Lapper Assembly Stop Member Pivoting for Veneer Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lappers for overlapping sheets of wood veneer or other materials on a conveyor are limited by the fixed position of their stop members relative to the rollers, leading to sheet damage, misalignment, and reduced throughput due to the inability to rotate the rollers independently, and require minimum spacing that restricts the number of lappers along a conveyor.
Innovation Solution
A lapper assembly with a pivotably coupled stop member that can move independently of the lapping roller, allowing for the stop member to be positioned between conveyor rollers and enabling the lapping roller to rotate while the stop member remains stationary, or vice versa, facilitating the overlapping of workpieces without damaging them and allowing for variable spacing and length handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the stop member is rigidly attached to the roller in a conventional lapper, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the sheet is damaged and misalignment occurs because the stop member cannot move independently
Solution Approach 1:
The lapper is divided into two independent components: the roller and the stop member. The stop member is pivotally attached to the roller, allowing it to move independently. This segmentation enables the stop member to pivot away from the sheet flow path when the sheet contacts it, preventing damage and misalignment, while the roller continues to rotate independently to advance the sheet.
Solution Approach 2:
The stop member is made dynamic by allowing it to pivot relative to the roller. When the sheet contacts the stop member, it causes the stop member to pivot away from the flow path, preventing damage. When the sheet passes, the stop member pivots back into position. This dynamic movement resolves the contradiction between structural simplicity and sheet protection.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the lapper roller is pivoted to move the bar into and out of the flow path, then the overlapping function is achieved, but the rotational angle of the roller determines the bar position which limits flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The stop member is separated from the roller rotation control. The stop member pivots independently on the roller, allowing it to move into and out of the flow path without requiring the entire roller to pivot. This provides positioning flexibility while simplifying control, as the stop member's pivotal movement is automatically triggered by sheet contact rather than requiring active control of roller rotation angle.
3Productivity
If conventional lappers are spaced at minimum distances along the conveyor, then each lapper has sufficient space to operate, but the number of lappers along the conveyor is limited, reducing throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic pivotal movement of the stop member allows for more compact lapper spacing. Since the stop member can pivot away from the flow path during operation, adjacent lappers can be positioned closer together without interfering with each other's operation. This reduces the total conveyor length required for a given number of lappers, increasing throughput.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the bar is fixed in position relative to the roller, then the lapper structure is simple, but the ability to handle variable sheet lengths is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The stop member's pivotal attachment to the roller creates a dynamic structure that adapts to different sheet lengths. When sheets of varying lengths contact the stop member, it pivots away to prevent damage regardless of sheet length. The stop member then pivots back to its original position, ready for the next sheet. This dynamic movement provides adaptability to variable sheet lengths without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides embodiments of a lapper assembly for use to overlap successive sheets of wood veneer or other materials along a conveyor. The lapper assembly may include a stop member configured to be rotatably mounted to a roller such that the stop member is pivotable around the rotational axis of the roller independently of the rotational angle of the roller. The lapper assembly may further include a lever arm coupled to one end of the stop member. An actuator may be pivotably coupled to the lever arm and the conveyor frame, and operated to pivot the stop member between a workpiece engaging position, in which the stop member extends into the path of workpiece flow, and a workpiece disengaging position below the path. Optionally, the lapper assembly roller and other rollers upstream/downstream may be operatively connected to a drive. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed herein.