Flexible Buffering Front Stopper for Sheet Impact Absorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing front stoppers in carton formers face challenges in absorbing the impact of various sheets, including heavy and rigid sheets, leading to potential damage and misalignment during layering, especially at high speeds, and struggle to correctly stack sheets that are inclined forward or backward.

Innovation Solution

A front stopping device with a flexible, plate-shaped buffering member that absorbs kinetic energy through elastic deformation, supported by an inclined mechanism to correct the inclination of sheets using a vertical restoring force, and a sheet layering device with a pressing mechanism to ensure proper alignment and stacking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If a rigid protective plate is used to stop the sheet, then the sheet can be stopped effectively, but the leading end of the sheet and the protective plate may be damaged due to collision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestopping forceVSAvoiddamage to sheet and stopper

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A cushioning member made of elastic material is provided between the delivery roller and the front stopper. This cushioning member absorbs the impact energy when the sheet collides with the stopper, preventing damage to both the sheet's leading end and the stopper itself while maintaining effective stopping capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The front stopper is designed with movable and adjustable characteristics. The stopper can move in the transport direction and its position can be adjusted according to sheet characteristics. This parameter change allows the stopper to adapt to different sheet types (heavy, light, long, short, high-rigidity, low-rigidity) and reduces impact damage through controlled movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the front stopper is made more durable to withstand high-speed collisions, then the stopper durability is improved, but the complexity of the stopper structure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedurability of front stopperVSAvoidstructure of front stopper

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The front stopper is designed as a dynamic structure that can move in the transport direction rather than being completely fixed. The stopper includes a movable body that can be pushed back by sheet impact and then returns to its original position. This dynamic design absorbs impact energy through motion, improving durability without requiring overly complex reinforcement structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cushioning member and front stopper are integrated into a unified structure where the elastic material is positioned between the delivery roller and the stopper body. This merging of functions allows the single integrated component to provide both cushioning and stopping capabilities, maintaining simplicity while improving durability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Force

If sheets are stopped by a vertical front stopper, then the sheets can be halted, but inclined sheets (forward or backward) cannot be correctly stacked

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestopping forceVSAvoidstacking accuracy of inclined sheets

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The front stopper is designed with an asymmetric inclined surface rather than a purely vertical face. The inclined surface is configured to receive sheets that are inclined forward, guiding them into the correct stacking position. This asymmetric design allows the stopper to handle both vertical and inclined sheets effectively, improving stacking accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

4Object-affected harmful factors

If the buffering member is made more flexible to absorb impact, then damage is reduced, but the stopping force may be insufficient for heavy and rigid sheets

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedamage to sheet and stopperVSAvoidstopping force

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The front stopper system combines multiple materials with different properties: an elastic cushioning member for impact absorption and a rigid stopper body for providing stopping force. This composite structure allows the flexible cushioning material to reduce damage while the rigid stopper maintains sufficient stopping capability for heavy and rigid sheets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

The solution effectively absorbs the impact of various sheets, corrects their inclination, and ensures proper alignment and stacking, reducing damage and jamming issues, even at high speeds.

Implementation Method 1

The buffering member is formed of a flexible material to absorb the kinetic energy of the sheet by being elastically deformed in a concave surface shape when receiving the front part of the sheet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the restoring force of pushing back the front part of the sheet due to the restoration of the elastic deformation includes a vertical component

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRestoring force from elastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3266733B1Front stopping device, and corresponding sheet layering device

Publication Date: 2019.04.24 MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND MACHINERY SYST LTD

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AI summary

The purpose of the invention is to stop a variety of sheets while absorbing the impact and to prevent problems generated by sheets colliding against a front stopper in a forwardly or backwardly inclined state. A front stopping device that receives sheets being delivered along a horizontal transport route on a hopper unit and stops the movement in the transport direction comprises: a plate-shaped buffering member (101) that is brought into direct contact with the front part of a sheet (10); and supporting members (103, 104) that support the upper end and lower end of the buffering member (101). The buffering member (101) is formed of a flexible material to absorb the kinetic energy of the sheet (10) by being elastically deformed in a concave surface shape when receiving the front part of the sheet (10), and the buffering member (101) is supported by being inclined upward or downward by the supporting members (103, 104) such that a restoring force of pushing back the front part of the sheet (10) due to the restoration of the elastic deformation includes a vertical component.