Pneumatic Tissue Feeding Apparatus for Packaging Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for feeding folded tissue products to packaging machines face challenges in ensuring reliable high-speed operation, leading to production stops and material waste due to limitations in flexibility, speed, and reliability.

Innovation Solution

A feeding apparatus with collecting discs, separating wheels, and a transport system that includes a crank and rod control device for radial ejection and a pneumatic actuator for stopping and emergency jam resolution, along with a conveyor belt for suction-assisted transport, allowing for flexible and reliable feeding of variably sized stacks at high speeds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If chain or slider transportation arrangements are used, then the apparatus can convey folded articles towards the packaging system, but the flexibility, speed and reliability are not fully satisfactory causing production stops

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidproduction stops
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional chain or slider mechanical transportation arrangements with a blowing system that uses compressed air to propel folded articles along a blowing channel. This substitution eliminates mechanical contact and friction, thereby improving reliability and preventing production stops while maintaining conveyance functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs pneumatic principles by using compressed air to create a blowing current that transports folded articles through a channel. This pneumatic transportation system achieves higher reliability and speed compared to mechanical systems, as it eliminates mechanical wear and contact-based failures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Productivity

If high working speed is imposed to meet productive requirements, then productivity increases, but the flexibility and reliability deteriorate causing malfunctions and material waste

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworking speedVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By replacing mechanical conveyance systems with a pneumatic blowing system, the patent enables higher working speeds without the mechanical constraints and failures that limit traditional systems. The contactless pneumatic transmission maintains reliability even at elevated speeds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of transportation from mechanical contact-based to pneumatic flow-based, allowing the system to operate at higher speeds while maintaining reliability. The compressed air flow can be dynamically adjusted to match productivity requirements without compromising system stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If traditional transportation means are used, then the apparatus can move product stacks, but the speed and flexibility are limited restraining productive capacity

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovespeedVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a pneumatic blowing system with adjustable air flow to achieve variable speed transportation of product stacks. This approach provides both high speed capability and flexibility while avoiding the mechanical complexity of variable speed drives found in traditional mechanical systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

By controlling the parameters of compressed air flow (pressure, volume, direction), the system achieves variable speed and flexible control of product stack transportation. This parameter-based control is simpler and more flexible than mechanical speed control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The apparatus ensures constant and reliable feeding of folded product stacks to packaging machines, overcoming speed limitations and reducing production stops, while maintaining precision and flexibility, even in emergency situations.

Implementation Method 1

a conveyor belt for suction-assisted transport

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Data Source

PatentUS9315354B2Apparatus and method for feeding stacks of tissues or similar folded products to an automatic packaging system
Publication Date: 2016.04.19 RENT
  • US9315354B2 patent drawing
  • US9315354B2 patent drawing
  • US9315354B2 patent drawing

AI summary

An apparatus for feeding tissues or similar folded paper articles towards an automatic packaging system, comprises means for forming stacks of articles with one or more sets of separating wheels, and means for radially ejecting and feeding the stacks to the packaging system; the ejection means comprise at least one ejection device with two or more pushing members inserted between a wheel and the other; article stop means are adjustable in a direction that is substantially tangential with respect to the separating wheel, and orthogonal with an ejection direction.