Alternating Tilt Mechanism for Flat Baking Product Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production process of flat baking products, such as cookies, is complicated due to the need for precise positioning of cookie portions before they can be stacked, requiring additional positioning devices and complex handling.
Innovation Solution
A turning device that includes a transporting means to align flat baking products in a row and a tilting means to alternately tilt them, allowing for direct stacking without additional positioning devices, using a rotating axis parallel to the transporting direction and an active thrust to change the orientation of the products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If positioning devices are used to accurately position cookie portions on the discharge conveyor belt, then the stacking device can stack cookie portions sufficiently, but the production process becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the positioning device from the system entirely. Instead of using a positioning device with rotating pick rollers and positioning rollers to accurately position cookie portions, the invention uses a tilting mechanism that alternately tilts cookie portions directly in the required stacking orientation as they move along the conveyor belt, eliminating the need for separate positioning equipment while maintaining stacking precision
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of positioning cookie portions horizontally on the conveyor belt and then orienting them vertically at the stacking point using complex positioning devices, the invention inverts the approach by tilting cookie portions alternately to the required vertical orientation directly during transport. This reverses the traditional sequence of operations and eliminates the need for intermediate positioning steps
2Manufacturing precision
If additional positioning devices are used to adjust the distance and orientation of cookie portions, then accurate stacking is achieved, but the manufacturing process requires more equipment and space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the tilting function and transport function into a single integrated mechanism. The tilting mechanism is incorporated directly into the conveyor system, allowing cookie portions to be tilted alternately while moving along the belt. This merging eliminates the need for separate positioning devices and reduces the overall equipment footprint while maintaining stacking accuracy
3Device complexity
If a simple turning mechanism is used without positioning devices, then the production process is simplified, but the cookie portions cannot be accurately positioned for stacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic alternating tilting action where the tilting mechanism alternately tilts cookie portions to the vertical orientation in a regular periodic pattern as they move along the conveyor belt. This periodic tilting ensures that cookie portions are consistently oriented correctly for stacking without requiring complex positioning devices, achieving both simplicity and precision
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides a turning device for alternately turning flat baking products, comprising: a transporting means for transporting a plurality of flat baking products configured in a row in a transporting direction; a positioning means for bringing a first main surface of the flat baking products from a substantially horizontal starting position to a substantially vertical tilting position, wherein the flat baking products rotate about a rotation axis that is parallel to the transporting direction; and a tilting means for tilting, by means of an active thrust to be applied against the first main surface from a direction transverse to the transporting direction, the flat baking products arranged in the row from the tilting position to an end situation in which the flat products arranged in the row are successively alternately turned with respect to the starting situation. The invention further provides a method for alternately turning flat baking products.