Pallet Shaft Plastic Coating Reduces Mass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pallet shafts for labeling machines are often designed as solid or thick-walled hollow shafts to ensure strength and flexural rigidity, resulting in high mass and energy consumption, while existing solutions fail to provide a lightweight yet stable alternative.
Innovation Solution
A pallet shaft with a central rod surrounded by a plastic extrusion coating, featuring a metal disc and spur gearing for enhanced mechanical strength and a self-centering connection, along with a non-round geometry for precise positioning, which reduces mass while maintaining stability and reducing wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If solid shafts or thick-walled hollow shafts are used to ensure strength and flexural rigidity, then mechanical strength is improved, but mass increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a metal central rod with a plastic extrusion coating. The metal core provides structural strength and rigidity, while the plastic coating adds reinforcement and reduces overall mass compared to solid metal shafts. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by achieving required mechanical strength with lower mass.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses local quality by concentrating metal material only where structural strength is critical (the central rod), while using plastic material for the outer coating where mass reduction is beneficial. This localized material distribution optimizes the strength-to-weight ratio by placing each material where it provides the most value.
2Stability of the object's composition
If solid shafts or thick-walled hollow shafts are used to ensure stability, then flexural rigidity is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure of metal core with plastic coating provides sufficient flexural rigidity through the combined properties of both materials, reducing the mass compared to solid metal shafts. The lower mass directly reduces energy consumption during rotation and acceleration while maintaining the required stability and rigidity for labeling machine operation.
3Weight of moving object
If plastic overmoulding is used to reduce mass, then weight is reduced, but mechanical strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite material system where the plastic extrusion coating is applied over a metal central rod. The metal core maintains mechanical strength while the plastic coating contributes to overall structural integrity and reduces mass. The combination achieves both weight reduction and sufficient mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
Metal material is concentrated in the central rod where mechanical strength is most critical for load-bearing, while plastic material is used in the outer coating where mass reduction is prioritized. This local differentiation of material properties optimizes both strength and weight simultaneously.
4Strength
If metal disc is incorporated into plastic encapsulation to reinforce connections, then connection strength is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The metal disc is merged with the plastic encapsulation through overmolding, creating an integrated connection reinforcement structure. The plastic coating is molded directly onto the metal disc, combining two materials and functions (structural support and connection reinforcement) into a single integrated component, reducing the need for separate fastening elements.
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 a significant weight reduction with improved mechanical strength and stability, leading to lower energy consumption and increased resilience of the labeling machine.
Implementation Method 1
it comprises a central rod (101) which is surrounded by a plastic extrusion coating (102)
Implementation Method 2
the metal disc, which can develop an axial holding force with a corresponding counterpart in the pallet control
Implementation Method 3
a spur gearing is provided at the same end and/or the metal disc consists partly or entirely of ferromagnetic material
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3b
Figure 4
AI summary
The pallet shaft (100) comprises a hollow central rod (101,201) that is surrounded by a plastic injection mold (102,202) containing a fiber reinforced plastic. A metal disc is fixed to one end of the central rod and incorporated with the plastic injection mold having fiber reinforced plastic. A spur gear tooth and/or a metal plate are partially or completely made of ferromagnetic material.The spur gear tooth is formed in a uniform pitch. The central rod is made of steel, aluminum or carbon. A non-circular geometry is provided in the cross section in a deletion region. An independent claim is included for a labeling machine.