Adaptive Hopper Wrapping Machine for Unstable Product Stacking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wrapping machines are unable to automatically wrap products with irregular or variable shapes and low compactness, requiring manual intervention and reducing productivity.
Innovation Solution
A wrapping machine with a conveyor belt and a hopper system that adjusts to product dimensions, allowing for automatic stacking and wrapping of products with a cold extensible plastic film, using motorized pre-stretch rollers and a rotating unwinding unit to maintain stability and speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If manual intervention is used to stack unstable products during wrapping, then product stability is improved, but productivity decreases and labor requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper receives and pre-stacks products before wrapping begins. The products are gradually fed into the hopper and automatically stacked in a controlled manner, preparing a stable product column ready for wrapping without manual intervention during the wrapping process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The hopper acts as an intermediary device between the product feed and the wrapping mechanism. It temporarily holds and organizes unstable products, transforming them into a stable configuration that can be wrapped automatically by the rotating wrapping unit.
2Productivity
If automatic wrapping is used for unstable products, then productivity increases, but product stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary stacking in the hopper before automatic wrapping begins. This pre-organization of unstable products into a stable column allows high-speed automatic wrapping to proceed without compromising product stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The stretch film applied during wrapping provides a flexible constraining shell that stabilizes the product column. The film wraps around the stacked products, holding them together and maintaining stability during high-speed automatic operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex machine adjustment is performed to handle irregular products, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hopper and wrapping mechanism are designed as universal components that can handle various types of unstable products with irregular shapes and sizes. The same basic structure adapts to different product configurations through simple adjustments rather than complex reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic elements such as the rotating wrapping unit and adjustable hopper that can adapt to different product configurations. These dynamic components allow the machine to handle varied unstable products without requiring complex static reconfiguration.
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
Enables safe, stable, and automatic wrapping of unstable products at high speeds without manual intervention, improving productivity by maintaining product stability through the wrapping force of the film.
Implementation Method 1
an unwinding unit (10) that supports a reel (51) of the film (50) and is rotated about a wrapping axis Z, substantially parallel to the second direction B by rotating means (9)... a couple of pre-stretching rollers, which unwind the film from the reel and stretch or elongate it
Implementation Method 2
The film (50) keeps the side walls (6, 7) abutting the products, exerting a containing force
Implementation Method 3
The film (50) keeps the side walls (6, 7) abutting the products, exerting a containing force substantially achieved by the wrapping force of the film (50)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A wrapping machine (1) for wrapping a plurality of products (101, 102, 103, 104) stacked and overlapped on a pallet (150) with a film (50), comprising the first moving means (2) for conveying a plurality of separate products (101, 102, 103) on a movement plane (H) along a first direction (A); wrapping means (3) for wrapping the film (50) around the products (101, 102, 103, 104), once stacked and overlapped on a pallet (150); grouping means (4) adapted to receive the products (101, 102, 103, 104) from the first moving means (2) and to arrange and ensure the products (101, 102, 103, 104) remain stacked and overlapped along a second direction (B) on the pallet (150); and a supporting platform (5) to support the pallet (150), which can be moved during the wrapping phase along the second direction (B), so as to progressively extract and disengage the stacked and overlapped products (101, 102, 103, 104) from the grouping means (4), to enable them to be wrapped by the film (50) provided by the wrapping means (3); the grouping means (4) comprise a hopper equipped with a plurality of side walls (6, 7) which are moveable to vary the grouping volume (V) of the hopper (4) according to dimensions and/or size and/or shape of the products (101, 102, 103, 104) and/or pallet dimensions (150).