Pivoting Drip Shield Clutch for Safe Dough Kneading Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Kneading machines in industrial dough production plants are not adequately safeguarded for safe access by driverless transport vehicles, posing risks of contamination and injury due to dripping dough and potential mechanical hazards.
Innovation Solution
A kneading machine with a pivoting drip guard equipped with a safety clutch that disconnects torque transmission upon overload, allowing safe operation and integration with automated systems, and a compact design minimizing interference with automated guided vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a safety fence or additional access protection is installed to protect operators from injury, then safety is improved, but the machine becomes less accessible to automated guided vehicles and requires additional space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the safety function from a traditional fixed safety fence and relocates it to the movable drip guard itself. The drip guard is equipped with a safety clutch that detects obstacles and automatically stops movement, thereby providing operator protection without requiring additional fixed protective structures that would block vehicle access
Solution Approach 2:
The drip guard is designed to serve multiple functions: it collects dough drippings during operation and simultaneously acts as a safety device during vehicle approach. By integrating the safety clutch into the drip guard mechanism, a single component performs both the dough collection function and the operator protection function, eliminating the need for separate safety fencing
2Volume of moving object
If the drip guard is positioned close to the kneading bowl to maintain machine compactness, then space utilization is improved, but the risk of injury from mechanical movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety clutch is pre-configured with a predetermined slip torque that is set before operation. This preliminary setting ensures that the clutch will automatically disengage when excessive force is detected, providing proactive protection against injury before it can occur. The system is prepared in advance to detect and respond to obstacles in the drip guard's path
Solution Approach 2:
The safety clutch acts as a mechanical cushioning device that absorbs excess energy from the pivoting drive. By designing the clutch to slip at a predetermined torque threshold, the system beforehand prepares a protective mechanism that limits the maximum force exerted by the motor, thereby cushioning against potential injury from uncontrolled movement while maintaining compact dimensions
3Productivity
If the pivoting drive moves the drip guard quickly to reduce downtime, then productivity is improved, but the risk of injury from fast-moving parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The safety clutch provides continuous feedback during the pivoting operation by monitoring the torque transmitted from the motor. When the clutch detects that the torque exceeds the predetermined slip torque (indicating an obstacle or abnormal condition), it automatically disengages the power transmission, providing real-time feedback control that stops the movement before injury can occur while allowing normal high-speed operation under safe conditions
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
Ensures safe and efficient operation by preventing injuries and contamination while enabling seamless integration with driverless transport vehicles, reducing downtime and maintaining machine compactness.
Implementation Method 1
the safety coupling is a friction coupling that reliably prevents torque transmission in the event of an overload
Data Source
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AI summary
A kneading machine (1) for food dough comprising a lower part (3) and an upper part (2), wherein a kneading bowl (5) can be arranged on the lower part (3) and a drive for rotating the kneading bowl (5) is attached, and wherein a kneading tool (15) and a drive for driving the kneading tool (15) as well as a lid (4) for closing the kneading bowl (5) are held on the upper part (2), and wherein the kneading machine (1) comprises a drip guard (13) having a drip guard (14) which can be pivoted between a pivoted and a pivoted position by means of a pivoting drive (18), wherein in the pivoted position the drip guard (14) is located below the kneading tools (15) such that food dough dripping from the kneading tool (15) is collected, wherein the drip guard (13) comprises a safety clutch (16),which, in the event of overload, separates a drive shaft (17) of the swivel drive (18) from an output shaft (19) associated with the drip guard (14), thus interrupting torque transmission.