Modular Needle Board Cartridge Design for Wear Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Needle boards in needling machines face issues with needle wear and wobbling due to frequent replacement, leading to increased labor and costs, as existing designs wear down and lose clamping force over time.

Innovation Solution

A modular needle board design featuring a base plate with receptacles and carrier plates, where each needle module is easily inserted and removed, with features like slots and projecting edges to prevent movement, and made from lightweight plastic for simplified production and maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If needles are frequently replaced in traditional needle boards, then needle functionality is maintained, but the bores wear down and lose clamping force, causing needles to wobble and break

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneedle stabilityVSAvoidneedle board service life

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The needle board is divided into a base plate and separate needle cartridges that can be independently replaced. The base plate with bores remains stationary and durable, while worn needles are replaced by swapping out entire needle cartridges, eliminating wear to the bores from repeated needle insertion and removal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A needle cartridge serves as an intermediary component between the base plate and needles. The cartridge contains the needles and can be easily removed and replaced, protecting the base plate bores from direct contact with replacement tools and preventing wear that would lead to loose fits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of repair

If needles are manually inserted and removed from traditional needle boards, then needle replacement is possible, but the process is tedious and labor-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneedle replacement easeVSAvoidneedle replacement time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Needles are grouped into modular cartridges that can be replaced as a single unit rather than individually inserting and securing each needle. This segmentation transforms a tedious manual process into a simple cartridge swap operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The needle cartridges are designed with dynamic insertion and removal capabilities, allowing quick attachment to and detachment from the base plate through simple mechanical actions rather than complex manual assembly procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8099841B2Needle board for a needle machine

Publication Date: 2012.01.24 DILO MASCHINENFABRIK KG

AI summary

The needle board for a needling machine has a base plate with a plurality of receptacles, and a plurality of needle modules. Each needle module has a carrier plate, which is equipped with a plurality of needles arranged in a predetermined pattern and which is inserted into one of the receptacles in the base plate in such a way that the needles project from the base plate.