Winding Group Carriage for Multilayer Semifinished Product

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing manufacturing process for multilayer semifinished products with a textile or metal substrate and elastomer coating is laborious and costly due to manual coil changes, inefficient service fabric recovery, and alignment issues, leading to increased operational time and material waste.

Innovation Solution

A winding group with a carriage and driving unit that allows lateral insertion and extraction, featuring dual power drives and pneumatic gear motors for simultaneous coil and service fabric changes, along with an alignment system using optical sensors and pneumatic actuators to maintain correct positioning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual coil change operation is used with hoist for lifting and moving the complete coil, then the operation can be performed with simple equipment, but the operation is laborious, time-consuming and not free from risks due to notable loads

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoil change speedVSAvoidoperational safety
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the coil handling operation into two independent parts: the semifinished product coil on the first reel and the service fabric coil on the second reel. This segmentation allows each coil to be changed independently and simultaneously, eliminating the need to handle large loads as a single unit and reducing operational risks while improving change speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a common support structure that serves as an intermediary between the two reels. This support structure enables synchronized rotation of both reels and facilitates the simultaneous change of both coils, allowing quick replacement without manual handling of heavy loads.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of substance

If the service fabric is completely wound onto the finished coil for complete recovery, then the service fabric can be fully reused, but this consumes additional time and manpower increasing the cost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice fabric wasteVSAvoidfabric recovery time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system maintains continuous useful action by keeping the service fabric in a ready-to-use state on the second reel throughout the winding process. The fabric is continuously supplied and wound alongside the semifinished product without interruption, eliminating the need for separate recovery operations and enabling immediate reuse in the next winding cycle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The service fabric is preliminarily prepared and positioned on the second reel before the winding operation begins. This preliminary arrangement ensures the fabric is already in place and ready for immediate use, eliminating the need for time-consuming recovery operations after the winding is complete.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of time

If the service fabric is not completely wound onto the finished coil, then the recovery time is reduced, but the residual coil is not sufficient to start a new winding cycle causing material waste

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefabric recovery timeVSAvoidservice fabric waste
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The dual-reel system ensures continuous useful action by maintaining a sufficient length of service fabric on the second reel throughout the winding process. The fabric is continuously supplied from the second reel alongside the semifinished product, ensuring that enough fabric remains available to start the next winding cycle immediately without waste.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Device complexity

If there is misalignment of the service fabric coil with the semifinished product coil, then the alignment system complexity is reduced, but contact between sticky surfaces occurs causing product damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment system complexityVSAvoidproduct protection
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system achieves equipotentiality by mounting both reels on a common support structure that maintains them at the same level and rotational phase. This synchronized arrangement ensures both coils rotate together and remain properly aligned throughout the winding process, preventing misalignment issues without requiring complex alignment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #12Equipotentiality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs asymmetric positioning of the service fabric reel relative to the semifinished product reel, with the service fabric reel offset to the side. This asymmetric arrangement, combined with the common support structure, naturally maintains correct alignment and prevents contact between sticky surfaces while keeping the alignment system simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

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

Facilitates quick and safe coil changes, reduces material waste, and lowers operational costs by automating the process, enabling efficient handling and reuse of service fabric while ensuring proper alignment and reducing manual labor.

Implementation Method 1

a first motor (15) with at least one power drive (151, 152) engageable with said first reel (8)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

a second motor (16) with at least one power drive (161, 162) engageable with said second reel (9)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 3

The gear motor group (15, 153) is slidable (154) and said slidable gear motor group can be moved laterally by a pneumatic system

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPneumatic pressure: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3708349B1Winding group for a multilayer semifinished product and reel-holder carriage
Publication Date: 2020.12.16 RODOLFO COMERIO
  • EP3708349B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3708349B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3708349B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a winding group for a multilayer semifinished product, particularly for a rubber cord, comprising: a winding station (11); a carriage (7) that can be placed in the winding station, in a position for receiving the substrate, the carriage also being insertable/extractable laterally in/from said station on wheels (12); a motor driving unit (10) slidable on guides and located in the winding station to the side of the carriage; wherein the carriage comprises at least one first winding reel (8) of the semi-finished product; the motor unit comprises at least a first motor (15) with at least one power drive (151) that can be engaged with the reel of the carriage and a hook that can be inserted in the carriage. The invention also relates to a reel-holder carriage (7) suitable for use in said winding group.