U-Shaped Dough Flipping Device with Segmented Engaging Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for flipping dough products cannot effectively handle U-shaped bent dough products like croissants without causing deformation, as they clamp over the entire length, preventing the legs from flipping over without stretching or deforming.
Innovation Solution
A device with a conveyor and a flipping over unit featuring a dough product engaging surface, allowing the U-shaped dough products to flip over by providing free space for the legs, using a string or similar surface to engage the center portion without touching the legs, and a controller to manage the speed of the engaging surface relative to the conveyor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire length of the dough product is clamped for flipping, then the flipping action is secure, but the legs are stretched or deformed
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping action is segmented from the entire length to only the centre portion of the dough product. The engaging surface contacts only the centre portion while leaving the legs free, thus providing secure flipping action without deforming the legs.
Solution Approach 2:
The engaging surface is designed with local quality by limiting its width to smaller than 2 cm (preferably smaller than 1 cm or half a cm), enabling it to engage only the centre portion of the dough product without touching the legs, thus avoiding leg deformation while maintaining flipping effectiveness.
2Ease of operation
If the engaging surface width is increased for better engagement, then the flipping control is improved, but the legs may touch and deform
Solution Approach 1:
The engaging surface width is locally optimized to be smaller than 2 cm (preferably smaller than 1 cm or half a cm), which is sufficient for controlling the flipping action while preventing contact with and deformation of the legs.
Solution Approach 2:
The centre portion of the dough product serves as an intermediary element that the engaging surface contacts to transmit the flipping force, while the legs remain uncontacted and thus free from deformation.
3Manufacturing precision
If free space is provided for the legs to turn, then the legs can flip without deformation, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device structure is segmented to provide separate zones: a narrow engaging surface for the centre portion and free space on both sides for the legs. This segmentation allows leg movement without requiring complex mechanical structures.
Solution Approach 2:
Free space is provided in the width direction (perpendicular to conveyance direction) rather than adding complexity in the conveyance direction. This dimensional approach allows leg movement without increasing device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a device (1) for flipping over U-shaped bent dough products (2A, 2B), in particular croissants, having two legs (21) connected by a centre portion (22), comprising a conveyor (3), for conveying the dough products (2A, 2B) in a direction of conveyance (4), wherein the legs (21) of the U shape either precede or follow their centre portion (22), a flipping over unit (5), arranged above the conveyor (3), comprising a dough product engaging surface (6), for engaging the centre portion (22), a drive (7), for moving the dough product flipping over unit in the direction of conveyance (4), a controller, for controlling the speed of the movement of the dough product flipping over unit (5) with respect to the speed of the conveyor (3), wherein the dough product flipping over unit comprises free space for the legs (21) of the dough product (2A, 2B), on both sides of the flipping over unit (5) in a direction perpendicular to the direction of conveyance (4), for enabling the legs (21) of the dough product (2A, 2B), to make a turn when the dough product (2A, 2B) is flipped.