Self-Cleaning Cigarette Machine Shaft Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cigarette machines face issues with jamming due to sticky moist plant material, are not user-friendly, require high maintenance, and experience alignment problems, leading to downtime and revenue loss in small shop settings.

Innovation Solution

A cigarette assembly machine with a two-stroke shaft mechanism that forms and pushes SPM slugs into cigarette blanks, featuring a solid distal push tip, intermediate brush, and proximal shaft for scrubbing, along with adjustable hopper designs and optical sensors for improved operation and maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a machine uses moist plant material to form cigarettes, then the machine can process high-resin plant material, but the machinery becomes jammed with sticky remnants from previous slugs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to process high-resin plant materialVSAvoidjamming of machinery

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The brush is positioned to pre-clean the slug forming mechanism before new plant material is deposited, preventing sticky remnants from previous slugs from causing jamming in subsequent operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The rotating brush automatically cleans the slug forming mechanism during the cigarette formation process itself, using the motion already present in the system to perform maintenance without external intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If customer operated cigarette machines are designed for functionality, then they can produce finished cigarettes, but they become complex and difficult to operate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecigarette production capabilityVSAvoidoperational simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The brush cleaning component is integrated into the shaft assembly, allowing it to be easily removed and replaced without disassembling the entire machine, thus simplifying maintenance for minimally trained operators

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The brush is designed as a consumable component that can be easily replaced when worn, rather than attempting to make it durable and complex, reducing maintenance complexity for end users

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Productivity

If machines are designed for high performance, then they can produce cigarettes efficiently, but they require high maintenance and frequent adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecigarette formation efficiencyVSAvoidmaintenance complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The shaft assembly is divided into separable components (shaft, brush, distal tip) that can be independently removed and replaced, simplifying maintenance procedures for shop owners with limited mechanical skills

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The self-cleaning brush automatically maintains the slug forming mechanism during operation, reducing the frequency and complexity of manual maintenance interventions required

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Productivity

If machines operate continuously with constant motion, then they maintain high productivity, but they go out of adjustment/alignment frequently

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous operation capabilityVSAvoidalignment and adjustment stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The brush pre-cleans the slug forming mechanism before each cigarette formation cycle, preventing buildup that could cause misalignment or jamming during continuous operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The brush operates continuously during machine operation to constantly maintain the slug forming mechanism, ensuring consistent alignment and preventing deviation during prolonged use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 machine reduces jamming, enhances user simplicity, lowers maintenance needs, and minimizes downtime, ensuring reliable operation and easy servicing, thus reducing revenue loss in small shop settings.

Implementation Method 1

the intermediate brush scrubs the SPM slug forming mechanism

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical abrasion: Abrasion

Data Source

PatentUS11576425B2Self-cleaning cigarette manufacturing machine

Publication Date: 2023.02.14 MUNAWAR SAJID

AI summary

A cigarette assembly machine that accepts loose shredded plant material (“SPM”) and cigarette blanks that include a filter and an empty SPM holding portion and produces cigarettes. The machine has an SPM slug forming mechanism, adapted to accept loose SPM and form it into a slug of SPM in the shape of the SPM holding portion and a cigarette blank accepting and holding mechanism, adapted to hold the cigarette blank. Further, a shaft and a two-stroke shaft moving assembly is adapted to push the SPM slug into the holding portion. Finally, the shaft includes a solid distal push tip, an intermediate brush, and a proximal shaft, whereby as the shaft is moved through its strokes, the intermediate brush scrubs the SPM slug forming mechanism.