Bar Conveyor Flight Bars for Flexible Tissue Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional flexible packaging lines for rolled sanitary tissue products are inefficient in transferring both single-layer and multi-layer units, requiring significant reconfiguration efforts and lacking upstream control, which hampers flexibility and efficiency in producing various package configurations.
Innovation Solution
A flexible apparatus with an integral bar conveyor, independent flight bars driven by separate drivetrains, an integrated lifting device, and pushers, allowing for efficient transfer and stacking of both single-layer and multi-layer units without extensive reconfiguration, while maintaining upstream control during the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional flexible apparatus is configured in dual unit configuration to transfer both single-layer and multi-layer units, then versatility is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to very inefficient single-layer unit transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus enables dynamic reconfiguration of the bar conveyor system. Flight bars can be selectively positioned to either push units onto the lifting device for multi-layer stacking, or allow units to pass through directly for efficient single-layer transfer. This dynamic adaptability allows the same equipment to optimize for different operational modes without physical reconfiguration.
2Productivity
If traditional flexible apparatus is reconfigured to single-layer unit efficient configuration, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to significant reconfiguration efforts
Solution Approach 1:
The bar conveyor system is designed with universal functionality to perform both single-layer transfer and multi-layer stacking operations using the same physical components. The flight bars serve multiple purposes: they can push units onto the lifting device for stacking, or they can be positioned to allow direct through-transport for single-layer efficiency. This eliminates the need for separate equipment configurations and reduces reconfiguration complexity.
3Ease of operation
If bar conveyor is separate from lifting device, then ease of operation is improved for multi-layer stacking, but upstream control is lost during transfer process
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting device is integrated within the bar conveyor system, creating a unified apparatus where the flight bars that convey units also control their placement onto the lifting device. This merging maintains continuous upstream control throughout the transfer process, as the same system that moves units also directs their stacking operation, eliminating the control gap that exists when devices are separate.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for transferring and/or stacking products, the apparatus including a frame, a bar conveyor associated with the frame, the bar conveyor having a plurality of flight bars that are independently driven by a plurality of independent drivetrains, a lifting device having a lifting plate, the lifting device being located within the bar conveyor, and at least one pusher.