Bulk Feeder Pusher Mechanism for Consistent Item Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bulk feeding apparatuses for filling machines lack consistency in delivering items to conveyor systems, leading to inaccuracies in counting and grouping items for packaging, particularly in handling large quantities of pharmaceutical tablets or capsules.
Innovation Solution
A bulk feeder system with a hopper and a feed assembly that includes a movable pusher mechanism, driven by a rotatable disc and controlled motor, ensures consistent item delivery onto an item conveyor by moving the pusher between positions to collect and push items onto the conveyor, with asymmetrical travel times optimizing feed speed and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a bulk feeder apparatus is used to deliver items to conveyor systems, then items can be fed into containers for packaging, but the delivery consistency and accuracy of item quantity is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The pusher mechanism collects items in advance in a collecting compartment before delivering them to the conveyor system. This preliminary collection and positioning action ensures that items are ready for precise delivery, improving both delivery consistency and counting accuracy by controlling when and how items are released onto the conveyor.
Solution Approach 2:
The pusher acts as an intermediary mechanism between the hopper and the conveyor system. It mediates the transition of items from the bulk storage hopper to the conveyor, providing controlled delivery that improves item placement consistency and enables accurate counting and grouping operations.
2Productivity
If items are handled in large quantities for packaging, then productivity increases, but the complexity of ensuring accurate counting and grouping increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bulk feeder is segmented into distinct functional zones: a hopper for bulk storage, a collecting compartment for temporary holding, and a pusher mechanism for controlled delivery. This segmentation allows each component to handle specific tasks efficiently, maintaining high productivity while simplifying the overall counting and grouping control requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The pusher mechanism is designed to automatically collect and push items onto the conveyor without requiring complex external control systems. The mechanical design enables self-regulating item delivery, maintaining high handling capacity while reducing the complexity of counting and grouping operations through passive mechanical control.
3Manufacturing precision
If a pusher mechanism is used to move items onto the conveyor, then item delivery control is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pusher mechanism serves multiple functions: it collects items from the hopper, holds them in the collecting compartment, and pushes them onto the conveyor. This multi-functionality improves item placement accuracy while minimizing the number of separate components needed, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A filling machine for filling containers with items includes an item conveyor, and a bulk feeder for feeding items onto the item conveyor. The bulk feeder includes a hopper and a feed assembly, where the feed assembly includes an item collecting compartment for collecting items from the hopper. A pusher is movable through the collecting compartment to push items in the collecting compartment onto the item conveyor.