Articulated Blind Closure Slat Design for Palletizer Snagging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Palletizing and blind heads face challenges in securely closing and opening loading/unloading openings with low friction and preventing snagging, while maintaining high operational safety and handling heavy items, due to limitations in slat design and increased friction with rectangular profile bars, and noise issues with round rods.

Innovation Solution

The slats are connected in an articulated manner between their ends on the guide devices, forming plate-like or hollow profiled rods with interlocking toothing, providing mutual support and increased stability, reducing noise and snagging risks, and allowing for wider loading/unloading openings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If rectangular profile bars are used for slats, then structural strength is improved, but friction increases causing snagging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidfriction and snagging

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies cylindrical slats instead of rectangular profile bars. The cylindrical shape reduces friction and prevents snagging of articles during loading and unloading operations, while maintaining sufficient structural strength through the circular cross-section geometry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The slats are designed to be rotatable about their longitudinal axes. This dynamic capability allows the slats to rotate and conform to the shape of articles being loaded or unloaded, significantly reducing friction and preventing snagging while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If round rods are used for slats, then friction is reduced, but noise increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovefrictionVSAvoidnoise

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cylindrical shape of the slats reduces friction between the slats and articles during loading/unloading operations, addressing the friction reduction requirement while the enclosed circular structure helps contain and reduce noise generation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Ease of manufacture

If slats are not connected between guide devices, then ease of manufacture is improved, but stability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidstability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The articulated connection allows slats to move relative to each other dynamically, accommodating different loading scenarios while maintaining overall blind stability. The connection provides structural coherence without requiring complex rigid joining mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2762429B1Blind closure and palletiser or blind head equipped with same for handling items

Publication Date: 2017.06.21 KRONES AG

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AI summary

The blind closure (01) has a pair of oppositely disposed spaced apart guide units (04) and a blind (02) that is movable along a predetermined guide path by the guide unit. Multiple flaps (03) are connected by the guide unit towards the guide path in an articulated manner. The flaps are connected together in articulated manner between its ends (05) connected with the guide unit. An independent claim is included for a palletizer- or blind head for handling items.