Reel Holder Brake Module for Food Wrapping Tension Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food product wrapping machines face issues with tension variations in the wrapping material web, leading to disruptions and poor print quality, due to the inertia of free-spinning reels, which can result in high costs and machine standstills.
Innovation Solution
A reel holder arrangement with a brake module, rotation sensor, and control unit that regulates the tension by applying a brake force based on the infeed rate and rotational speed of the reel, ensuring consistent and controlled tension in the wrapping material web.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a free-spinning reel is used to hold the wrapping material, then the reel holder arrangement is simple and robust, but the large inertia of the rolled-up wrapping material causes undesired variations in web tension
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static free-spinning reel to a dynamic controlled system where the reel's rotational speed is actively regulated by a brake mechanism. The brake force is dynamically adjusted based on feedback from rotation sensors and input about the infeed rate, allowing the system to adapt to changing conditions and maintain stable web tension despite the reel's inertia.
Solution Approach 2:
A rotation sensor continuously monitors the rotational speed of the reel and provides feedback to a control unit. The control unit processes this information along with the infeed rate and adjusts the brake force accordingly. This closed-loop feedback system enables automatic compensation for tension variations, resolving the contradiction between mechanical simplicity and tension stability.
2Reliability
If the web tension varies due to reel inertia, then the wrapping process may be disrupted or the web may break, but adding a brake control system increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces purely mechanical passive reel support with a controlled electromechanical system. The brake mechanism, driven by electrical control signals from the control unit, substitutes for simple mechanical bearing support. This allows precise control of reel rotation and web tension while maintaining operational reliability, accepting increased complexity as necessary for process continuity.
3Manufacturing precision
If tension variations occur in the web, then print quality deteriorates at the printing station, but implementing tension control increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation sensor provides continuous feedback on reel speed, enabling the control unit to maintain consistent web tension through dynamic brake adjustment. This feedback mechanism ensures that the web enters the printing station with stable tension, preventing print quality deterioration while using a relatively simple sensor-based control approach rather than complex mechanical tensioning devices.
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
This solution provides a simple, efficient, and robust method to maintain consistent tension in the wrapping material web, minimizing disruptions and improving print quality while reducing the likelihood of machine standstills by automatically controlling the supply of wrapping material.
Implementation Method 1
a brake module operable to apply a brake force on the shaft
Implementation Method 2
a rotation sensor arranged to sense a parameter indicative of a rotational speed of the shaft
Data Source
Figure 1~2A
Figure 2B~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A machine (1) for wrapping food products (P), e.g. ice cream products, comprises at least one reel holder arrangement (200) for supplying a web (10) of wrapping material from a reel (201) of rolled-up wrapping material. The reel holder arrangement (200) comprises a rotatable reel holder for holding the reel (201) such that reel holder is driven to rotate by the machine (1) drawing the web (10) from the reel (201), and a brake module (202) which operable to apply a brake force to a shaft of the reel holder. A control unit (20) is arranged to generate, based on a measured or otherwise known web infeed rate (Sin) of the machine (1) and a measured rotational speed (ωm) of the reel holder, a control signal (C1) for operating the brake module (202) to set the brake force so as to control tension in the web (10). The machine (1) may be a multi-lane wrapping machine with a plurality of reel holder arrangements (200).