Cutter Roll With Internal Screw Conveyor for Dough Waste Discharge

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cutter rollers face the risk of blockage due to accumulated dough waste, which hampers their operation and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A cutter roller with an independently driven conveying device, such as a screw conveyor, that actively removes dough waste from the interior, allowing for adjustable discharge and preventing accumulation, combined with a design featuring guide pins for easy replacement and a food-safe material like stainless steel or nickel-coated steel for reduced wear.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If dough waste is passively discharged through openings in the cutter roller, then the structure remains simple, but the roller becomes blocked due to dough waste accumulation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroller operation reliabilityVSAvoidconveying device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The conveying device is driven independently from the roller drive, allowing it to automatically discharge dough waste without requiring coordinated control with the roller rotation. This self-service capability ensures continuous clearance of dough waste regardless of roller speed or position, preventing blockages while maintaining operational simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The independent drive of the conveying device allows it to adapt dynamically to different operating conditions. The conveying speed can be adjusted separately from the roller speed, enabling optimal dough waste removal under varying production conditions while maintaining reliable operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of repair

If the cutter roller is designed as a fixed component, then manufacturing is simpler, but replacement and maintenance become difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutter roller replaceabilityVSAvoidmounting structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cutter roller is designed as a separate, modular component that can be independently removed and replaced. The roller body is segmented from the drive mechanism and support structure, allowing quick exchange of the roller without disassembling the entire system, thus facilitating easy maintenance while maintaining overall system simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting structure with guide pins and support elements serves multiple functions: it provides precise positioning of the roller, enables easy removal and reinstallation, and supports the roller during operation. This multi-functional design achieves ease of replacement without adding unnecessary complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If dough waste accumulates in the cutter roller, then the structure remains unchanged, but cutting operation becomes problematic

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting operation continuityVSAvoiddough waste accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The independently driven conveying device operates continuously to discharge dough waste from the roller interior, ensuring that the cutting operation is never interrupted by blockages. The conveying action is maintained throughout the roller rotation cycle, providing continuous clearance and ensuring uninterrupted productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The conveying device extracts and removes dough waste from the interior of the roller body through dedicated discharge openings. This active extraction prevents dough waste accumulation that would otherwise interfere with cutting operations, maintaining continuous productivity by separating the waste removal function from the cutting function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

Prevents roller blockage, ensures continuous operation, facilitates easy cleaning, and allows for safe startup by actively managing dough waste discharge, even when the roller is not rotating.

Implementation Method 1

A screw conveyor as a conveying device ensures that the dough waste that gets into the interior of the roller body is safely discharged

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectScrew conveyor mechanism: Screw

Data Source

PatentEP2197286B1Cutter roll for cutting out dough pieces from a layer of dough and dough processing system having such a cutter roll
Publication Date: 2015.07.22 WERNER & PFLEIDERER IND BACKTECHN
  • EP2197286B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2197286B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2197286B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a cutter roll (1) used for cutting out dough pieces from a layer of dough. A hollow-cylindrical roll base body (2) comprises a casing wall (3), in which openings (4) are configured, which correspond to the dough pieces to be cut out. A discharge device (12) is used for discharging cut-out dough remnants from inside (9) the roll base body (2) through at least one discharge opening (10) on least at one front end (11) of the roll base body (2) toward the outside. The discharge device (12) has a conveyor unit (13) for conveying the cut-out dough remnants from inside (9) the roll base body (2) toward the discharge opening (10). The discharge device further has a drive unit (16) for driving the conveyor unit (13). The result is a cutter roll reducing the risk of clogging the rolls.