Top Comb Thickness Gradient for Bending Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing operating speed and production volume in combers lead to bending issues with the top comb, affecting combing performance due to the thin plate design, which either bends or vibrates, or becomes thicker and shifts the comb teeth insertion, reducing efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A top comb device with a detachably fixed top comb holder and a comb body featuring a base portion, comb teeth combining portion, and a thickness increasing portion, where the thickness increases towards the base, enhancing rigidity and reducing bending while maintaining combing performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the top comb is made of a thin plate design, then the weight and power consumption are reduced, but the comb teeth portion tends to bend or vibrate back and forth, degrading combing performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight of top combVSAvoidcombing performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The comb body is designed with non-uniform thickness: a thinner comb teeth portion (5mm) for lightweight operation and a thicker base portion (15mm) for structural stability. This local quality variation allows the thin plate design to maintain combing performance by preventing bending at the critical base portion while keeping the overall weight low.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If the top comb is made thicker to reduce bending, then the structural stability is improved, but the teeth insertion position shifts rearward, reducing combing distance and performance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stability of top combVSAvoidcombing distance and performance
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The comb body thickness is locally optimized: the base portion has increased thickness (15mm) to prevent bending and maintain structural stability, while the comb teeth portion maintains optimal thin thickness (5mm) to ensure proper insertion position and combing distance. This resolves the contradiction by applying different thickness requirements to different functional zones.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The comb body is segmented into distinct functional portions with different thickness requirements: the base portion for structural support and the comb teeth portion for combing function. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently for its specific function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If the operating speed and production volume are increased, then the productivity is improved, but the top comb experiences increased bending due to higher operational stresses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperating speed and production volumeVSAvoidresistance to bending
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The thickness increasing portion is strategically positioned between the base portion and comb teeth portion, creating a gradient structure that provides progressive structural support. This allows the comb to withstand higher operational stresses from increased productivity while maintaining the lightweight benefits of a thin plate design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The comb body uses a composite structure combining different thickness regions (5mm and 15mm portions) in a single component, creating a structure that is both lightweight and high-strength, capable of withstanding increased operational stresses from higher productivity operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP2924153B1Top comb device of comber
Publication Date: 2019.11.13 TOYOTA INDUSTRIES CORP
  • EP2924153B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~2
  • EP2924153B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP2924153B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

There is provided a top comb device (10) of a comber, including a top comb holder (11) that is moveable in synchronization with a nipper frame (21) and a top comb (12) that is detachably fixed to the top comb holder. The top comb includes a comb body (14) that is fixed to the top comb holder and a comb teeth member (15) that is formed separately from and combined with the comb body at a tip end of the comb body. The comb body includes a base portion (14B) that is in contact with the top comb holder, a comb teeth combining portion (14A) combined with the comb teeth member at the tip end of the comb body, and a thickness increasing portion (14C) extending between the base portion and the comb teeth combining portion and having a thickness that is increased toward the base portion.