Leather Drying Plant Tension Control via Elastic Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current leather drying and conditioning plants face issues with non-uniform tension distribution among leathers, leading to inhomogeneity and damage due to excessive tension, and have complex constructions that increase production and maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A drying and conditioning plant with elastically yielding means integrated into each support frame, allowing for continuous and spontaneous adjustment of leather tension to maintain a predetermined nominal value, reducing operator intervention and simplifying the construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional drying plants use fixed tension mechanisms, then construction is simpler, but tension uniformity among leathers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing fixed tension mechanisms with movable support frames that can dynamically adjust their position along the drying tunnel. The support frames are equipped with adjustment means that allow continuous modification of the tension applied to each leather, enabling the system to adapt to varying leather characteristics and drying stages, thereby achieving uniform tension distribution without overly complex construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by allowing the tension force applied to each leather to be continuously modified during the drying process. The adjustment means enable changing of tension parameters based on leather type, humidity content, and drying stage, transforming a static system into one that can optimize tension parameters in real-time to achieve uniform results.
2Productivity
If high tension is applied to expand leathers, then expansion effectiveness improves, but leather damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by incorporating detection means that continuously monitor the actual tension applied to each leather during drying. This information is fed back to the adjustment means, which automatically modifies the tension force to maintain optimal levels. This closed-loop control ensures leathers receive sufficient tension for effective expansion while preventing excessive tension that would cause damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts tension levels based on real-time detection of leather state and drying progress. Rather than applying constant high tension, the movable support frames with adjustment means can optimize the tension force at each stage of drying, achieving effective expansion while minimizing damage risk through adaptive control.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual tension adjustment is used, then operator control is maintained, but tension uniformity and precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by equipping each support frame with automatic adjustment means that autonomously regulate tension without requiring continuous operator intervention. The detection and adjustment systems work together to automatically maintain optimal tension levels, allowing the system to self-correct and maintain precision while reducing the operational burden on operators.
Solution Approach 2:
Through feedback mechanisms, the system automatically detects tension deviations and makes precise adjustments without operator input. This automated closed-loop control achieves higher tension precision than manual adjustment while minimizing the need for operator intervention, as the system self-regulates based on real-time detection data.
4Manufacturing precision
If complex control systems are added to adjust tension, then tension uniformity improves, but production and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves tension uniformity through a relatively simple dynamic mechanism: movable support frames with basic adjustment means. Rather than implementing complex electronic control systems, the invention uses mechanical adjustability of support frame positions to achieve tension regulation, thereby maintaining production and maintenance cost effectiveness while improving precision.
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 solution achieves uniform tension across leathers, reducing damage and production waste while lowering production and maintenance costs through real-time tension adjustment and simplified construction.
Implementation Method 1
elastically yielding means, operatively associated with the actuation means with which they cooperate according to the difference in tension between the tension value detected by the detection means and the nominal tension value so as to keep the leather substantially tensioned to the nominal tension value
Data Source
Figure 1~1a
Figure 2~2a
Figure 3~3a
AI summary
A leathers drying and/or conditioning plant (1) comprising an operating tunnel which mainly develops along a linear direction and is provided with air conditioning devices suitable to operate on the leathers in such a way as to dry and/or condition them according to pre-defined treatment cycles, a plurality of support frames (2; 52; 102), each of which is suitable to receive on at least one of the side faces (2a, 2b) at least one leather in order to keep it in the spread position, actuation means operatively connected with the support frames (2; 52; 102) and suitable to be operated in such a way as to extend the leathers to a nominal tension value set by the operator, moving means (3), operatively connected with the support frames (2; 52; 102) to convey them along the aforesaid linear direction according to a predetermined speed within the operating tunnel, in order to allow drying and/or conditioning of the leathers, and outside the operating tunnel in order to allow discharge of the leathers dried and/or conditioned in a processing cycle and load of the leathers to be dried and/or conditioned in the next processing cycle, detection means, operatively connected with the actuation means and suitable to measure the tension value of the fibres of the leathers during a processing cycle, and adjustment means (4; 54; 104), operatively associated with the actuation means and cooperating with the actuation means according to the difference in tension between the tension value measured by the detection means and the nominal tension value so as to keep the leathers tensioned substantially to the nominal tension value. In particular, the actuation means and the detection means are incorporated in elastically yielding means (5; 55; 105) coupled with each of the support frames (2; 52; 102) together with the adjustment means (4; 54; 104) with which cooperate in such a way as to obtain a spontaneous continuous adjustment of the actual tension value which each of the leathers secured on the support frames (2; 52; 102) is subjected to during a processing cycle of the leathers, keeping the actual tension value of the leathers themselves constantly to the nominal tension value during such a processing cycle.