Splitting Machine with Closed Loop Belt for Skin Widening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing splitting machines require skilled operators for manual introduction and widening of skins, which can be dangerous and result in irregular skin advancement, leading to damage, especially when dealing with viscid skins.
Innovation Solution
A splitting machine design featuring a conveyor station with a closed loop belt system and spreader rollers that automatically stretch and introduce the skin between conveyor rollers, eliminating the need for manual operation and ensuring consistent skin widening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual introduction and widening of skin is performed by operators, then the skin can be introduced between conveyor rollers, but the operation is dangerous and results in irregular skin advancement and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the skin itself as the conveying element through a closed loop belt that wraps around the conveyor rollers. The skin's own movement between the rollers automatically performs the introduction and widening functions, eliminating the need for separate manual operations and ensuring consistent advancement without operator intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
A closed loop belt acts as an intermediary element between the operator and the skin. This belt system automatically conveys the skin between the conveyor rollers, mediating the introduction process and ensuring regular advancement while protecting the operator from direct exposure to dangerous zones.
2Reliability
If automatic introduction system with overlapping belts is used, then operator safety is improved, but the skin advancement becomes irregular and damaging
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the problematic overlapping belt configuration and replaces it with a single closed loop belt that directly engages with the conveyor rollers. This removes the source of irregular advancement while maintaining operator safety, as the skin is conveyed automatically without requiring manual intervention in the dangerous zone.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using multiple separate belts to convey the skin, the system inverts the approach by using a single continuous closed loop belt that wraps around the rollers. This inversion simplifies the mechanism and ensures more regular skin advancement while maintaining the automatic introduction function that protects operators.
3Manufacturing precision
If expert operators perform manual introduction and widening, then the skin can be properly positioned, but the operation is dangerous due to proximity to rotating conveyor rollers
Solution Approach 1:
The closed loop belt system automatically performs the positioning and conveying functions that previously required expert manual operations. The skin itself, guided by the belt, is automatically introduced between the rollers with precise positioning, eliminating the need for operators to manually handle the skin near the dangerous rotating rollers.
Solution Approach 2:
The closed loop belt serves as an intermediary that transfers the positioning and conveying function from manual operator action to automated mechanical action. This mediator ensures precise skin positioning while removing the operator from the dangerous proximity to rotating rollers, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision without compromising safety.
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 automatic system ensures safe and efficient skin introduction and widening, reducing operator dependency and minimizing skin damage by maintaining consistent skin advancement and stretching, even with viscid materials.
Implementation Method 1
the spreader roller (15), susceptible to sliding in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction (x) of the skin (P), generates a compression on the portion of skin which slides between the two opposing portions (11', 21') of the belts (11, 21)
Implementation Method 2
the first roller or 'upper conveyor roller', supported by the top transverse, is provided with helical grooves, which start from the central area of the roller and develop, according to mutually opposing propellers, rightwards and leftwards, so as to facilitate the widening of the skin
Implementation Method 3
The third roller is a cylinder covered in rubber, commonly referred to as 'rubber roller', arranged in contact with said second ring roller
Data Source
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AI summary
The finding concerns a splitting machine for dividing the thickness of skins in two parts, transversally, so as to separate the upper part from the lower part of said skins. In such a machine, with methods per se known, there is an upper conveyor roller (100), as well as a second articulated roller (200), between which the skin (P) is introduced and also a third roller (300), arranged below with respect to said second roller (200). The present invention provides that in such a splitting machine there is an introduction zone which conveys the skin directly into the cutting area, the stretching/widening of the above mentioned skin, which starts from the central area and extends laterally outwards, being carried out by means for stretching action and introduction action of the skin between the rollers.