Ejecting mechanism and filling equipment
The ejecting mechanism with flexible connecting structures at both ends of the push plate addresses the issue of asynchronous movement, preventing sticking and improving the reliability and efficiency of the filling equipment.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SIG COMBIBLOC (SUZHOU) CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-09
AI Technical Summary
The push plate in filling equipment is prone to getting stuck relative to guide rails due to uneven forces acting on its longitudinal ends, caused by asynchronous movement resulting from the motor's position, processing, and mounting errors.
An ejecting mechanism with a linkage assembly and flexible connecting structures at both ends of the push plate, allowing for synchronized motion along guide rails, mitigating the effects of unsynchronized movements and component errors.
Prevents the push plate from getting stuck relative to the guide rails, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the filling equipment by ensuring smooth ejection of packages.
Smart Images
Figure CN2025145561_09072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
EJECTING MECHANISM AND FILLING EQUIPMENTFIELD
[0001] The present application relates to mechanical transmission mechanisms, and in particular to an ejecting mechanism and a filling equipment comprising the same.BACKGROUND
[0002] The contents of this section only provide background information related to the present application, which may not necessarily constitute the conventional technology.
[0003] In filling equipment used for filling beverages or food products, one or more packages may be pushed out to downstream stations by an elongated push plate after filling is complete. The filling equipment typically has a drive, such as an electric motor, mounted at one longitudinal end of the push plate to drive the push plate to perform linear reciprocating motion along guide rails perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the push plate, thereby pushing out the packages. Due to the considerable longitudinal length of the push plate, the motor being positioned on one side, and processing and mounting errors of various components, the forces acting on the two longitudinal ends of the push plate may become uneven, which may lead to asynchronous movement of the two longitudinal ends of the push plate relative to the guide rails, potentially causing the push plate to be prone to getting stuck relative to the guide rails.
[0004] Therefore, there is a need to develop an improved ejecting mechanism that prevents or reduces the occurrence of the push plate getting stuck relative to the guide rails.SUMMARY
[0005] An object of the present application is to prevent or mitigate the issue of the push plate of the ejecting mechanism getting stuck relative to the guide rails. Another object of the present application is to enhance the reliability of the ejecting mechanism and the filling equipment.
[0006] An ejecting mechanism is provided according to an aspect of the present application, which includes: a push plate extending in a longitudinal direction, the push plate having a first end and a second end opposite to each other; guide rails, a lengthwise direction of which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the guide rails including a first guide rail provided at the first end and a second guide rail provided at the second end; and a linkage assembly, a first sliding member, and a second sliding member, where the linkage assembly is connected to the first end via the first sliding member to enable the first end of the push plate to perform linear reciprocating motion along the first guide rail, the linkage assembly is connected to the second end via the second sliding member to enable the second end of the push plate to perform linear reciprocating motion along the second guide rail, and the first end is connected to the first sliding member via a flexible connecting structure.
[0007] In some embodiments, the first sliding member may include a first component and a second component. The first component is connected to the first guide rail in such a manner that it is slidable along the first guide rail, the second component is connected to the first end of the push plate, and the first sliding member is configured such that the first component and the second component are capable of moving relative to each other.
[0008] In some embodiments, the first component may be configured as a slider mounting base, the second component may be configured as a slider, and the first sliding member may further include a guide shaft connected to the slider mounting base and extending along the lengthwise direction of the guide rails. The slider mounting base includes a groove, and the slider is arranged in the groove and on the guide shaft. A gap is formed between the slider and an inner sidewall of the groove in the lengthwise direction of the guide rail.
[0009] In some embodiments, a damping member may be arranged in the gap between the slider and the inner sidewall of the groove.
[0010] In some embodiments, the second end of the push plate and the second sliding member may be fixedly connected.
[0011] In some embodiments, the ejecting mechanism may further include a drive, which is connected to the linkage assembly on one side of the second end of the push plate and drives the linkage assembly.
[0012] In some embodiments, the linkage assembly may include: a crank-link mechanism connected to an output shaft of the drive and converting the rotational motion of the output shaft into reciprocating motion, an intermediate transmission mechanism connected to the crank-link mechanism and including a drive shaft extending in the longitudinal direction, a first link connecting the distal end of the intermediate transmission mechanism to the first sliding member, and a second link connecting the proximal end of the intermediate transmission mechanism to the second sliding member.
[0013] In some embodiments, the guide rails may include a first guide rod extending through the first sliding member and a second guide rod extending through the second sliding member.
[0014] In some embodiments, the ejecting mechanism may further include a support frame. The guide rails are fixed to the support frame, and the push plate is configured to move relative to the support frame to push items on the push plate out from the support frame.
