Blister Pack Machine Clean Area Contamination Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-speed blister pack machines integrated with box carton machines face contamination issues as bacteria from non-clean areas can enter clean areas through conveyor belts, compromising bioclean environments.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates separate grid conveying devices in clean and non-clean areas, utilizing a height difference and air pressure differential to prevent bacterial contamination, along with a blister pack transferring manipulator and a sample collecting system for efficient conveying and inspection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single conveyor belt passes through both clean and non-clean areas, then continuous transmission is achieved, but bacteria from the non-clean area can enter the clean area causing contamination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebioclean environmentVSAvoidbacterial contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The conveyor system is divided into two separate segments: a clean area grid conveying device and a non-clean area grid conveying device. These segments are physically separated by a partition wall, preventing bacteria from the non-clean area from contaminating the clean area while maintaining continuous transmission through height difference and transfer mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A transfer manipulator acts as an intermediary device between the non-clean area conveyor and the clean area conveyor. It receives blister packs from the non-clean area, transfers them through a transfer chute, and deposits them onto the clean area conveyor, thereby mediating the connection between the two contaminated and clean zones without direct contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the clean area and non-clean area are separated by a partition wall, then bacterial transmission is prevented, but continuous conveying is disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebacterial transmissionVSAvoidcontinuous conveying
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The partition wall is designed with a transfer chute that extends from the non-clean area to the clean area. The transfer manipulator utilizes vertical movement (up and down motion) to transfer blister packs through the partition wall via the chute, adding a vertical dimension to the transfer process and maintaining continuous conveying despite the horizontal separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The transfer manipulator serves as an intermediary that bridges the gap created by the partition wall. It picks up blister packs from the non-clean area conveyor, moves them vertically through the transfer chute in the partition wall, and deposits them onto the clean area conveyor, thereby maintaining continuous material flow while preserving area separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a transfer manipulator is used to move blister packs between conveyors, then contamination is prevented, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontamination preventionVSAvoidtransfer mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The transfer manipulator is designed to automatically perform the transfer operation without manual intervention. It self-regulates its picking, lifting, and depositing actions based on the position of blister packs on the conveyors, reducing the need for additional control systems and operators while maintaining contamination prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The transfer manipulator utilizes controlled changes in vertical position (up and down motion) to achieve transfer. By varying the vertical parameter of the manipulator arm, the system simplifies the transfer mechanism to primarily a single-degree-of-freedom movement, reducing mechanical complexity compared to multi-axis robotic systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

Effectively prevents bacteria from entering the clean area through both conveyor belts and air, ensuring compliance with international hygiene standards for drug packaging by maintaining a sterile environment.

Implementation Method 1

The position of the clean area grid conveying device is higher than the position of the non-clean area grid conveying device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

The air pressure of the clean area is higher than the air pressure of the non-clean area

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3689759B1High-speed blister pack machine integrated with box carton machine
Publication Date: 2021.06.16 ZHEJIANG HOPING MACHINERY
  • EP3689759B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3689759B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3689759B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a high-speed blister pack machine integrated with a box carton machine, which can effectively prevent the bacteria in the non-clean area from entering the clean area through the conveyor belt. The high-speed blister pack machine integrated with the box carton machine includes a blister packing machine and a box carton machine. The blister pack machine is connected to a discharging grid conveying device. The discharging grid conveying device includes a clean area grid conveying device located in the clean area and a non-clean area grid conveying device located in the non-clean area. The position of the clean area grid conveying device is higher than the position of the non-clean area grid conveying device. The front end of the clean area grid conveying device and the rear end of the non-clean area grid conveying device are connected to each other through a slideway to achieve a continuous transmission. In the high-speed blister pack machine integrated with the box carton machine, independent grid conveying devices are respectively arranged in the clean area and the non-clean area, and the material transition is realized by utilizing the height difference of the two grid conveying devices, thereby preventing the bacteria in the non-clean area from entering the clean area through the conveying belt.