Flatwork Ironer Direct Drive Layout With Fewer Wheels and Belts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current flatwork ironer driving systems are complex, costly, and prone to malfunctions due to numerous wheels and belts, making maintenance difficult and increasing production and maintenance costs.

Innovation Solution

A direct driver system using a chain, V-belt, belt, or strip as the connecting driving component, eliminating the need for secondary components like straining wheels and double wheels, and incorporating an elastic straining slider to maintain alignment and prevent waving motion, with a motor-driven gearbox and free clutch for emergency manual operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple wheels and belts are used to drive separate rolls, then the ironer can perform multiple functions, but the device complexity and maintenance difficulty increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional capabilityVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple driving functions into a single integrated driving roll that directly drives all ironing strips. This eliminates the need for multiple separate wheels, belts, and chains, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to perform multiple ironing functions through different strip configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single driving roll is designed to universally drive multiple ironing strips simultaneously, each strip performing different ironing functions. This multi-functional approach allows the system to maintain versatility while using a simplified single-component driving mechanism instead of multiple specialized components.

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

2Productivity

If multiple connecting driving components are used, then separate rolls can be driven at different angular velocities, but maintenance costs and production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedifferent angular velocity controlVSAvoidproduction and maintenance costs
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple connecting driving components into a single direct-drive mechanism where the driving roll directly contacts and drives all ironing strips. This eliminates the need for multiple belts and chains, significantly reducing production costs and maintenance requirements while still allowing different strips to operate at different angular velocities through their individual configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If numerous wheels and belts are used in the driving system, then complex motion control is achieved, but the system becomes prone to malfunctions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotion control capabilityVSAvoidsystem reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate driving mechanisms into a single integrated driving roll system. By eliminating numerous wheels, belts, and chains that are prone to malfunction, the system achieves high reliability while maintaining complex motion control capability through the direct-drive configuration of multiple ironing strips.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and eliminates the problematic intermediate components (wheels, belts, chains) from the driving system, leaving only the essential direct-drive mechanism. This removal of unnecessary components reduces the points of potential failure while preserving the required motion control functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of operation

If multiple intermediate driving components are used, then motion transfer is achieved, but the number of components and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotion transfer capabilityVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges all intermediate driving components into a single direct-drive system where the driving roll directly transfers motion to all ironing strips without intermediate wheels or belts. This eliminates the need for motion transfer through multiple components while maintaining full motion control capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Simplifies the driving system, reduces production and maintenance costs, and minimizes malfunctions by reducing the number of components, enhancing durability and accuracy of movement while allowing for emergency operation to prevent laundry burning.

Implementation Method 1

incorporating an elastic straining slider to maintain alignment and prevent waving motion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2532780B1Direct driver system of a flatwork ironer
Publication Date: 2016.01.13 ALLIANCE LAUNDRY CE
  • EP2532780B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2532780B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2532780B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Direct driver system of the flatwork ironer consists of the connecting driving component, the driving wheel, the wheel for driving the snub roll, the wheel for driving the roll, which drives the feeding strips, the wheel for driving the roll, which drives the ironing strips, the straining wheel and the motor, where the driving wheel (3), which is simultaneously the wheel for driving the roll, which drives the ironing strips (8), the wheel (4) for driving the snub roll, the wheel (5) for driving the roll, which drives the feeding strips (9), and the straining wheel (6) are interconnected by the connecting driving component (7), whereas the driving wheel (3) is a hard-set of the roll, which drives the ironing strips (8), whereas the roll, which drives the ironing strips (8) is connected with the driving shaft of the motor (10).