Paper Log Cutting Apparatus with Mobile Walls and Independent Upper Frame
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machines for cutting paper logs into rolls are limited to cutting logs of the same size, requiring manual intervention and vertical compression to maintain log stability, which can lead to deformation and interference during log insertion.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus features mobile walls and an independent upper frame that can adjust to accommodate logs of various sizes, allowing for high lateral containment with minimal vertical compression, enabling flexible and independent actuation of the walls and frame to ensure stable cutting without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a cover element is provided above the housings to act as an actuator for the side walls, then the housing can be closed and the side walls can be moved, but the log is forcibly compressed vertically and the cover interferes with the forward movement of logs during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation system is segmented into two independent parts: a first actuator for moving the side walls horizontally and a second actuator for moving the upper frame vertically. This segmentation allows each actuator to perform its function without interfering with the log, eliminating both the horizontal interference during insertion and the excessive vertical compression.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover element is completely removed from the design. Instead of using a cover that presses down on the log to actuate the side walls, the patent extracts this function and implements it through direct actuation of the side walls by the first actuator, while the upper frame is actuated separately by the second actuator.
2Reliability
If the seats are sized expressly as a function of the diameter of the logs to be cut, then the log can be stably constrained during cutting, but the machine can only cut logs of the same size and requires manual replacement of channels
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure is made dynamic through mobile side walls that can be actuated by the first actuator to adjust the internal diameter of the housing. This allows the housing to adapt its size to accommodate logs of different diameters while maintaining stable constraint during cutting, eliminating the need for manual channel replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed with multi-functionality: it can accommodate logs of various diameters through actuated side walls, provide stable constraint during cutting through the upper frame, and enable automatic operation through dual actuators. This single housing structure replaces the need for multiple fixed-size channels.
3Force
If high lateral containment force is exerted on the walls of the housings, then the logs are stably contained, but a corresponding high vertical compression force is also generated on the log
Solution Approach 1:
The force application is segmented into two independent directional components: horizontal lateral containment force applied by the first actuator on the side walls, and vertical compression force applied by the second actuator on the upper frame. This allows high lateral containment force to be exerted without necessarily generating high vertical compression force, as the two forces are controlled independently.
Data Source
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AI summary
Apparatus (10) for cutting paper logs (11) into a plurality of rolls (12) comprising at least an input longitudinal channel (13) of said log (11) and at least an output channel (14) of said rolls (12), said channels (13, 14) defining circular housings (16) for stably receiving said log (11) and said rolls (12) and being among them arranged in succession and separated at a cutting device (17) of said log (11) into said rolls (12), said channels (13, 14) comprising mobile walls (15) so as to selectively vary the diameter of said circular housings (16) between a maximum diameter and a minimum diameter to guarantee the stable receiving of logs (11) and rolls (12) of various dimensions, being provided at least an upper frame (100) for closing said housings (16) mobile between a first position in which said walls (15) and said at least an upper frame (100) are distanced and a second position wherein said walls (15) and said at least an upper frame (100) are at least partially in contact, wherein there is a primary actuator (26) for moving said walls (15) and at least a secondary actuator (101) independent from said primary actuator (26) for moving said at least an upper frame (100).