Rotatable Semi-Spherical Rounder Bar Seal for Dough Rounding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rounding devices for dough and semi-solid materials face issues such as blemishes, inefficient rounding, and manual adjustments required for size changes, leading to increased costs, production losses, and equipment damage due to overheating and wear.
Innovation Solution
A self-adjusting, rotatable rounder bar with a sealing system that maintains a consistent angle and pressure, featuring a rotatable seal bar with a semi-spherical foot and automatic height adjustment, which reduces blemishes and enhances rounding efficiency by accommodating different dough sizes and camber settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a fixed seal bar is used in conventional rounding devices, then the structure is simple, but the seal bar cannot maintain consistent pressure and angle during operation, causing blemishes and inefficient rounding
Solution Approach 1:
The seal bar is made rotatable about a vertical axis, allowing it to dynamically adjust its orientation during operation. This dynamic capability enables the seal bar to maintain consistent pressure and angle against the dough portion throughout the rounding process, eliminating blemishes and improving rounding quality without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable seal bar automatically self-adjusts its position and angle during the rounding operation through the natural forces applied by the moving dough portion. This self-adjusting mechanism eliminates the need for external control systems or manual intervention, maintaining optimal sealing pressure and angle while keeping the device structure relatively simple
2Productivity
If manual adjustment is required for size changes, then the device structure is simple, but production efficiency decreases and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The seal bar's rotatability allows it to dynamically adapt to different dough portion sizes automatically during operation. The natural movement and pressure from portions of varying sizes cause the seal bar to self-adjust its position and angle, maintaining optimal sealing without requiring manual intervention for size changes, thereby improving productivity while keeping operation simple
3Reliability
If the seal bar operates without automatic height adjustment, then the device structure is simple, but the seal bar cannot accommodate varying dough sizes, leading to overheating and equipment damage
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable seal bar dynamically adjusts its position and angle in response to varying dough sizes and operating conditions. This dynamic adaptation prevents excessive pressure and friction that lead to overheating and equipment damage, enhancing reliability without requiring a separate automatic height adjustment mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The seal bar automatically self-regulates its position and sealing pressure through rotation during operation, adapting to different dough sizes and preventing conditions that cause overheating and equipment damage. This self-regulating capability improves reliability while avoiding the complexity of additional height adjustment mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is directed to a rounder or rounding machine having one or more conveyor(s) having a horizontal conveyor surface with a support frame. One or more rounder bars are coupled to the support frame by one or more rounder bar height adjustment systems above the conveyor at a set height and at a camber angle set by one or more camber adjustment systems. A rounder bar seal on the rounder bar is provided having a rounder bar seal channel and a rounder bar seal channel contour. The rounder bar seal having a first body member having one or more semi-spherical contours and a second body member extending down at an angle from the first body member, and third body member extending from the first body member and extending in an opposed direction from the second body member. The rounder bar seal channel contour mates with, at least in part, the first body member through the one or more semi-spherical contours, the first body member being coupled and retained within the channel, rotating freely therein. The second and third body members extending and contacting the horizontal conveyor surface of the conveyor belt and self aligning the seal bar with the horizontal conveyor surface such that the rounder bar seal effectively forms a seal.