[0015] A filling equipment is further provided according to another aspect of the present application, including the ejecting mechanism according to the above aspects. The push plate of the ejecting mechanism is configured to push packages in the filling equipment out to downstream stations.
[0016] In the ejecting mechanism according to the present application, at least one end of the push plate cooperates with the guide rail via a flexible connecting structure, which increases the tolerance for component processing errors, mounting errors, and motion errors. Therefore, even when the motion of the two ends of the push plate is not completely synchronized, the issue of the push plate getting stuck relative to the guide rail can be effectively avoided.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present application are described by way of example only with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same features or components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the accompanying drawings:
[0018] FIGS. 1 and 2 show perspective views of an ejecting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present application from different angles;
[0019] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a push plate of an ejecting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present application;
[0020] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of a first end of the push plate in FIG. 3;
[0021] FIG. 5 shows an exploded enlarged view of the first end of the push plate in FIG. 3;
[0022] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of a second end of the push plate in FIG. 3; and
[0023] FIG. 7 shows an exploded enlarged view of the second end of the push plate in FIG. 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0024] The following description is essentially only illustrative, rather than intending to limit the present application and the application and usage thereof. It should be appreciated that, throughout all accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals indicate the same or similar components or features. Each drawing only illustratively shows the concept and principle of the embodiments of the present application, and does not necessarily show the specific dimensions and scales of various embodiments of the present application. Specific parts in specific drawings may be exaggerated to illustrate related details or structures of the embodiments of the present application.
[0025] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, the orientation terms related to "upper” and "lower" , if used herein, are described based on the upper and lower position relationships of the views shown in the accompanying drawings. In practical applications, the positional relationships of "upper” and "lower" used herein may be defined based on actual conditions, and these relationships may be reversed.
[0026] FIGS. 1 and 2 show perspective views of an ejecting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present application from different angles. The ejecting mechanism 1 is configured to eject objects placed therein. For instance, the ejecting mechanism 1 may be mounted in a filling equipment to push packages (such as cartons, bags, or bottles) in the filling equipment to downstream stations. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ejecting mechanism 1 includes a push plate 10 extending in a longitudinal direction and guide rails 20 extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The push plate 10 has a first end 11 and a second end 12 opposite to each other. The guide rails 20 include a first guide rail 21 positioned at the first end 11 of the push plate 10 and a second guide rail 22 positioned at the second end 12 of the push plate 10. The ejecting mechanism 1 further includes a linkage assembly 30, a first sliding member 41 slidable along the first guide rail 21, and a second sliding member 42 slidable along the second guide rail 22. For example, the first guide rail 21 may include a first guide rod extending through the first sliding member 41, and the second guide rail 22 may include a second guide rod extending through the second sliding member 42, with the first and second guide rods arranged parallel to each other, allowing the first sliding member 41 to slide along the first guide rod and the second sliding member 42 to slide along the second guide rod. The linkage assembly 30 is connected to the first end 11 of the push plate 10 via the first sliding member 41 and to the second end 12 of the push plate 10 via the second sliding member 42. The ejecting mechanism 1 may further include a drive 50 positioned on one side of the second end 12 of the push plate 10 and connected to the linkage assembly 30. The drive 50 may, for example, include an electric motor. The ejecting mechanism 1 may further include a support frame 60 for supporting the guide rails 20, with the guide rails 20 fixed to the support frame 60. In this embodiment, the support frame 60 extends in the longitudinal direction, and the first guide rail 21 and the second guide rail 22 are fixed to opposite ends of the support frame 60 in the longitudinal direction. The support frame 60 may be provided with multiple spacers 61 spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the push plate 10, with each of the one or more objects to be ejected resting on the push plate 10 and positioned between two adjacent spacers 61. When the ejecting mechanism 1 is in operation, the drive 50 drives the linkage assembly 30, which in turn transmits power to the first sliding member 41 connected to the first end 11 of the push plate 10 and the second sliding member 42 connected to the second end 12 of the push plate 10, causing the first end 11 of the push plate 10 to perform linear reciprocating motion along the first guide rail 21 and the second end 12 of the push plate 10 to perform linear reciprocating motion along the second guide rail 22 simultaneously. Consequently, the push plate 10 moves relative to the guide rails 20 and the support frame 60, thereby ejecting the objects (such as one or more packages) on the push plate 10 from the support frame 60.
