Feeding Wheel Mechanism for Rapid Pad Placement in Sheet Units

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Solution Overview

Problem

The production of composite, low-weight building elements for furniture is inefficient, requiring multiple steps and slow attachment processes, which hinders the speed and simplicity of furniture assembly.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the use of feeding wheels and supply devices to rapidly place pad members onto sheets, forming building elements with spacing elements for desired thickness, allowing for efficient attachment and assembly of furniture components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional methods are used to place pad members on sheets, then the attachment process is reliable, but the production speed is slow and the process is complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction speedVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical placement systems with a feeding wheel mechanism that uses rotational motion to automatically pick up and place pad members. This substitution simplifies the overall system while maintaining high placement speed and reliability, directly resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The feeding wheel is designed to automatically fetch pad members from the supply device and transfer them to the sheet without requiring external intervention or complex positioning systems. The wheel's rotation naturally brings the pad member to the correct position, enabling self-service operation that improves productivity while reducing process complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple steps are used in production, then the building elements are well-formed, but the assembly process is time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebuilding element qualityVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The feeding wheel mechanism pre-positions pad members on the sheet during the manufacturing process itself, rather than requiring separate attachment steps later. This preliminary action ensures proper placement and orientation while eliminating subsequent assembly time, simultaneously maintaining manufacturing precision and reducing time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the pad member placement function with the main production process by integrating the feeding wheel into the existing manufacturing line. This merging of functions eliminates separate attachment steps, reducing assembly time while maintaining the quality of building elements through controlled placement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3317105B1Method of making a sheet unit
Publication Date: 2025.05.21 INTER IKEA SYST
  • EP3317105B1 patent drawingFigure 1~1a
  • EP3317105B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3317105B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method of and a machine for cost efficiently and speedily making a sheet unit adapted to be folded over and pressed to produce a building element having two large faces. The machine comprises: –a first supply device (34) for receiving, storing and delivering solid pad members (15); –a first feeding wheel (35); –a drive (36) for rotating the first feeding wheel (35) to fetch a first one of the pad members (15) from the first supply device (34) and transfer it to a predetermined position on a moving sheet (1).