Electric Dough Sheeter Safety and Maintenance Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric dough sheeter machines pose safety risks for operators due to manual handling of dough and lack of easy maintenance access, making it difficult to clean and maintain the internal parts safely.
Innovation Solution
The design includes oscillating scraper blades for easy removal, a protective guard to prevent finger insertion, a safety cover with magnetic sensors to ensure safe operation, and a feed roller with radial fins to protect operator hands, along with a simple structure for safe and reliable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the machine structure is simple and compact, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of maintenance deteriorates due to limited access to internal parts
Solution Approach 1:
The machine is divided into modular components with the protective casing separating internal parts from the external environment. The scraper blades are designed as removable components that can be detached independently for cleaning and maintenance, allowing easy access to internal parts while maintaining a compact overall structure.
2Ease of operation
If manual handling of dough is allowed at the inlet and outlet, then the ease of operation is improved, but the operator safety deteriorates due to risk of finger insertion
Solution Approach 1:
A protective guard is introduced as an intermediary element between the operator's hands and the dangerous zones (inlet and outlet areas). This guard allows manual handling of dough while preventing finger insertion into hazardous spaces between the rollers and frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic sensor system provides automatic safety protection without requiring additional manual intervention. The system self-regulates by detecting the presence of hands and automatically controlling the motor, eliminating the need for complex manual safety mechanisms while maintaining operator safety.
3Ease of repair
If the protective casing is removed for maintenance, then the ease of maintenance is improved, but the operator safety deteriorates due to exposure to moving parts during operation
Solution Approach 1:
Magnetic sensors provide continuous feedback on the position of the protective casing and the presence of hands. This feedback mechanism ensures that the motor cannot operate when the protective casing is removed or when hands are in dangerous zones, maintaining safety while allowing easy maintenance access when needed.
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 safe operator handling during operation and facilitates easy, rapid cleaning and maintenance when the machine is not in use, ensuring a high level of safety and ease of maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic sensor to detect the position of the protective casing and hand presence
Data Source
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AI summary
Electric sheeting machine (10) for forming a sheet from a food dough, comprising: - a supporting frame (11); - two sheet forming rollers (12, 13) supported in said frame (11); - a first scraper blade (16.1) and a second scraper blade (16.2), supported in said frame (11), staggered from each other in height and having a respective beveled edge (16.11, 16.21). According to the invention, the machine (10) further comprises: - first articulated connection means (17.1) and second articulated connection means (17.2) which connect said scraper blades (16.1, 16.2) with respect to said frame (11), in an oscillating manner; - first elastic means (18.1 ) and second elastic means (18.2) which each stress a respective scraper blade (16.1, 16.2) to maintain an oscillated position, in which the respective beveled edge (16.11, 16.21) is arranged in sliding contact against the cylindrical lateral surface of the corresponding forming roller (12, 13). Said first connection means (17.1 ) and said second connection means (17.2) are configured to allow said scraper blades (16.1, 16.2) to oscillate in opposition to the elastic force of said respective elastic means (18.1, 18.2), in a second oscillated position, in which the beveled edge (16.11, 16.21) is spaced with respect to the cylindrical lateral surface of the corresponding forming roller (12, 13) and each scraper blade (16.1, 16.2) can be removed from said frame (11).