Oval Orbit Dough Aligning Apparatus
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aligning and positioning apparatuses for food dough struggle with high-speed alignment and easy adjustment of dough pieces in the perpendicular direction, requiring additional devices and space, and are inefficient when changing product types or intervals.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a holding unit that moves in an oval-shaped orbit, equipped with adjustable guide members and a positioning mechanism, allowing for high-speed alignment and easy adjustment of dough pieces in both the moving and perpendicular directions, eliminating the need for preliminary layout in the perpendicular direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional aligning and positioning apparatuses separate dough pieces in the moving direction and rotate them, then alignment and positioning are achieved, but the apparatus requires additional devices and space for preliminary layout in the perpendicular direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the separating function and the aligning function into a single integrated apparatus. The holding unit performs both separation of dough pieces in the moving direction and alignment in the perpendicular direction simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate preliminary layout devices and reducing overall apparatus complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The holding unit is designed as a multi-functional device that can separate, align, and position dough pieces in both moving and perpendicular directions. This universal device replaces multiple specialized devices, reducing space requirements and simplifying the overall system structure
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional apparatuses use fixed intervals for dough pieces, then the apparatus structure is simple, but it cannot easily adjust positions when changing product types
Solution Approach 1:
The guide members are designed to be movable and adjustable along the conveyor direction, allowing dynamic repositioning to accommodate different product types and intervals. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the apparatus to adapt to various production requirements without requiring complete reconfiguration
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus uses multiple independently adjustable guide members that can be positioned at different locations. This segmentation allows flexible configuration for different product types and intervals, with each guide member acting as an independent adjustable unit
3Productivity
If conventional apparatuses process dough pieces at high speed, then productivity is improved, but the alignment and positioning accuracy may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus maintains continuous operation at high speed while achieving precise alignment and positioning. The holding unit continuously separates, aligns, and positions dough pieces without interruption, and the movable guide members enable continuous adjustment during operation, ensuring both high productivity and precision
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus incorporates positioning mechanisms that provide feedback control for the movable guide members, ensuring accurate alignment and positioning of dough pieces even during high-speed operation. The feedback system maintains precision by continuously monitoring and adjusting the position of guide members
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The inventions relate to an apparatus for aligning and positioning pieces of food dough with predetermined orientations and at predetermined intervals, and provide an aligning and positioning apparatus that can easily adjust positions of the pieces of food dough in a perpendicular direction to a moving direction of the pieces and that can process at high speed. An aligning and positioning apparatus (1) of the inventions includes a holding unit (2) having a plurality of holding mechanisms (35) to hold a plurality of pieces of food dough (D2) carried by a first conveyor (6), a driving mechanism (3) of the holding mechanisms, guide members (4) to control the positions of the holding mechanisms in the perpendicular direction when the holding mechanisms are moved by the driving mechanism, and a positioning mechanism (5) to adjust positions of the guide members in the perpendicular direction.