Rotating Table Trimmer for Hexagonal Bound Material Edges

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bookbinding trimmers fail to efficiently trim bound materials into non-rectangular shapes like hexagons and pose safety and convenience issues due to sharp corners, which can cause injuries and susceptibility to bending.

Innovation Solution

A trimmer with a single trimming blade, a rotating table, and a control system that aligns the trimming line parallel to the blade's longitudinal direction, allowing for precise trimming of edge and corner portions, including the use of input units for coordinate and angle calculations to determine optimal trimming positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional trimmers with multiple blades are used, then rectangular trimming is achieved, but non-rectangular shapes like hexagons cannot be formed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshape varietyVSAvoidblade configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a rotatable table that can be rotated to different angles (0°, 60°, 120°, 180°, 240°, 300°) to enable trimming of various shapes including hexagons. This dynamic positioning allows a single blade configuration to achieve multiple trimming patterns that would otherwise require multiple fixed blades.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The trimming mechanism is designed with universal functionality to handle both rectangular and non-rectangular shapes using the same blade assembly. The control system automatically calculates and positions the table at appropriate angles for different shape requirements, making the device versatile without adding physical complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of manufacture

If corner portions are left sharp, then design simplicity is maintained, but safety issues and bending susceptibility occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign simplicityVSAvoidsafety hazard
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable table enables dynamic adjustment of corner portions during trimming. By rotating the table to specific angles, the system can trim corners at various angles (including oblique angles for hexagonal shapes) to create rounded or angled corners that eliminate safety hazards while maintaining design flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple blades are used for different edges, then trimming precision is improved, but device complexity and operation time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrimming precisionVSAvoidmechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses a single trimming blade combined with a dynamically rotatable table to achieve precision trimming. The control unit calculates the exact rotation angles and blade positions required for each trimming operation, maintaining high precision while avoiding the complexity of multiple blades and their associated adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Device complexity

If manual positioning is used, then device simplicity is maintained, but operation efficiency and precision decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidoperation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit receives input from input units (manual or automatic) regarding the desired shape and automatically calculates the optimal table rotation angles and blade positions. This feedback-based control system automates the positioning process, significantly improving operation efficiency and precision while keeping the physical device relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning with an automated control system that uses coordinate calculations and rotation angle computations. This substitution of mechanical manual operation with automated control enhances productivity and precision without requiring complex mechanical positioning mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP3628456B1Trimmer and trimming method
Publication Date: 2021.06.23 HORIZON INTERNATIONAL INC
  • EP3628456B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3628456B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3628456B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

A trimmer trims a bound material at end portions and/or corner portions of the bound material. The trimmer has a table (2), a pressing unit (4), a trimming mechanism (5) that has a trimming blade (52) and moves the trimming blade (52) to the trimming position, a rotation mechanism (3) that rotates the table (2), a rotation control unit that is operatively connected to the rotation mechanism (3) in such a way that a predetermined trimming line of the bound material positioned parallel to a longitudinal direction of the trimming blade (52), a moving mechanism (6) that moves the trimming mechanism (5) in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the trimming blade (52), and a movement control unit that is operatively connected to the moving mechanism (6) so as to move the trimming mechanism and align the trimming line and the trimming position with each other.