Adjustable Guide Rail for Beverage Crown Cap Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for guiding container closures, such as crown caps, in beverage bottling plants face inefficiencies when handling different container heights, requiring complex conversions and multiple guide rails, which increases installation space and operational complexity.

Innovation Solution

A device comprising a first and second guide rail, where the second rail is displaceable in the longitudinal direction, forming a length-adjustable guide path that allows for different guide lengths without the need for rail replacement, enabling simple positioning between sorting and closing devices by adjusting the guide rail length to compensate for changes in distance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the sorting device or agitator is arranged outside the filling and closing process space on a constant height platform, then the sorting device can be positioned independently, but the distance between the sorting device and closing member changes when container height changes, requiring conversion by switching between different guide rails

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle different container heightsVSAvoidneed for multiple guide rails and conversion operations

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide rail is designed to be dynamically adjustable in length through a telescopic mechanism, allowing it to adapt to different distances between the sorting device and closing member when container heights change, eliminating the need for multiple fixed guide rails and manual conversion operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A single telescopic guide rail serves multiple functions by accommodating various container heights through its adjustable length, replacing the need for multiple specialized guide rails and simplifying the overall system configuration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If guide devices with multi-curved guide paths are used to compensate for height changes, then different container heights can be handled, but the system becomes heavy, complicated, and requires greatly increased installation space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle different container heightsVSAvoidinstallation space and system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guide rail is segmented into telescopic sections that can extend and retract along the longitudinal direction, allowing the guide path length to be adjusted according to container height while maintaining a simple linear structure that requires minimal installation space

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using complex multi-curved guide paths that occupy lateral space, the invention adjusts the guide rail length in the longitudinal dimension through telescopic extension, achieving height compensation without increasing lateral installation footprint

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3805145A1Device for guiding container closures and container closing device

Publication Date: 2021.04.14 KRONES AG

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Figure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a device (1) for guiding container closures, preferably for feeding crown caps to a closure device (6), comprising a first guide rail (3) extending in a longitudinal direction (2), wherein a second guide rail (4) extending in the longitudinal direction (2) is provided, which is displaceable in the longitudinal direction (2) relative to the first guide rail (3), wherein the first guide rail (3) and the second guide rail (4) form a guide section of variable length for guiding the container closures, a closure device (6) comprising the device (1), and a system (8) comprising the device (1) and the closure device (6) for treating containers.