[0027] To convert the rotational motion of the output shaft of the drive 50 into linear reciprocating motion of the push plate 10 along the guide rails 20, the linkage assembly 30 may include a crank-link mechanism 31, an intermediate transmission mechanism, a first link 33, and a second link 34. The crank-link mechanism 31 is connected to the output shaft of the drive 50 and converts the rotational motion of the output shaft into reciprocating motion (i.e., the oscillation of the intermediate transmission mechanism) . The crank-link mechanism 31 may include a crank fixedly connected to the output shaft of the drive 50 and a primary link pivotally connected to the crank. The intermediate transmission mechanism includes a drive shaft 32 extending in the longitudinal direction (i.e., parallel to the push plate 10) and an intermediate link 39 fixedly connected to the drive shaft 32 and pivotally connected to the primary link of the crank-link mechanism 31. The intermediate link 39 includes a distal intermediate link at the side of a distal end 321 of the intermediate transmission mechanism and a proximal intermediate link at the side of a proximal end 322 of the intermediate transmission mechanism. The first link 33, which is a tertiary link, is pivotally connected to the distal intermediate link of the intermediate transmission mechanism and to the first sliding member 41 (specifically, a first component 411, i.e., a slider mounting base, of the first sliding member 41) . The second link 34, which is also a tertiary link, is pivotally connected to the proximal intermediate link at the side of the proximal end 322 of the intermediate transmission mechanism opposite to the distal end 321 and to the second sliding member 42. In other embodiments, other linkage assemblies with any other suitable transmission structure for converting the rotational motion of the output shaft of the drive 50 into linear reciprocating motion of the sliders may also be employed.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the push plate 10, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 respectively show enlarged and exploded enlarged views of the first end 11 of the push plate 10, and FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 respectively show enlarged and exploded enlarged views of the second end 12 of the push plate 10.
[0029] Ideally, the linear reciprocating motions of the first end 11 and the second end 12 of the push plate 10 along the guide rails 20 should be synchronized, meaning that the longitudinal direction of the push plate 10 remains perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the guide rails 20 throughout its linear reciprocating motion. However, in practice, due to the considerable longitudinal length of the push plate 10 and the placement of the drive 50 on one side of the push plate 10, as well as potential machining and mounting errors in the components-for instance, the lengths of the first link 33 pushing the first end 11 of the push plate 10 and the second link 34 pushing the second end 12 of the push plate 10 may not be exactly the same-the motions of the first end 11 and the second end 12 of the push plate 10 may fail to be perfectly synchronized. To prevent the push plate 10 from getting stuck relative to the guide rails 20 due to unsynchronized motions of the first end 11 and the second end 12 during its linear reciprocating motion along the guide rails 20, at least one end of the push plate 10 is coupled to the corresponding slider via a flexible connection structure to enhance the tolerance of the ejecting mechanism 1 to machining errors, mounting errors, and motion errors. In this embodiment, the first end 11 of the push plate 10 is connected to the first sliding member 41 via a flexible connection structure (in other words, a flexible connection is achieved between the push plate 10 and the first link 33 via the first sliding member 41 with a flexible connection structure) , and the second end 12 of the push plate 10 is fixedly connected to the second sliding member 42.
[0030] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first sliding member 41 located at the first end 11 of the push plate 10 includes a first component 411 and a second component 412 that are movable relative to each other (specifically, in the lengthwise direction of the guide rails 20) . The first component 411 is configured to be connected to the first guide rail 21 such that the first component 411 is movable along the first guide rail 21, and the second component is connected to the first end 11 of the push plate 10. The first component 411 and the second component 412 that are movable relative to each other establish a flexible connection between the first end 11 of the push plate 10 and the first sliding member 41 (in other words, the first component 411 and the second component 412 that are movable relative to each other, along with optional damping members positioned therebetween, constitute the flexible connection structure according to the present application) . More specifically, in this embodiment, the first component 411 is configured as a slider mounting base that can slide along the first guide rail 21, and the second component 412 is configured as a slider that can move relative to the slider mounting base. The slider is arranged in a groove 411a on the slider mounting base, and a fastener 416 passes through a fastener hole 412a in the slider and a fastener hole 13 in the first end 11 of the push plate 10 to fixedly connect the slider to the first end 11 of the push plate 10. Preferably, the fastener hole 13 may be configured as a slotted hole with its longitudinal direction extending along the longitudinal direction of the push plate 10, thereby allowing for slight adjustment of the mounting position of the push plate 10 in the longitudinal direction