Paper Container Blank Forming Process Reducing Waste
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing paper cups result in significant paper waste and labor costs due to manual handling and inefficient cutting processes, limiting industrialized unmanned assembly-line production and increasing costs for paper container manufacturers.
Innovation Solution
A forming process and manufacturing device that involves cutting a large-format paper roll into a small-format roll with zigzag side edges, followed by secondary cutting to minimize waste, allowing for continuous production and unmanned operation by connecting the device directly to a paper cup or bowl machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If die-cutting machine is used to cut paper rolls into annulus-sector shaped blanks, then blanks can be produced, but significant paper waste occurs due to symmetric geometry and curved edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the blank forming process into multiple cutting stages: first cutting the paper roll into longitudinal strips, then cutting these strips into annulus-sector shaped blanks. This segmentation allows for more efficient material utilization compared to single-stage die-cutting, reducing paper waste while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces asymmetric cutting patterns where adjacent blanks are oriented with opposite directions (one facing left, one facing right). This asymmetric arrangement allows the curved edges of adjacent blanks to interlock and form a continuous strip, minimizing waste edges and improving material utilization while maintaining the required blank geometry
2Productivity
If manual operation is used to put stacked blanks into material bin, then blanks can be transferred, but labor costs increase and manufacturing efficiency is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the cutting mechanism directly with the material bin of the paper cup machine, merging two previously separate operations into one unified system. This integration enables automatic transfer of blanks from the cutting area to the material bin without manual intervention, achieving unmanned assembly-line operation and significantly improving manufacturing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a conveyor belt as an intermediary element that automatically transports the cut blanks from the cutting mechanism to the material bin. This intermediary device enables seamless transition between cutting and storage operations, eliminating manual handling and supporting continuous automated production
3Loss of substance
If connection bar is added during paper roll processing, then blanks can be connected, but waste edge increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the connection bar element from the blank structure entirely. Instead of adding connection bars to join blanks, the invention uses the curved edges of the annulus-sector shaped blanks themselves to interlock and form continuous strips, eliminating the need for additional connection components and reducing waste edges
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding connection elements to join separate blanks, the patent inverts the approach by designing the blanks themselves to have interlocking curved edges that naturally connect adjacent blanks. This inversion eliminates the need for separate connection bars and reduces overall waste while maintaining structural integrity
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a forming process and a manufacturing device of a paper container blank. Two cuttings are performed on a paper roll, in which the longitudinal cutting is the first cutting, and then the cutting in the front and rear directions is the secondary cutting. In the present invention, by adopting the above process, the paper container blank can be continuously manufactured, and can be connected to a device to realize unmanned operation. The waste edge rate can be greatly reduced by the two cuttings. In addition, the device for implementing the process of the present invention includes a secondary cutting mechanism. Specifically, through the setting of the die in the cutting process, the first longitudinal cutting can first form left and right side edges of all the blanks, the front and rear parts are all connected together, and the adjacent two blanks do not have a waste edge, which is very ingenious in design. Moreover, with the cooperation of the secondary cutting, the finished product is formed after the secondary cutting. The formed product blank can be directly sent to a paper cup machine or a paper bowl machine, so that the unmanned work can be realized to a certain extent when the device is turned on.