Glass Plate Processing Head Angular Control via Segmented Motors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing glass-plate working machines face challenges in achieving high-speed processing with accurate and sensitive angular control of cutting and grinding heads due to tight engagement between bevel gears, leading to inertia, resistance, and loose play, which affects the accuracy of corner formation and productivity.

Innovation Solution

The cutting and grinding heads are independently rotated using angle control motors mounted on hollow rotating shafts, allowing for direct angular control and smooth operation, with the shafts' hollow structure enabling the passage of compressed air, oil, and power supply lines, ensuring efficient and accurate high-speed processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the cutting head and grinding head are coupled through bevel gears on a line shaft, then angular control of both heads can be achieved, but inertia and resistance increase making sensitive response difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveangular controlVSAvoidresponse sensitivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the previously unified drive system into two independent drive systems. Each head (cutting head and grinding head) is equipped with its own angle control motor, eliminating the need for mechanical coupling through bevel gears and line shaft. This segmentation allows each head to respond independently and sensitively to control signals without the inertia and resistance of the coupled mechanical system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If tight engagement between bevel gears is used, then angular control is achieved, but loose play is generated reducing corner formation accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveangular controlVSAvoidcorner formation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the drive system into independent motors for each head, the patent eliminates the mechanical linkage that causes loose play in bevel gear engagements. Each motor directly controls its respective head without mechanical intermediaries, ensuring precise corner formation accuracy while maintaining ease of angular control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If high-speed movement is implemented, then productivity increases, but angular control response must be speedier and more sensitive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidcontrol response
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The independent motor drive system allows each head to operate at high speeds without the mechanical constraints of coupled gears. The direct-drive configuration enables rapid angular control response that keeps pace with high-speed processing, maintaining reliability and precision even as productivity increases through faster movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Strength

If the rotating shafts are solid, then structural strength is maintained, but compressed air, oil, and power supply cannot be easily delivered to the heads

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshaft strengthVSAvoidutility supply
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs hollow rotating shafts that allow compressed air, oil, and power supply lines to be nested within the shaft structure. This nested configuration delivers utilities to the cutting and grinding heads while maintaining the external dimensions and strength characteristics of solid shafts. The hollow interior serves as a conduit for essential utilities without compromising structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP2246309B1Processing machine of plate glass
Publication Date: 2018.12.05 BANDO KIKO CO LTD
  • EP2246309B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2246309B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2246309B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A glass-plate working machine 1 is arranged such that while a cutting head 9 for forming a cut line on a glass plate 5 and a grinding head 10 for grinding a peripheral edge of the glass plate 5 bend-broken along the cut line are being moved simultaneously in parallel under numerical control, the cutting head 9 and the grinding head 10 respectively having angle control motors 46 and 49 are synchronously subjected to angular control about axes 39 perpendicular to the surface of the glass plate 5, and the cutting head 9 and the grinding head 10 are moved such that the orientation of a cutter wheel 52 is adjusted to a processing line, and the press contacting direction of a grinding wheel 64 of the grinding head 10 is kept in a normal direction with respect to a processing line of an edge of the glass plate 5.