Pivoting Flattener Loader for Precise Dough Ball Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for processing flatbreads struggle with accurately positioning dough balls on a conveyor to ensure uniform application of pressure and heat, leading to misalignment and waste due to non-conforming products.
Innovation Solution
A comestible loader system with pivotable and translatable flatteners that support and position dough balls at a target location on a conveyor, using actuators to pivot and translate the flatteners to ensure precise alignment with a pressing pattern, reducing misalignment and improving uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional loading systems are used to place dough balls on conveyor, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but the positioning accuracy is poor leading to misalignment and waste
Solution Approach 1:
The flattener assembly is made dynamically adjustable through actuators that control the position and orientation of flatteners. The system transitions from static to dynamic positioning, allowing real-time adjustment of flattener locations to achieve precise dough ball placement and alignment on the conveyor belt.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual or simple mechanical loading systems are replaced with an automated actuator-controlled mechanism. The actuators (electromechanical devices) substitute for traditional mechanical linkages, providing precise control over flattener position and orientation, thereby improving positioning accuracy while managing system complexity through automation.
2Manufacturing precision
If flatteners are fixed in position, then the device is simple to manufacture, but the alignment with pressing pattern is poor
Solution Approach 1:
Fixed flatteners are replaced with dynamically adjustable flatteners controlled by actuators. The system allows programmable positioning and orientation adjustment to achieve precise alignment with the pressing pattern, transforming a static manufacturing challenge into a controllable dynamic process.
Solution Approach 2:
The position and orientation parameters of the flatteners are made variable through actuator control. By changing these parameters programmatically, the system achieves precise alignment with the pressing pattern without requiring complex manual adjustment or repositioning during operation.
3Productivity
If manual positioning is used, then the equipment is simple, but the production speed is slow and consistency is poor
Solution Approach 1:
Manual positioning operations are replaced with automated actuator-controlled mechanisms. The electromechanical actuators automatically position and orient flatteners according to programmed sequences, dramatically increasing production speed and consistency while eliminating manual labor bottlenecks.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator-controlled system enables continuous operation without interruption for manual adjustment. The automated mechanism maintains continuous productive action by rapidly and consistently positioning dough balls and adjusting flatteners throughout the production cycle, eliminating idle time associated with manual operations.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for a comestible loader with flatteners that pivot and translate. One of the methods includes receiving, by a comestible loader, a comestible through an opening defined in a loader frame of the comestible loader and onto a surface; and pivoting and translating a first flattener and a second flattener to a pre-press position to permit the first flattener and the second flattener to position the comestible approximately at a target position on the surface.