Keyed Roll Clutch Mounting to Prevent Foil Overrun and Jamming
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Dispensing systems in commercial kitchens face issues such as foil overrunning, jamming, and malfunction due to improper mounting, and the need for ensuring food safety compliance.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing system with a clutch mechanism that includes a spindle and clutch plate to resist relative rotation by friction, a biasing unit to increase friction force, and a locking mechanism to prevent incorrect mounting, combined with a pivoting mount for easy access and a method to test compliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the roll is allowed to rotate freely to enable dispensing, then the material can be dispensed smoothly, but the roll may overrun and stick to itself causing waste and jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The clutch mechanism applies a preliminary resisting force to the roll rotation before overrun occurs. The biasing unit pre-compresses the spring to store energy, and the clutch plate is positioned to engage with the clutch surface, creating friction that resists excessive rotation and prevents the foil from sticking to itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the rotational parameter of the roll by introducing controlled friction through the clutch mechanism. The normal force between the clutch plate and clutch surface can be adjusted by compressing the spring further, which changes the friction coefficient and thus the resistance to rotation, preventing overrun while allowing smooth dispensing.
2Loss of substance
If the spindle is pushed towards the frame to increase friction force, then material waste is reduced, but the mounting complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The keyed end of the roll is designed with protrusions that automatically engage with corresponding features on the spindle during mounting. This preliminary action guides the user to push the spindle towards the frame with the correct force, increasing the normal force on the clutch mechanism without requiring complex adjustment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting process itself serves to adjust the friction force. As the user mounts the roll, the keyed end pushes the spindle towards the frame, which automatically compresses the biasing unit and increases the normal force between the clutch plate and clutch surface. The system self-regulates the friction force based on the mounting action, eliminating the need for separate adjustment mechanisms.
3Reliability
If the keyed end is used to ensure proper mounting, then food safety compliance is improved, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The keyed end features asymmetric protrusions that must be aligned with corresponding asymmetric features on the spindle. This asymmetric design ensures that the roll can only be mounted in the correct orientation, guaranteeing food safety compliance. While this requires precise alignment, the protrusions provide tactile feedback that guides the user into the correct position.
Solution Approach 2:
The keyed end structure performs a preliminary alignment function before the roll is fully mounted. The protrusions on the keyed end must engage with the spindle features first, which pre-positions the roll in the correct orientation. This preliminary action ensures compliance while simplifying the subsequent mounting steps, as the user only needs to complete the pushing motion rather than manually aligning multiple features.
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
Reduces material waste, prevents jamming, ensures proper dispensing, and maintains food safety by enhancing friction force and preventing incorrect mounting, while allowing for adaptable roll lengths and easy mounting.
Implementation Method 1
the spindle comprises a clutch surface which directly opposes the clutch plate along the dispensing axis, and which is configured to cooperate with the clutch plate to resist relative rotation of the spindle and the clutch plate by friction
Implementation Method 2
the biasing unit is configured to bias the spindle in a direction along the dispensing axis away from the frame; wherein mounting of the keyed end of the roll onto the mount pushes the spindle towards the frame to increase a normal force between the clutch plate and the clutch surface of the spindle, thereby increasing the friction force
Data Source
AI summary
A dispensing system includes a roll comprising a keyed end, a dispenser comprising a housing for receiving the roll, and a mount comprising a roll holder to support the keyed end and a roll support to support an opposing end. The roll holder comprises a frame, a clutch plate, a spindle, and a biasing unit, the clutch plate being disposed adjacent the spindle, and the spindle receives the keyed end and is rotatably coupled to the frame to permit rotation of the roll and the clutch plate about the dispensing axis. The spindle comprises a clutch surface and translates along the dispensing axis, and the biasing unit biases the spindle along the dispensing axis away from the frame. Mounting the keyed end of the roll onto the mount pushes the spindle towards the frame to increase a normal force between the clutch plate and the clutch surface.