during mounting, further enhancing the tolerance of the ejecting mechanism 1 to component machining errors. The first sliding member 41 may further include a guide shaft extending along the lengthwise direction of the guide rails 20. The guide shaft may include a guide shaft body 413 and a bushing 414 fitted over the guide shaft body 413, with the guide shaft connected to the slider mounting base and at least partially passing through the groove 411a of the slider mounting base, so that the slider is arranged on the guide shaft (specifically, on the bushing 414 of the guide shaft) . In the lengthwise direction of the guide rails 20, a gap is formed between the slider and an inner sidewall of the groove 411a of the slider mounting base, allowing the slider to move relative to the slider mounting base along the guide shaft in the groove 411a. Preferably, damping members 415 for absorbing impacts and vibrations, such as rubber blocks, springs, or other elastic elements, may be arranged in the gap between the slider and the inner sidewall of the groove 411a of the slider mounting base. In this embodiment, the damping members 415 include rubber blocks. The ejecting mechanism 1 may further include a first height adjustment block 417 connected to the first component 411 (the slider mounting base) of the first sliding member 41 at the first end 11 of the push plate 10, for adjusting the height of the first component 411 and consequently the height of the second component 412 relative to the first guide rail 21 during mounting, thereby adjusting the height of the first end 11 of the push plate 10 relative to the first guide rail 21. Additionally, in cases where the longitudinal length of the push plate 10 is smaller than a distance between the first guide rail 21 and the second guide rail 22, a first extension plate 71 may be provided at the first end 11 of the push plate 10 to extend the length of the assembly consisting of the push plate 10 and the first sliding member 41. In this embodiment, the first extension plate 71 is fixedly connected to the first component 411 (the slider mounting base) of the first sliding member 41 via fasteners 91. In other words, the first extension plate 71 may be considered as part of the first component 411 of the first sliding member 41. In a case that the length of the push plate 10 is greater than or equal to the distance between the first guide rail 21 and the second guide rail 22, the first extension plate 71 may be omitted.
[0031] In other embodiments, the first component 411 and the second component 412 of the first sliding member 41 may be configured in any other suitable form besides the aforementioned slider mounting base and the slider, as long as they allow for a certain degree of relative movement in the lengthwise direction of the guide rails 20. For example, the first component 411 and the second component 412 may be configured as two sleeves in a nested relationship.
[0032] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the second end 12 of the push plate 10 is fixedly connected to the second sliding member 42. Specifically, a fastener 426 passes through a fastener hole 421 in the second sliding member 42 and a fastener hole 14 in the second end 12 of the push plate 10 to fixedly connect the slider to the second end 12 of the push plate 10. Unlike the first sliding member 41, which includes the first component 411 and the second component 412 that are movable relative to each other, the second sliding member 42 is configured as a single piece. The ejecting mechanism 1 may further include a second height adjustment block 427 connected to the second sliding member 42 at the second end of the push plate 10, for adjusting the height of the second end 12 of the push plate 10 relative to the second guide rail 22 during mounting. Preferably, the height of the first end 11 of the push plate 10 relative to the first guide rail 21 is equal to the height of the second end 12 of the push plate 10 relative to the second guide rail 22. Additionally, in cases where the longitudinal length of the push plate 10 is smaller than the distance between the first guide rail 21 and the second guide rail 22, a second extension plate 72 may be provided at the second end 12 of the push plate 10 to extend the length of the assembly consisting of the push plate 10 and the second sliding member 42. In this embodiment, the second extension plate 72 is fixedly connected to the second sliding member 42 via fasteners 92. In other words, the second extension plate 72 may also be considered as part of the second sliding member 42. In a case that the length of the push plate 10 is greater than or equal to the distance between the first guide rail 21 and the second guide rail 22, the second extension plate 72 may be omitted. Except for the first sliding member 41 and the second sliding member 42, the other structures at the first end 11 and the second end 12 of the push plate 10 may be the same or similar.
[0033] When the push plate 10 performs linear reciprocating motion relative to the guide rails 20 and the support frame 60, even if there is a lack of synchronization in the motions of the first end 11 and the second end 12 of the push plate 10, since one end of the push plate 10 (in this embodiment, the first end 11) is connected to the corresponding sliding member via a flexible structure, errors caused by the unsynchronized motions of the first end 11 and the second end 12 of the push plate 10 can be eliminated, thereby preventing the push plate 10 from getting stuck relative to the guide rails 20. The filling equipment including the ejecting mechanism 1 utilizes a single drive and a simple, low-cost transmission mechanism to efficiently, reliably, and smoothly eject packages to downstream stations, improving the reliability and efficiency of the filling equipment.
