Star Wheel Arrangement for Conical Sleeve Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing apparatus for producing conical sleeves and cups is complex, with star wheels having perpendicular and differently arranged rotary axes, making sleeve transfer and access to processing stations difficult, and conversion to different cup formats complicated due to poorly accessible drives.
Innovation Solution
Star wheels are arranged in one plane with horizontal drive shafts, allowing easy access and positioning, and connected to drives mounted on the central wall of the machine frame for improved accessibility and stability, enabling high-speed operation with precise positioning and easy format changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If star wheels are arranged with perpendicular and differently arranged rotary axes, then the apparatus can process multiple cup formats, but accessibility to processing stations and drives becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a three-dimensional arrangement with perpendicular axes to a two-dimensional planar arrangement where all star wheels rotate in the same plane. This dimensional simplification maintains versatility through programmable control while dramatically improving operator accessibility to all processing stations and drives from the front of the machine.
2Device complexity
If drives are mounted below star wheels with vertical axes, then the apparatus structure is compact, but drive accessibility and maintenance become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the drives from their traditional position below the star wheels and relocates them to the front of the machine in the same plane as the star wheels. This separation of the drive mounting location from the star wheel rotation axis allows for easy drive accessibility and maintenance while maintaining a compact overall structure through optimized spatial arrangement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If star wheels are arranged in different planes, then the apparatus can handle various cup formats, but sleeve transfer between star wheels becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies the sleeve transfer mechanism by arranging all star wheels in the same plane, eliminating the need for complex three-dimensional transfer mechanisms. Sleeves can now be transferred horizontally between adjacent star wheels using simple conveyors or robotic arms, dramatically reducing transfer mechanism complexity while maintaining versatility through programmable star wheel configurations.
4Productivity
If high-speed operation over 250 cycles per minute is achieved, then productivity increases, but positional exactness and machine stability become challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback control systems with sensors that monitor the position and speed of each star wheel in real-time. This feedback allows the programmable control system to make continuous adjustments to maintain positional exactness even at high speeds over 250 cycles per minute, ensuring manufacturing precision is preserved despite increased productivity demands.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic acceleration and deceleration profiles programmed into the star wheel operation. By controlling the rate of change of speed rather than maintaining constant high speed throughout the cycle, the system can achieve high productivity while minimizing inertial forces that would compromise positional accuracy and machine stability.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for manufacturing a sleeve for a paper cup and/or a paper cup comprises a machine frame and at least two star wheels, which are rotatably connected with the machine frame and which can be rotated in synchronized cycles. A first star wheel comprises a number of conical mandrels, on each of which one sleeve made of a flat-lying blank can be formed. The star wheels are positioned in one plane and are arranged to a vertical wall of the machine frame with horizontal rotary axes. The star wheels can be connected to at least one drive, whereby the drive is arranged on the side of the machine frame wall facing away from the star wheels.