Independent Plate Rotation for Adaptive Container Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing machines often fail to guarantee optimal sealing quality due to the variety of products, containers, caps, and seals, which can compromise the safety of the contents.
Innovation Solution
A sealing machine with a rotatable carousel and independently rotating support plates, equipped with detection and control units that monitor operating parameters such as rotation and compression load, adjusts the sealing process to ensure optimal sealing by adjusting rotational speed and compression load, using electric motors and damping means, and sends signals for manual or automatic adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a common sealing machine is used for various products, then the machine can handle multiple container types, but the sealing quality deteriorates due to lack of optimization for each specific product
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sealing machine into independently controllable modules: each support plate has its own motor for rotation control, and each sealing head has independent compression control. This segmentation allows individual optimization for different container types while maintaining overall system versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts operating parameters (rotation speed, compression force, number of cycles) based on the specific container being sealed. The control unit receives feedback from sensors and modifies parameters in real-time to optimize sealing quality for each product type.
2Productivity
If the rotation speed of support plates is increased to improve productivity, then more containers can be sealed per unit time, but sealing quality deteriorates due to insufficient compression time
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing process uses periodic compression cycles with multiple phases. Each sealing operation consists of several compression-relaxation cycles, allowing the seal to be progressively formed while the container rotates. This periodic action ensures adequate compression time even at higher rotation speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous sealing action by coordinating the rotation of support plates with the compression cycles of sealing heads. Multiple sealing heads can operate at different phases, ensuring that sealing action is continuously applied to different portions of the container as it rotates, maximizing productivity without sacrificing quality.
3Manufacturing precision
If the compression load is increased to improve sealing quality, then better seal fastening is achieved, but particulate matter generation increases during the sealing process
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary positioning and alignment of the container and seal before applying compression. The support plates rotate the containers to precise positions, and sealing heads are positioned accurately, ensuring that compression is applied optimally from the start. This preliminary preparation allows effective sealing at lower compression loads, reducing particulate generation.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors monitor the sealing process in real-time, detecting parameters such as compression force, rotation speed, and seal formation quality. The control unit uses this feedback to dynamically adjust compression load, maintaining optimal sealing quality while minimizing excessive compression that would generate particulate matter.
Data Source
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AI summary
A sealing machine (1) and method for controlling a sealing machine (1). The method comprises the following steps: - placing capped containers (C) provided with a seal (G) on plates (2), - rotating the plates (2), - pressing the seal (G) against the cap of the container (C) and fastening said seal using a sealing head (3, 30). The step of rotating the plates (2) is performed by rotating each plate (2) independently of the other plates. The method includes the following step: - detecting at least one parameter associated with the rotation of a plate (2) and/or with the compression load between each sealing head (3, 30) and the seal (G), and - comparing the value of the parameter with a reference range.