[0034] Preferably, the first end 11 of the push plate 10, which is away from the drive 50, is flexibly connected to the first sliding member 41, and the second end 12 of the push plate 10, which is closer to the drive 50, is fixedly connected to the second sliding member 42. In this way, the fixed connection structure close to the drive 50 ensures high efficiency in transmitting the power of the drive 50 to the push plate 10, and the flexible connection structure away from the drive 50 can eliminate errors caused by unsynchronized motions of the first end 11 and the second end 12 of the push plate 10 to prevent the push plate 10 from getting stuck relative to the guide rails 20. However, the present application is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the second end 12 of the push plate 10, which is closer to the drive 50, may also be flexibly connected to the second sliding member 42, and the first end 11 of the push plate 10, which is away from the drive 50, may be fixedly connected to the first sliding member 41. Additionally, both the first end 11 and the second end 12 of the push plate 10 may be connected to the corresponding sliders via flexible connection structures.
[0035] The filling equipment according to the present application may include a primary ejecting mechanism and a secondary ejecting mechanism for performing a first push and a second push on packages, respectively. The ejecting mechanism described above is particularly suitable for use as the secondary ejecting mechanism of the filling equipment.
[0036] Here, the exemplary embodiments of the ejecting mechanism and the filling equipment according to the present application have been described in detail, but it should be understood that the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments described and illustrated in detail above. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. All these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the present application. Moreover, all components described herein may be replaced by other technically equivalent components.
Claims
1.An ejecting mechanism (1) , characterized by comprising:a push plate (10) extending in a longitudinal direction, wherein the push plate (10) has a first end (11) and a second end (12) opposite to each other;guide rails (20) , wherein a lengthwise direction of the guide rails (20) is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the guide rails (20) comprise a first guide rail (21) disposed at the first end (11) and a second guide rail (22) disposed at the second end (12) ; anda linkage assembly (30) , a first sliding member (41) , and a second sliding member (42) , wherein the linkage assembly (30) is connected to the first end (11) via the first sliding member (41) to enable the first end (11) of the push plate (10) to perform linear reciprocating motion along the first guide rail (21) , and the linkage assembly (30) is connected to the second end (12) via the second sliding member (42) to enable the second end (12) of the push plate (10) to perform linear reciprocating motion along the second guide rail (22) , wherein the first end (11) is connected to the first sliding member (41) via a flexible connection structure.2.The ejecting mechanism (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first sliding member (41) comprises a first component (411) and a second component (412) , the first component (411) is connected to the first guide rail (21) in such a manner that it is slidable along the first guide rail (21) , the second component (412) is connected to the first end (11) of the push plate (10) , and the first sliding member (41) is configured such that the first component (411) and the second component (412) are movable relative to each other.3.The ejecting mechanism (1) according to claim 2, wherein the first component (411) is configured as a slider mounting base, the second component (412) is configured as a slider, and the first sliding member (41) further comprises a guide shaft connected to the slider mounting base and extending in the lengthwise direction of the guide rails (20) ; andwherein the slider mounting base comprises a groove (411a) , the slider is arranged in the groove (411a) and on the guide shaft, and a gap is formed between the slider and an inner sidewall of the groove (411a) in the lengthwise direction of the guide rails (20) .4.The ejecting mechanism (1) according to claim 3, wherein a damping member (415) is arranged in the gap between the slider and the inner sidewall of the groove (411a) .5.The ejecting mechanism (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second end (12) of the push plate (10) is fixedly connected to the second sliding member (42) .6.The ejecting mechanism (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the ejecting mechanism (1) further comprises a drive (50) , which is connected to the linkage assembly (30) on one side of the second end (12) of the push plate (10) and driving the linkage assembly (30) .7.The ejecting mechanism (1) according to claim 6, wherein the linkage assembly (30) comprises: a crank-link mechanism (31) connected to an output shaft of the drive (50) and converting a rotational motion of the output shaft into reciprocating motion; an intermediate transmission mechanism connected to the crank-link mechanism (31) and comprising a drive shaft (32) extending in the longitudinal direction; a first link (33) connecting a distal end (321) of the intermediate transmission mechanism to the first sliding member (41) ; and a second link (34) connecting a proximal end (322) of the intermediate transmission mechanism to the second sliding member (42) .8.The ejecting mechanism (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the guide rails (20) comprise a first guide rod extending through the first sliding member (41) and a second guide rod extending through the second sliding member (42) .9.The ejecting mechanism (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a support frame (60) , wherein the guide rails (20) are fixed to the support frame (60) , and the push plate (10) is configured to move relative to the support frame (60) to eject items on the push plate (10) from the support frame (60) .10.A filling equipment, characterized by comprising the ejecting mechanism (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the push plate (10) is configured to eject packages in the filling equipment to a downstream station.