Rotating Abutting Elements for Tile Straightening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing straightening devices for unfired tiles, such as those using roller planes or cylindrical wheels, often cause breakage or abrasion due to incorrect orientation and stress during the straightening process, leading to misalignment issues during transport and work operations.
Innovation Solution
A straightening device with a conveyor system and an abutting barrier composed of rotatably mounted abutting elements with flat surfaces, which gently align the tiles by rotating to ensure the axis of symmetry is parallel to the movement direction, reducing stress and preventing damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a barrier wall is used to straighten tiles by pushing them against a fixed surface, then the tiles can be aligned with the movement direction, but the tiles are subject to impacts causing breakage, detachment, cracking or splintering
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier wall is divided into multiple individual abutting elements (rollers or levers) that can independently rotate or pivot. Each element contacts the tile at a different location, distributing the straightening force across multiple points rather than concentrating it at a single impact point, thereby preventing breakage while achieving alignment
Solution Approach 2:
The abutting elements are made rotatable or pivotable rather than fixed. As tiles are conveyed against the barrier, the elements rotate to accommodate the tile's movement and orientation changes, transforming the static impact into a dynamic, continuous rolling contact that reduces shock and prevents damage
2Manufacturing precision
If cylindrical wheels are used to straighten tiles by tangential contact, then the tiles can be aligned, but significant stresses cause abrasion of the tile
Solution Approach 1:
The abutting elements use curved or rounded surfaces (cylindrical rollers) that contact the tile edges. The curved surface allows the element to roll along the tile edge during the straightening process, distributing the contact stress over a longer path and reducing peak stress concentration that would cause abrasion
Solution Approach 2:
The abutting elements act as intermediary components between the conveyor system and the tile. These elements provide a compliant interface that can adapt to the tile's orientation while minimizing direct harsh contact, using rolling motion as a mediator to reduce abrasive forces
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
Effectively straightens unfired tiles without causing breakage or abrasion, ensuring correct orientation for subsequent operations like grinding or decoration, and allows for flexible transport directions post-straightening.
Implementation Method 1
the abutting elements (20) are mounted rotatably idle on relative vertical rotation axes (23)
Implementation Method 2
The conveyor means is activated in the same movement direction as the tiles
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
The straightening device (D) for straightening a slab-shaped article (P), in particular an unfired tile, with respect to a movement direction (T), comprises a conveyor means (1) for moving the slab-shaped article (P) along a movement direction (T) towards the abutting barrier (2). The abutting barrier (2) is constituted by a plurality of abutting elements (20) each of which is conformed so that the relative lateral surface (21) has at least a flat portion (22). The abutting elements (20) are mounted rotatably idle on relative vertical rotation axes (23) which are arranged aligned along a transversal and perpendicular direction (Z) to the movement direction (T). The abutting elements (20) are mounted on the rotation axes (23) in such a way that the flat portion (22) of the lateral surface (21) thereof is substantially transversal to the movement direction (T), and facing towards the slab-shaped article (P) which is moved by the conveyor means (1) towards the abutting barrier (2), so that the abutting elements (20) abut a transversal side of the slab-shaped article (P) only with the flat portions (22) of the lateral surfaces (21) thereof.