Bread Packaging Conveying Unit and Bag Opening Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional bread-slicing and packaging devices are laborious, unsafe, and inconvenient, requiring manual handling of sliced loaves, which can lead to accidents and exposure to ambient air, reducing the freshness of packaged bread.

Innovation Solution

A bread-packaging device that integrates a conveying unit with a packaging unit, allowing direct transfer of sliced loaves from a slicing device, with automated bag-opening mechanisms to minimize user interaction and exposure, ensuring safer and more efficient packaging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual handling of sliced loaves is used in conventional bread-slicing and packaging devices, then the device structure can be simple, but the operation becomes laborious and unsafe with risk of injury from bread-slicing means

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoiddevice structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The device is divided into distinct functional modules: a slicing unit with bread-slicing means, a conveying unit with a conveying element, and a packaging unit. This segmentation allows each module to perform its specific function independently, reducing the need for complex interconnections while improving safety by isolating the slicing means from direct user contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A conveying element acts as an intermediary between the slicing unit and the packaging unit. This intermediary automatically transports the sliced loaf from the slicing means to the packaging unit, eliminating the need for manual handling and reducing the risk of injury while maintaining a relatively simple device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If manual transfer of sliced loaf to packaging plateau is required, then the device can be simple, but the packaging process becomes inconvenient and may result in loaf falling or improper bagging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepackaging convenienceVSAvoidpackaging mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The conveying unit and packaging unit are merged into an integrated system where the conveying element directly delivers the sliced loaf to the packaging position. This combination eliminates the separate step of manually transferring the loaf to a packaging plateau, improving convenience while keeping the packaging mechanism relatively simple through functional integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The conveying element automatically performs the transfer function without requiring user intervention. The system serves itself by mechanically transporting the loaf from slicing to packaging, eliminating manual handling steps and potential errors while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the loaf is exposed to ambient air during manual handling and transfer, then no special packaging structure is needed, but the bread freshness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebread freshnessVSAvoidpackaging structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging unit is positioned to receive the sliced loaf immediately upon conveyance, and the bag is prepared in advance. This preliminary preparation ensures that the loaf is packaged without unnecessary exposure to ambient air, maintaining freshness while avoiding complex protective structures through efficient process sequencing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The conveying element continuously transports the sliced loaf from the slicing unit to the packaging unit without interruption or exposure to ambient air. This continuous action maintains bread freshness by eliminating idle time in the packaging process while keeping the structural complexity low through streamlined workflow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP3464076B1Device, assembly and method for packaging a single sliced loaf of bread
Publication Date: 2020.08.05 KORTLEVER BEHEER BV
  • EP3464076B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1d
  • EP3464076B1 patent drawingFigure 1e~1f
  • EP3464076B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a bread-packaging device for packaging a single sliced loaf of bread. The bread-packaging device comprises a conveying unit (1) which can be connected or attached to a bread-slicing device (200). The conveying unit (1) is configured to receive a single sliced loaf from the bread-slicing device (200). The bread-packaging device also comprises a packaging unit (3) which is connected to the conveying unit (1) in such a way that a passage (4) for the single sliced loaf is formed between the conveying unit (1) and the packaging unit (3). Furthermore, the conveying unit is configured for conveying the received single sliced loaf to the packaging unit (3) via the passage (4). The packaging unit (3) is configured for packaging the single sliced loaf received from the conveying unit in a bag. The packaging unit comprises bag-opening means (21) which can be brought to a first position for receiving a bag, and which can be brought to a second position by a user in order to open the bag, with an opening of the bag being situated in front of the passage.