the medium into waveform, then the medium can be corrugated, but the frequency and amplitude of the wave are not easily adjustable and require roller swapping which causes downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a die-cutting mechanism where a corrugating die with adjustable positioning systems can be rapidly exchanged without requiring complete roller swapping. The die includes adjustable elements that allow real-time modification of flute frequency and amplitude parameters, eliminating the need to replace entire roller assemblies and reducing changeover time significantly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention allows modification of corrugation parameters (frequency and amplitude) by adjusting the positioning and configuration of the corrugating die relative to the substrate, rather than changing the physical dimensions of the rollers themselves. This enables flexible parameter adjustment while maintaining the same roller hardware.
2Adaptability or versatility
If expensive sets of rollers are used for corrugation, then different frequencies and amplitudes can be achieved, but the cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The corrugation system is divided into separate functional components: the substrate feed mechanism, the corrugating die (which can be exchanged), and the bonding system. Only the corrugating die needs to be changed for different specifications, not entire roller sets, thereby reducing the number of expensive components required and lowering overall manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of manufacturing multiple expensive roller sets with different geometries, the invention uses a single roller assembly with interchangeable corrugating dies that replicate the corrugation function. This allows multiple 'copies' of corrugation patterns to be achieved through die design rather than through multiple expensive roller hardware sets.
3Shape
If conventional corrugating rollers are used, then smaller corrugations can be achieved, but larger corrugations become difficult and cost prohibitive
Solution Approach 1:
The die-cutting mechanism incorporates adjustable positioning systems that allow the corrugating die to be positioned at various distances from the substrate and to apply varying pressures. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the system to produce both small and large amplitude corrugations without requiring physically larger rollers, thereby avoiding the cost and complexity associated with large-diameter roller manufacturing.
4Adaptability or versatility
If conventional corrugation methods are used on materials with low plasticity, then the process becomes difficult, but the materials lack the support needed to hold their shape
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary bonding action through the bonding device immediately after the corrugating die forms the flutes. This preliminary bonding secures the corrugated shape before the material can spring back, allowing materials with low plasticity and high memory (such as rubber or certain plastics) to hold their corrugated shape without requiring extensive pre-treatment or specialized equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention describes a device and method for making corrugated products. The device can be used with any substrate and includes, at least, first and second drive rollers for driving a middle substrate and a single wall corrugated product. In other embodiments the invention includes upper drive rollers, lower drive rollers and middle drive rollers for driving an upper substrate, a lower substrate and a middle substrate. The middle substrate is driven between the upper and lower substrates at a higher velocity to form flutes that are anchored between the upper an lower substrates thereby forming a corrugated product. The invention also provides for customized corrugated products having multiple fluted substrates in various desirable arrangements. Examples of such products include mattress, partition panels, other furniture and construction products.