Bottle Conveyor Accumulation With Directed Buffer Replenishment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing accumulation apparatuses in bottling plants lack operating flexibility and efficiency, leading to increased production downtime and costs due to the need to stop conveyors and operating machines during temporary slowdowns or failures, and their mechanical complexity increases maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
An accumulation apparatus with a control logic unit that manages independent drive systems for upstream and downstream conveyors, allowing flexible operation modes to maintain production continuity by adjusting conveyor speeds and directing containers between machines without stopping, using a directing assembly and replenishment assembly to manage container flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If common conveying means are used to connect operating machines in a single production line, then the containers can be conveyed between machines, but the entire line must stop when one machine detects a problem
Solution Approach 1:
The production line is segmented into independent sections with separate conveying means for each machine. This allows one section to stop for maintenance or troubleshooting while other sections continue operating, eliminating the need for complete line shutdown and maintaining production continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
A buffer accumulation unit is introduced as an intermediary between the upstream and downstream conveyors. This buffer temporarily stores containers, allowing the upstream machine to continue producing while the downstream machine is stopped for maintenance, thus mediating the disruption and maintaining overall production flow.
2Reliability
If accumulation units are introduced to temporarily store containers during machine downtime, then production continuity can be maintained, but the device complexity and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying means are designed to serve multiple functions: they convey containers during normal operation and can independently stop or slow down during maintenance without affecting other machines. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated accumulation units, simplifying the overall system while maintaining production continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts conveyor speed parameters based on machine status. When a machine requires maintenance, the conveying speed is reduced or stopped locally while other sections maintain normal speed. This parameter adjustment provides flexibility without requiring complex mechanical accumulation devices.
3Reliability
If the conveying speed is reduced to match slower operating machines, then containers can continue flowing through the line, but the overall productivity of the plant decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The production line is divided into independent segments, each with its own conveying control. This allows the upstream conveyor to maintain high speed while the downstream conveyor operates at reduced speed during maintenance, preventing the need to slow down the entire line and preserving overall productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer accumulation unit acts as a mediator that decouples the speed relationship between upstream and downstream conveyors. Containers accumulate in the buffer at high rate from the upstream conveyor while being discharged at a lower rate to match the slower downstream machine, allowing speed differentiation without loss of productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
Accumulation apparatus for a bottling plant, comprising an upstream conveyor susceptible to receive containers from an upstream machine, a downstream conveyor susceptible to feed with the containers a downstream machine, an accumulation unit for accumulating the containers, and a directing assembly, which is arranged to intercept the upstream conveyor and the downstream conveyor, is configured to pick up the containers from the upstream conveyor and is susceptible to selectively feed one of the downstream conveyor and the accumulation unit. The accumulation apparatus comprises a replenishment assembly, which is placed as a connection between the accumulation unit and the downstream conveyor at a replenishment station downstream of the directing assembly, and can be actuated to pick up the container from the accumulation unit in order to feed the downstream conveyor.