Package Forming Apparatus with Angular Position Sensing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing package forming apparatuses and packaging machines for pourable products, such as Tetra Brik Aseptic packages, require improvements in ensuring precise and synchronized movements of operative groups to effectively transversally seal and cut tubes of packaging material.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates sensor devices to monitor the angular position and movement of operative groups, ensuring synchronized operation and predictive maintenance, using magnetic encoders and monitoring units to control the active and rest configurations of operative devices for precise transversal sealing and cutting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple operative devices are used to form and seal packages, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases and synchronization becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs sensor devices that detect the angular position of each operative device and provide feedback signals to a control system. This feedback mechanism enables real-time monitoring and adjustment of each operative device's position, ensuring synchronized operation across multiple devices working simultaneously on the packaging tube, thereby maintaining productivity while managing complexity through automated coordination
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical synchronization mechanisms with an electronic control system that uses sensor devices to detect angular positions and electronically coordinates operative devices. This substitution reduces mechanical complexity while maintaining precise synchronization of multiple operative devices through electronic signal coordination rather than mechanical linkages
2Manufacturing precision
If operative groups move closely together to seal and cut the tube, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the risk of movement desynchronization increases
Solution Approach 1:
Sensor devices mounted on each operative group detect its angular position and provide continuous feedback to the control system. This feedback enables real-time monitoring of each operative group's position, allowing the system to detect and correct any desynchronization before it affects sealing or cutting precision, thereby maintaining both accuracy and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The control system uses feedback from sensor devices to preliminarily adjust the angular positions of operative groups before they engage in sealing or cutting operations. This preliminary positioning ensures that all operative groups are precisely synchronized and correctly positioned relative to the tube, preventing movement desynchronization during the actual sealing and cutting processes
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
Ensures accurate and efficient formation of packages by monitoring and synchronizing the operative groups' movements, allowing for predictive maintenance and reducing operational errors.
Implementation Method 1
The apparatus incorporates sensor devices to monitor the angular position and movement of operative groups, ensuring synchronized operation and predictive maintenance, using magnetic encoders and monitoring units to control the active and rest configurations of operative devices
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
There is described a package forming apparatus (10) configured to manipulate a tube (4) and comprising at least one operative device (25) having a first operative group (26) and a second operative group (27). The first operative group (26) and the respective second operative group (27) are configured to execute a relative movement with respect to one another. Each operative device (25) comprises at least one support group (33) carrying the respective first operative group (26) and the respective second operative group (27). Each first operative group (26) is mounted to the respective support group (33) in such a manner to be angularly movable about a rotation axis (B). Each first operative group (26) is coupled to the support group (33) by means of a respective shaft (34) rotatable about and/or defining the rotation axis (B). The package forming apparatus (10) comprises a sensor device (28) having a sensor body (40) fixed to the shaft (34) and a sensor head (41) configured to determine and/or measure an angular position (α) and/or an angular movement (Δα) of the sensor body (40) for determining and/or measuring an angular position of the respective first operative group (26).