Automated Dough Spiraling Machine for Food Roll Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual wrapping of dough around food products is slow, imprecise, and prone to leakage, especially at high production rates, resulting in unattractive and inefficient food roll production.
Innovation Solution
A machine comprising a forming member with a cutting station, wrapping station, and positioning belts that spirally wrap dough strips around elongated food products, ensuring precise and efficient automated production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual wrapping of dough around food products is used, then operational simplicity is maintained, but productivity is low and manufacturing precision is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The wrapping machine is divided into multiple independent functional modules: a feeding module that supplies food products, a dough strip feeding module that provides dough strips, and a wrapping module that performs the actual wrapping. Each module operates independently but coordinates with others, enabling high-speed automated production while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The wrapping module is designed as a multi-functional device that simultaneously performs dough strip positioning, wrapping, and sealing operations. The device can handle different types of food products and dough strips through adjustable parameters, making it a universal solution for various food roll production needs while maintaining efficient automated operation
2Manufacturing precision
If manual wrapping is used, then device complexity is low, but manufacturing precision is poor causing leakage and unattractive results
Solution Approach 1:
The wrapping module incorporates sensors and control systems that monitor the wrapping process in real-time. The system detects the position of food products and dough strips, adjusts wrapping parameters dynamically, and ensures precise alignment and sealing. This feedback mechanism guarantees consistent high-quality wrapping results while automating the precision requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The feeding modules perform preliminary actions by pre-positioning food products and dough strips before the wrapping operation begins. The system prepares and aligns materials in advance, ensuring that when the wrapping module activates, all components are correctly positioned for precise wrapping without requiring complex real-time adjustments during the actual wrapping process
3Productivity
If manual wrapping is used, then operational simplicity is maintained, but productivity is low especially at high production rates
Solution Approach 1:
The wrapping machine is designed to operate autonomously through automated feeding mechanisms and control systems. The feeding modules automatically supply food products and dough strips without continuous human intervention. The system self-regulates the wrapping process, maintains material flow, and ensures consistent production quality, enabling high-speed operation while reducing the need for skilled manual operators
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical wrapping operations with an automated electromechanical system. Motors, sensors, and control electronics substitute for human hands and eyes, enabling precise and rapid wrapping operations that cannot be achieved manually. This substitution dramatically increases productivity while the system's automated control maintains ease of operation through simple interface design
Data Source
AI summary
A machine is configured to make a food roll, wherein a strip of dough is spirally wrapped around a food product elongated along an axis between two ends. The machine comprises a feed means for conveying a plurality of strips of dough that are spaced apart from each other along a forming path and a wrapping station for wrapping each strip of dough around a food product. The wrapping station comprises a positioning area, which is configured to position the strip of dough obliquely with respect to the axis of the food product, and a rolling area for the strip of dough, which is configured to wrap the strip of dough spirally around a food product starting from one of the ends of the food product. The rolling area comprises two spindles that are rotatable about an axis of rotation and each one having an attachment portion for retaining a food product at the ends thereof. The wrapping station comprises a distributor of food products configured to direct one food product at a time towards the rolling area so as to be gripped and retained by the spindles.