Segmented Stretching Roller for Ribbon Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roller configurations for stretching ribbon-like materials, particularly in the leather industry, often result in surface irregularities, material waste, and reduced product quality due to extended contact surfaces and bridge-like configurations that are unsuitable for moving conveyor belts.
Innovation Solution
A roller with a rotatable body and coaxially arranged discoid elements, featuring a rotation axis with adjustable straight sections, minimizes contact with the material while effectively stretching surface irregularities, allowing for versatile use and integration into existing processing lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a roller with extended contact surface is used to stretch ribbon-like material, then stretching effectiveness is improved, but surface quality of the material deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The roller surface is segmented into multiple discrete gripping elements (protrusions, teeth, or segments) rather than a continuous extended surface. These segmented elements provide stretching action through localized contact points, reducing the total contact area with the material surface while maintaining effective stretching through the distributed gripping action across multiple elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The roller employs localized gripping zones with specific geometric features (protrusions, teeth, or segmented structures) that concentrate the stretching force at discrete points rather than distributing it across an extended surface. This local quality approach allows effective stretching at contact points while leaving the majority of the material surface untouched, thereby preserving surface quality.
2Force
If a bridge-like configuration with roller above material is used, then gripping capability is improved, but surface properties of material are further altered
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of positioning the roller above the material (bridge-like configuration), the roller is inverted to contact the material from below. This inversion maintains gripping capability through the segmented surface elements while eliminating the additional surface pressure and alteration caused by overhead roller contact, thereby preserving material surface properties.
3Force
If roller presses material on conveyor belt for gripping, then gripping is guaranteed, but compatibility with rope type conveyor belts is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented roller surface creates discrete contact points that can grip the ribbon-like material without requiring continuous contact with the conveyor belt. This segmentation allows the roller to effectively grip and stretch material even when the conveyor belt uses discrete rope elements rather than continuous belt surfaces, thereby achieving compatibility with rope type conveyor systems while maintaining reliable gripping.
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
The solution enhances product quality by reducing surface alterations and deposits, while providing flexibility and ease of integration, making it suitable for various processing conditions and conveyor systems.
Implementation Method 1
The roller is configured so that with its external surface it could come in contact with the material ribbon and, by rotating, guarantee the sliding thereof. Under gripping condition on the material, the rotation of the roller is capable of exerting on the latter a stress
Data Source
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Figure 3A~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
The present invention relates to a roller (1), suitable for use in an apparatus for processing ribbon-like material, comprising a rotatable body (1a) configured to assume an operating configuration wherein at least two straight sections (Ω1, Ω2) of its rotation axis (Ω) are incident to each other and wherein the roller (1) comprises a plurality of discoid elements (5) arranged coaxially along the rotatable body (1a), spaced apart from each other and integral with a rotation of the rotatable body.