Parallel Dough Section Generator for High Throughput

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dough sheet producing devices have limitations in throughput while maintaining dough quality, leading to suboptimal production efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A dough sheet producing device that generates at least two dough sections in parallel, allowing for simultaneous or overlapping feeding into a dough rolling device, utilizing star rollers and rotating blades to manage dough flow and separation, and independent drives for precise control of passage variants, thereby increasing throughput and optimizing dough sheet quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If dough sections are generated sequentially by the dough section generator using the same generation components, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedough throughputVSAvoidgeneration components
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The dough section generator is divided into multiple independent generation units (first dough section generator and second dough section generator), each capable of producing dough sections simultaneously. This segmentation allows parallel production of dough sections, doubling the throughput capacity while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from sequential single-dimensional production to parallel multi-dimensional production by arranging multiple dough section generators side by side. Each generator operates independently in its own spatial zone, allowing simultaneous production without interference, thereby increasing throughput without proportionally increasing operational complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If dough sections are fed with temporal overlap to the dough rolling device, then productivity increases, but manufacturing precision of dough sheet quality may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedough throughputVSAvoiddough sheet quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates feedback control mechanisms that monitor the production status and timing of each dough section. Based on this feedback, the control device adjusts the feeding timing and speed of individual dough sections to the rolling device, ensuring optimal overlap control that maintains sheet quality while maximizing throughput

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The feeding system employs dynamic speed adjustment capabilities, allowing each dough section to be fed at variable speeds according to real-time production conditions. This dynamic control enables precise management of the temporal overlap between sections, maintaining manufacturing precision even during high-speed parallel operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If star rollers with aspect ratio significantly from 1 are used in the dough storage container, then object-generated harmful factors are reduced (gentle production), but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuncontrolled dough flowVSAvoiddough storage container
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The dough storage container employs asymmetric star rollers with aspect ratios significantly different from 1, creating an uneven surface geometry that naturally guides dough flow in a controlled manner. This asymmetric design prevents uncontrolled dough movement and section mixing while maintaining simple overall container structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The star roller design creates equipotential flow conditions by ensuring uniform dough distribution across the container bottom through specifically engineered roller geometry. This prevents localized stress concentrations and uncontrolled flow patterns while keeping the container design straightforward

Inventive Principle:
Principle #12Equipotentiality

Data Source

PatentEP3620054B1Dough band production device and operating method for same
Publication Date: 2020.12.30 WP KEMPER
  • EP3620054B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3620054B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3620054B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A dough ribbon generating device (1) is used to produce a continuous dough ribbon (2a). The dough ribbon generating device has a dough storage container (2), a dough section generator (3), a dough conveyor (13), and a dough rolling device (19). The dough section generator (3) is used to produce portion-sized dough sections (4i, 5i) from the stored dough. The dough rolling device (19) is arranged in the conveying path after the dough conveyor (3) for rolling the dough sections (4i, 5i) conveyed by the dough section generator (3) into the dough ribbon (2a). The dough section generator (3) is designed such that it produces at least two dough sections (4i, 5i) in parallel. The dough conveyor (3) is designed to feed the at least two dough sections (4i, 5i) to the dough rolling device (19) at predetermined time intervals. This results in a dough sheet production device with high throughput and the most consistent possible dough sheet quality.