Removable Cutting Roller Sleeve for Rigid, Fast-Serviced Sheeters

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tortilla sheeters face challenges with cutting rollers that deform and bow due to insufficient rigidity, leading to uneven cutting and requiring labor-intensive replacement procedures, which are costly and time-consuming.

Innovation Solution

A cutting roller design featuring a removable outer sleeve and a driveshaft with a bearing support, allowing the sleeve to be replaced without removing the entire shaft, and torque transfer mechanisms to simplify servicing, ensuring the shaft remains rigid and reducing installation complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the cutting roller is made as a solid metal shaft with bonded plastic layer, then the structure is simple and rigid, but the weight becomes extremely heavy (hundreds of pounds) and replacement requires two or more people and machine assistance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverigidity of cutting rollerVSAvoidweight of cutting roller

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting roller is divided into two main segments: a heavy metal driveshaft that remains permanently mounted in the machine, and a removable outer cutting sleeve that contains the cutting guides. This segmentation allows the heavy shaft to stay fixed for structural rigidity while the lighter sleeve can be easily removed and replaced by a single operator.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of repair

If the entire cutting roller assembly is removed for sleeve replacement, then the sleeve can be serviced, but production time is lost and labor costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveserviceability of cutting sleeveVSAvoiddowntime during maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The outer cutting sleeve is extracted as a separate removable component from the driveshaft. The sleeve can be independently removed through an access portal without taking out the entire cutting roller assembly, allowing maintenance personnel to service the cutting guides while the driveshaft remains mounted and the machine can quickly return to production.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If the cutting roller is made lighter for easier handling, then replacement becomes simpler, but the shaft bows in the middle due to insufficient rigidity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of replacementVSAvoidrigidity of shaft

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Device complexity

If bonding methods are used to attach the plastic layer to the shaft, then the structure is simplified, but the bonding deforms insufficiently and the layer can no longer be used

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of constructionVSAvoiddurability of bonding

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS12495803B2Sheeter with removeable cutting roller sleeve

Publication Date: 2025.12.16 FORD JC CO

AI summary

A sheeter can include a cutting roller having a driveshaft and a removeable a cutting sleeve. The removeable cutting sleeve can simplify the process for replacing the cutting surface of a cutting roller. Additionally, the sheeter can include a mounting arrangement that supports the driveshaft of the cutting roller in a cantilevered manner, and an access portion allowing the removal sleeves to be pulled off of the driveshaft without removing the driveshaft from the sheeter.