Web Product Folding Machine Retractable Stopper

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional web product folding and stacking machines face issues with maintaining the integrity of interfolded products due to inadequate holding mechanisms, leading to either incomplete stacking or damage from extended stoppage units.

Innovation Solution

A web product folding and stacking machine equipped with a retractable member in the stoppage unit, an air blower unit, a flexible pad on the carrier unit, and a suction device to ensure proper alignment and secure holding of interfolded products, preventing damage and achieving neat stacking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the length of the stoppage unit is increased to hold down the exposed web product, then the web product integrity is improved, but the stoppage unit will pierce the web products causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweb product integrityVSAvoiddamage to web products

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stoppage unit is divided into a fixed portion and a retractable member portion. The retractable member can extend beyond the stoppage unit when needed to hold down the exposed web product, providing the necessary holding length without permanently increasing the stoppage unit's footprint or causing piercing damage during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The retractable member is designed to be movable relative to the stoppage unit, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position. It extends when needed to maintain web product integrity and retracts when not needed to avoid piercing the web products, thus adapting to different operational requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the length of the stoppage unit is decreased to avoid piercing web products, then damage to web products is reduced, but the stoppage unit cannot hold down the exposed web product entirely

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedamage to web productsVSAvoidweb product integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The stoppage unit is segmented into a fixed portion and a retractable member portion. The retractable member can extend beyond the stoppage unit when needed to hold down the exposed web product, providing the necessary holding length without permanently increasing the stoppage unit's footprint or causing piercing damage during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The retractable member is extended in advance when the stoppage unit needs to hold down the exposed web product. This preliminary extension ensures that the holding surface is ready before the web product is fully positioned, allowing the stoppage unit to effectively hold down the web product without causing damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the stoppage unit is moved downwards to deliver interfolded web products, then productivity is improved, but one web product will be exposed to the outside of the stoppage unit

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery speedVSAvoidweb product stacking quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The stoppage unit is divided into a fixed portion and a retractable member portion. The retractable member can extend beyond the stoppage unit when needed to hold down the exposed web product, providing the necessary holding length without permanently increasing the stoppage unit's footprint or causing piercing damage during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The retractable member is designed to be movable relative to the stoppage unit, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position. It extends when needed to maintain web product integrity and retracts when not needed to avoid piercing the web products, thus adapting to different operational requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 effectively maintains the integrity of interfolded products by extending the retractable member to hold down exposed products, using air to adhere them, and a flexible pad to ensure proper stacking, resulting in a neat and damage-free stacking process.

Implementation Method 1

an air blower unit, which is adapted to blow air toward the web products at the stoppage unit, keeping the web product that exposed to the outside of the stoppage unit to be closely adhered to the top side of the stoppage unit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir flow:

Implementation Method 2

a suction device mounted in the first carrier unit for sucking one web product to have the web product be positively secured to the bottom surface of the first carrier unit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Data Source

PatentUS8172212B2Web product folding and stacking machine, web product folding and stacking method using same

Publication Date: 2012.05.08 CHAN LI MACHINERY CO LTD

AI summary

A web product folding and stacking machine includes two folding line making wheels, two folding fingers, a first carrier unit, a stoppage unit and a holder. The folding line making wheels and the folding fingers are operated to fold up web products on the first carrier unit to form a stack of interfolded web products. When a stack of a predetermined number of interfolded web products is finished, the stoppage unit is extended out to isolate the interfolded web products. Further, a retractable member of the stoppage unit is extended out to hold down the finished stack of interfolded web products when the stoppage unit is lowered to carry the finished stack of interfolded web products with the holder, keeping the finished stack of interfolded web products in integrity.