Flexible Roller Cleaning Member for Non-Circular Dough Rollers

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cleaning devices for extension rollers in food dough extension apparatuses are inefficient in removing adhering materials from non-circular surfaces and require significant manual effort for cleaning and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A cleaning device with a flexible, detachable band-like cleaning member and biasing member that presses against the extension roller surface, allowing for efficient removal of adhering materials, regardless of the roller's shape, and simplifies cleaning operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rigid adhering material removing means is used on a fixed-position roller, then cleaning effectiveness is improved for circular surfaces, but it cannot clean non-circular surfaces (oval, polygonal, eccentric) effectively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidadaptability to different roller shapes

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible band-like cleaning member instead of a rigid cleaning structure. This flexible cleaning member can adapt its shape to conform to various roller surface geometries (circular, oval, polygonal, eccentric), enabling effective cleaning of adhering materials on non-circular surfaces while maintaining cleaning reliability through continuous contact pressure applied by the biasing member.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Productivity

If a brush is pressed against the roller surface to clean adhering material, then cleaning action is applied, but the brush requires significant manual cleaning effort and time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning action effectivenessVSAvoidtime for cleaning the cleaning tool

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a disposable or easily replaceable band-like cleaning member that can be quickly detached and replaced when worn or contaminated. This eliminates the need for extensive manual cleaning of the cleaning tool itself, as the cleaning member can be rapidly exchanged rather than thoroughly cleaned, significantly reducing the time loss associated with maintaining the cleaning device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The cleaning device is segmented into a detachable band-like cleaning member and a cleaning device body. This segmentation allows the cleaning member to be easily separated from the main device for replacement or cleaning, reducing the time required to maintain the cleaning system compared to integrated brush designs that require complete disassembly and thorough cleaning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If a fixed cleaning structure is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but it cannot adapt to rollers with varying trajectories (oval, circular, reciprocating motion)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidadaptability to different motion trajectories

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible band-like cleaning member can accommodate various roller motion trajectories (oval, circular, reciprocating) by conforming to the actual path and surface geometry. This flexibility allows the same simple cleaning device structure to effectively clean rollers undergoing different types of motion without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms, maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving high adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 device effectively cleans the entire circumference of the extension roller surface, reducing operational burden and time by allowing easy attachment and detachment of the cleaning member, thus enhancing cleaning efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a biasing member which biases the cleaning member from the opposite side from the cleaning surface and presses the cleaning surface against the surface of the extension roller

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS12589413B2Cleaning device for extension roller

Publication Date: 2026.03.31 RHEON AUTOMATIC MASCH CO LTD

AI summary

A cleaning device for cleaning a surface of an extension roller of a dough extension apparatus includes a cleaning device body attached to the dough extension apparatus, and a band-like flexible cleaning member attached to the cleaning device body. The cleaning member includes ends and a cleaning portion with a cleaning surface. One end or both ends of the cleaning member is/are secured to the cleaning device body, and the cleaning portion hangs down, so that the cleaning surface of the cleaning portion is configured to contact the surface of the extension roller of the dough extension apparatus to be deformed and bent to correspond to the surface of the extension roller.