Printing Sleeve Handling Device with Self-Aligning Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic handling and transport devices for printing sleeves face alignment issues and jamming problems, especially with heavy sleeves, due to misalignments between the sleeve-bearing shaft and the holding support, which limits their effectiveness in offset printing machines and requires additional pushing mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
An automatic handling and transport device with a mobile unit equipped with a cantilevered supporting inner core and adaptable support means that allow for self-alignment and three-dimensional movement, combined with a motorized clamping carriage for gripping and transporting sleeves, preventing jams by ensuring coaxial alignment and secure transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a fixed holding support is used for sleeve transfer, then alignment precision is improved, but adaptability to misalignments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The holding support is transformed from a fixed rigid structure to a dynamic adjustable structure. The support can move in three-dimensional space and adjust its position and orientation to accommodate misalignments between the sleeve-bearing shaft and the holding support, while maintaining precise alignment during the transfer operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding support's positional parameters (x, y, z coordinates and orientation angles) are made variable rather than fixed. This allows the support to adapt its parameters to match the actual position of the sleeve-bearing shaft, resolving the contradiction between maintaining precision and adapting to misalignments.
2Productivity
If pushing means are added to transfer sleeves, then transfer capability is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The holding support is designed to actively seek and achieve alignment with the sleeve-bearing shaft through its own movement capabilities, rather than requiring external pushing mechanisms to force the transfer. The system serves itself by automatically adapting to positional variations.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using pushing means to force the sleeve transfer, the invention inverts the approach by allowing the holding support to move to the sleeve and perform the transfer through its own motion, eliminating the need for separate pushing devices.
3Reliability
If the holding support is kept perfectly co-aligned with the sleeve-bearing shaft, then transfer reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The holding support automatically maintains co-alignment with the sleeve-bearing shaft through its own movement and adjustment capabilities, without requiring external intervention or complex alignment procedures. The system self-corrects any misalignments automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding support's dynamic positioning capability allows it to continuously adapt to the sleeve-bearing shaft's position, maintaining reliable alignment automatically. This eliminates the need for manual alignment operations while ensuring transfer reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic handling and transport device for printing sleeves that includes a holding support (10) for printing sleeves (60) and a clamping carriage (20) connected to a motorized carriage (30) for a guided movement of the clamping carriage (20) between a gripping position for gripping sleeves (60) and a transport position, and a mobile handling unit (90) carrying the holding support (10). The holding support (10) has an inner core (12) attached to the mobile handling unit (90), and the holding support (10) is coupled to the core (12) or to the mobile handling unit (90) through adaptable support means (40), which provide a relative movement with respect to the core (12) to at least one of the two ends of the holding support (10). The connection of the clamping carriage (20) to the motorized carriage (30) comprises adaptable means (49) that allow a relative movement between the clamping carriage (20) and the motorized carriage (30).