Components maintenance device for a baking device and baking device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional baking devices face inefficiencies due to unforeseen maintenance needs, such as waffle sheet jams, leading to energy loss, reduced production efficiency, and safety risks for operators, particularly during cleaning and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A device with a spray lance connected via a sealed connecting device, allowing for maintenance and cleaning within the baking device's heated interior, featuring a pivot and linear bearing system for maneuverability and a flexible end section to prevent damage, enabling safe and efficient operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the housing door is opened to manually clear jams, then the production process can be maintained, but significant heat is lost and energy efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction process continuityVSAvoidheat loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The spray lance is extracted from the exterior environment and introduced into the heated interior through a sealed feedthrough connection. This allows maintenance operations (clearing jams, cleaning) to be performed from the outside without opening the housing door, thus preventing heat loss while maintaining productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealed feedthrough connection acts as an intermediary element that allows the spray lance to pass through the housing wall while maintaining thermal isolation. This mediator enables material (spray medium) to be introduced into the heated interior without compromising the thermal barrier, resolving the contradiction between access for maintenance and heat retention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If the spray lance is rigid, then it provides structural stability, but it can damage components during maneuvering in the heated interior

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidcomponent damage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The spray lance transitions from a completely rigid structure to a dynamic, articulated system with pivot and linear bearings. This allows the lance to adapt its position and orientation during maneuvering, reducing the risk of damaging components while maintaining sufficient structural stability for effective spraying

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The spray lance incorporates flexible elements (articulated sections with bearings) that allow bending and adaptation to different positions. This flexibility enables safe maneuvering in the confined heated interior while the lance maintains enough rigidity in its segments to deliver the spray medium effectively

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Loss of energy

If the spray lance is sealed to the housing part, then heat loss is minimized, but the spray lance cannot be moved for accessing different areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat loss preventionVSAvoidspray lance maneuverability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting device incorporates pivot and linear bearings that enable the spray lance to move relative to the housing part while maintaining a sealed connection. This dynamic sealing allows the lance to access different areas (baking molds, conveyor, etc.) without compromising the thermal barrier, thus maintaining both heat loss prevention and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The connecting device is segmented into multiple degrees of freedom (pivot bearing for angular movement, linear bearing for positional adjustment). This segmentation allows independent control of each movement type while maintaining the seal, enabling comprehensive access to different areas without breaking the thermal isolation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

Facilitates safe and efficient maintenance and cleaning of baking devices, reducing energy loss and operational risks while maintaining production efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a spray lance (4) with a dispensing opening (5) for discharging a spray medium, in particular for discharging compressed air

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompressed air spray: Fluid Spray

Implementation Method 2

the connecting device comprises a pivot bearing to enable the spray lance to be pivoted relative to the housing part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPivoting: Hinge

Implementation Method 3

the pivot bearing is designed as a ball head bearing and comprises a ball head mounted, in particular sealingly, in a ball head recess

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBall bearing: Ball Bearing

Implementation Method 4

the connecting device comprises a linear bearing for longitudinal guidance, in particular for enabling a linear degree of freedom, of the spray lance relative to the housing part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLinear bearing: Ball Bearing

Implementation Method 5

at least one bearing surface of the ball head, in particular the bearing surface of the ball head bearing for supporting the ball head in the ball head recess and/or the bearing surface of the linear bearing for supporting the spray lance, is made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPTFE low friction: Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)

Data Source

PatentEP3935949B1Components maintenance device for a baking device and baking device
Publication Date: 2025.10.08 BUHLER FOOD EQUIP GMBH
  • EP3935949B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3935949B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Baking device with a device for maintenance and in particular for cleaning components arranged in a heated interior (1) of a housing (2) of the baking device, comprising: - a housing part (3) for forming part of the housing (2) of the baking device or for connecting to the housing (2) of the baking device, - a spray lance (4) with a dispensing opening (5) for dispensing a spray medium, in particular for dispensing compressed air, - a connecting device (6) for movably holding the spray lance (4) in or on the housing part (3).