Rotating Folding Assemblies for Ribbon Processing Line Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ribbon folding assemblies in production lines require manual replacement and adjustment, leading to prolonged downtime and economic losses due to the need for frequent reconfiguration for different folding requirements.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with selectively positionable folding assemblies that can rotate about a pivot axis, allowing for quick switching between configurations without manual disassembly or repositioning of components, using a support system with angularly spaced plate-like walls and mounting slots for rollers and geometric plates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual replacement and adjustment of folding assemblies is performed, then folding configurations can be changed for different product requirements, but production line downtime increases and operational costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The folding assembly is made dynamically reconfigurable through a support structure with rotatable plates that can be selectively positioned between active and inactive configurations. This allows the assembly to adapt to different folding requirements dynamically during production without requiring complete disassembly or manual repositioning of components.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding assembly is divided into modular components including multiple plates (first plate, second plate, third plate) that can be independently positioned and configured. Each plate can be selectively activated or deactivated based on the required folding pattern, enabling flexible reconfiguration while maintaining production continuity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual disassembly and repositioning of rollers and geometric plates is performed, then different folding patterns can be achieved, but operational complexity and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure serves multiple functions: it holds the folding assembly, provides rotation capability, and enables selective positioning of plates. The same structural elements (support, plates, rollers) are used across different folding configurations, eliminating the need for separate specialized components for each folding pattern.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding assembly is designed to be self-reconfigurable through its rotational mechanism. The plates can be selectively positioned into active or inactive states without requiring external manual intervention for disassembly and repositioning, reducing operational complexity and labor requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for folding ribbons tidily, particularly ribbons fed from a reel, comprising at least one support (2) for supporting at least one first folding assembly (3a) and one second folding assembly (3b) on a main footing, and selective positioning means (4) for arranging the folding assemblies (3a, 3b) with respect to the footing in respective mutually exclusive operating configurations, so as to allow the preset tidy folding of at least one ribbon (N) according to the required processing needs.