Noodle Cutting Device Comb Plate Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing noodle strand cutting methods result in significant quantity variations when cutting noodle strands into single meal units, particularly due to sticky surfaces from the steaming process and the need for lengthy production lines or loosening liquids, which hinder production efficiency.

Innovation Solution

Applying an external force to noodle strands removed from cutting rollers to change their direction of travel or delay their progress, using a comb plate with protrusions that align with the annular grooves to alter the strand direction and reduce quantity variations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If noodle strands are cut directly without stretching or loosening processes, then production efficiency is improved, but quantity variations increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidquantity uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The comb plate is positioned to act on noodle strands immediately after they are scraped from the cutting roller, performing a preliminary separation action before the strands are stacked. This preliminary action prevents excessive adhesion and quantity variations without requiring subsequent stretching processes, thus maintaining production efficiency while improving quantity uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The comb plate serves as an intermediary device between the cutting roller and the stacking mechanism. It mediates the transition of noodle strands from a sticky, adhered state to a separated, uniformly distributed state, enabling direct cutting without stretching while controlling quantity variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If stretching processes are used to reduce quantity variations, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and production line length increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequantity uniformityVSAvoidproduction line complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the essential function of reducing quantity variations from the complex stretching process. By using a simple comb plate with protrusions to separate noodle strands immediately after cutting, it achieves the quantity uniformity goal without requiring lengthy stretching lines or additional complex equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The comb plate is a simple, inexpensive component with protrusions that performs the separation function temporarily and effectively. It replaces complex, expensive stretching mechanisms with a simple structure that achieves the same quality improvement without adding device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Manufacturing precision

If loosening liquids are applied to prevent adhesion, then manufacturing precision is improved, but production efficiency decreases due to additional processing steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequantity uniformityVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the chemical method (loosening liquids) with a mechanical method (comb plate with protrusions). The comb plate mechanically separates noodle strands through physical contact, achieving quantity uniformity without requiring additional liquid application steps, thus maintaining production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If the median value of product standard is increased to ensure minimum quantity limits, then reliability is improved, but production efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduct standard complianceVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By performing preliminary separation with the comb plate immediately after cutting, the invention ensures consistent quantity distribution from the start. This preliminary action reduces quantity variations so effectively that the median value can be set closer to the true target, ensuring compliance with minimum quantity limits while maintaining high production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4082347B1Noodle string cutting device, noodle manufacturing device, and noodle and instant noodle manufacturing method
Publication Date: 2024.05.01 SANYO FOODS CO LTD
  • EP4082347B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4082347B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4082347B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are a noodle string cutting device and a noodle manufacturing device with which it is possible to suppress weight variations when noodle strings (52a, 52b) are cut into single-serving portions in a noodle manufacturing method. A noodle string cutting device according to one embodiment is provided with: a pair of cutting blade rolls (10a, 10b) with a plurality of annular groove portions (12a, 12b) arranged in parallel to face and engage with each other; scrapers (20a, 20b) comprising plate-like portions (24a, 24b) extending along the longitudinal direction of the cutting blade rolls and a plurality of projecting portions (22a, 22b) provided on a longer side of the plate-like portions and extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the longer side, the plurality of projecting portions each being configured to engage with corresponding one of the plurality of annular groove portions of the cutting blade rolls to strip the noodle strings in the plurality of annular groove portions from the cutting blade rolls; and comb plates (30a, 30b) comprising a plurality of projecting portions (32a, 32b) arranged along the longitudinal direction of the cutting blade rolls in line with the center of the plurality of annular groove portions, the plurality of projecting portions being arranged for every other annular groove portion of the cutting blade rolls and configured to come into contact with the noodle strings in a position where the noodle strings are not in contact with the cutting blade rolls and the plurality of projecting portions of the scrapers.