Corrugator Mold Release Rotary Disk Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing corrugator devices require a powerful drive motor or complex structural designs to ensure mold releasing operations due to the high forces needed to separate molding jaws.
Innovation Solution
The use of a motor-driven rotary disk with two drivers arranged asymmetrically to provide a high lever arm ratio, allowing for effective mold releasing with reduced motor power requirements, and optionally supported by a wedge device for reliable jaw separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a powerful drive motor is used to drive the rotary disk for mold releasing, then the mold releasing force is sufficient to separate the molding jaws, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a differential mechanism that dynamically adjusts the rotational speeds of two disks based on the operational phase. During mold releasing, the first disk rotates at a higher speed to generate initial separating force, while the second disk rotates at a lower speed to maintain separation. This dynamic speed adjustment allows the system to achieve high mold releasing force without requiring a proportionally powerful drive motor for the entire operation cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The mold releasing function is segmented into two distinct phases handled by two separate disks with different rotational characteristics. The first disk handles the initial high-force separation requirement, while the second disk handles the maintenance phase. This segmentation allows each disk to be optimized for its specific function, reducing the overall power requirements compared to a single disk system that would need to handle the peak forces throughout the entire cycle.
2Reliability
If a complex structural design is used to ensure mold releasing, then the reliability of jaw separation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of two disks into a single integrated drive system where both disks are driven by a common motor through a differential mechanism. This combining approach achieves reliable mold releasing through the coordinated action of the two disks while avoiding the complexity of having two separate drive systems. The differential mechanism provides a compact, integrated solution that maintains reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Force
If the first driver acts with a small lever arm and then the second driver acts with a large lever arm, then the mold releasing force is maximized at the beginning of the operation, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The differential mechanism automatically dynamically assigns lever arms to the first and second drivers based on the rotational speeds of the disks. As the first disk rotates faster during the initial phase, it engages with the molding jaw at a position that provides optimal lever arm for maximum force. The system dynamically transitions to the second disk providing lever arm support as needed. This dynamic automatic assignment eliminates the need for complex manual control mechanisms while maximizing mold releasing force.
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
Enables reliable mold release without a powerful drive motor or complex design, ensuring efficient operation and readiness positioning of molding jaws for gripper pickup.
Implementation Method 1
a first driver and a second driver are provided on the motor-driven rotary disk and are arranged such that the distance between the first driver and the central rotational axis is smaller than the distance between the second driver and the central rotational axis means that it is possible at the beginning of the mold releasing operation to make the first driver act with the small lever arm on the molding jaw and then make the second driver act with the large lever arm on the molding jaw
Implementation Method 2
the rotary disk device is followed by a wedge device, which is formed and arranged in such a way that two symmetrically arranged wedge surfaces of the wedge device interact with the two molding jaws in engagement with the rotary disk in that each molding jaw slides off an assigned wedge surface
Data Source
AI summary
A corrugator device for shaping thermoplastic corrugated pipes from a tube of molten plastics material emerging from an extrusion device may include molding jaws, grippers for returning the molding jaws from the end of a molding section to the start of the molding section, and a mold release device. The mold release device is arranged at the end of the molding section, and has a motor-driven rotary disk for interacting with the pair of molding jaws. The pair of molding jaws, which has reached the end of the molding sections, is moved apart by means of first and second drivers formed on the motor driven rotary disk.