Buffer Conveyor Offset Merging for Food Portion Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current food production lines face inefficiencies in forming combination portions from sliced food products due to mechanical stress on the rocker mechanism, which limits throughput and requires a separate overlapping station, leading to inaccurate and time-consuming formation of format sets.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a device with offset merging buffer conveyors that allow for format set formation by integrating the overlapping function into the buffer arrangement, reducing mechanical stress and eliminating the need for a separate overlapping station, enabling more precise and efficient alignment and merging of individual portions into combination portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rocker mechanism is used to distribute individual portions line by line and form combination portions, then the portions can be arranged in overlapping configuration, but the rocker becomes mechanically highly stressed and limits the throughput of the production line
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer conveyor is divided into multiple conveying sections (first conveying section and second conveying section) that operate independently. This segmentation allows format sets to be distributed to different sections alternately, reducing the mechanical workload on any single section and enabling higher throughput without overloading the rocker mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer conveyor is designed with dynamic switching capability between different conveying sections. The system can alternately distribute format sets to the first or second conveying section based on the rocking phase, creating a dynamic load-balancing system that increases overall throughput while maintaining the overlapping arrangement capability.
2Ease of operation
If the rocker covers a large angle to change position between upper and lower overlapping conveyors, then the overlapping arrangement can be achieved, but the mechanical stress on the rocker increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic alternation between two buffer conveying sections instead of requiring the rocker to repeatedly cover large angles. By distributing format sets alternately to different sections, the rocker operates with reduced angular movement, decreasing mechanical stress and improving durability while maintaining the overlapping arrangement capability.
3Ease of operation
If a separate overlapping station is used to form combination portions before buffer section, then the overlapping can be achieved, but the device complexity increases and adjustment time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The overlapping function is merged with the buffer conveyor by integrating the overlapping arrangement capability directly into the buffer section's conveying sections. This eliminates the need for a separate overlapping station, reducing device complexity while maintaining the overlapping arrangement capability through the coordinated operation of the first and second conveying sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer conveyor is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the buffer section for timing coordination and as the overlapping station for forming combination portions. By making the buffer conveyor multi-functional, the system eliminates separate dedicated stations, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining all required capabilities.
4Productivity
If the rocker works quickly to maintain timing, then the throughput can be maintained, but the mechanical stress on the rocker increases and adjustment precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer conveyor is segmented into multiple independent conveying sections that can operate at different phases. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high throughput by processing multiple format sets in parallel while providing sufficient time for precise alignment adjustments in each section, as the rocker alternates between sections rather than rushing through continuous high-speed operations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device for creating format sets (45) from combination portions (47) comprises a portion conveyor (11) configured to convey individual portions (30) from slices (31) separated from a product in a row-by-row manner along a conveying direction (F), and means for forming format sets (45) from multi-row combination portions (47), each of which comprises at least two individual portions (30) arranged transversely to the conveying direction and overlapping. A first buffer conveyor (33, 33') and a second buffer conveyor (35, 35') are arranged successively in the conveying direction and configured to convey individual portions in a format set along the conveying direction.The second buffer conveyor comprises a first conveying section (37) and a second conveying section (39) running at least substantially parallel to it, the conveying sections being designed for the staggered merging of individual portions conveyed on them in format sets into a format set of combination portions. The first buffer conveyor is adjustable between a position leading to the first conveying section and a position leading to the second conveying section.