Tool for forming a three dimensional article or container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming cooking elements, such as cooking rings, from cutouts like paperboard blanks with microwave interactive materials face challenges in maintaining the integrity of the material and achieving precise shaping without additional cutting operations, which can increase costs and reduce quality.
Innovation Solution
A tool assembly with a clamping feature that holds the cutout in a fixed position, using a combination of upper and lower tool assemblies with cooperating clamping mechanisms to form the cooking element by pressing and shaping the cutout into a three-dimensional cooking ring, while maintaining the microwave interactive material's integrity and preventing sliding during the forming process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional forming methods are used without clamping features, then the tool structure is simpler, but the cutout cannot be held in a fixed position during forming, resulting in poor manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The tool assembly is divided into separate first and second tool assemblies, each with its own clamping feature. This segmentation allows independent positioning and clamping of the cutout from both sides, achieving precise fixed positioning without requiring a completely complex integrated tool structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping features are designed to hold the cutout in a predetermined fixed position before the forming action begins. This preliminary positioning ensures that the cutout remains stationary during the subsequent forming process, achieving manufacturing precision without requiring complex real-time adjustment mechanisms.
2Productivity
If additional cutting operations are performed to create center holes, then the shaping can be more precise, but the production time increases and quality may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The center hole is pre-cut in the blank before the forming operation. This preliminary action eliminates the need for secondary cutting operations during or after forming, thereby increasing productivity while the clamping features ensure that this pre-cut hole maintains its precision throughout the forming process.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping features are specifically designed to hold the area around the precut center hole in a fixed position, ensuring that the local quality (precision) of the hole formation is maintained while the overall forming process operates efficiently without additional cutting steps.
3Manufacturing precision
If the cutout is not clamped during forming, then the tool operation is simpler, but the cutout may slide during forming, resulting in poor manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping features are designed to automatically grip and hold the cutout in place through the forming process. The tool assemblies themselves provide the clamping action without requiring separate, complex positioning mechanisms, thus maintaining ease of operation while achieving manufacturing precision.
4Manufacturing precision
If a single tool assembly is used for forming, then the device structure is simpler, but it cannot provide sufficient clamping force to hold the cutout firmly in position
Solution Approach 1:
The forming tool is divided into two separate tool assemblies (first and second), each equipped with clamping features. This segmentation allows each assembly to apply clamping force independently from opposite sides, providing sufficient total clamping force to firmly hold the cutout in position while keeping each individual tool assembly relatively simple in structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A forming tool assembly and method for forming a cooking element. The forming tool assembly has an upper tool assembly and a lower tool assembly that cooperate to shape the cooking element from an annular cutout.