Bundle Packaging Machine for Stable Geometry with Pretensioned Film
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging machines using extensible film struggle with unstable geometry and containment issues, particularly on the front and back sides of bundles, and require thicker, heat-shrinkable materials, which are costly.
Innovation Solution
A packaging apparatus with a spacing member and stabilization member using gripper devices to insert spacers between product groups, combined with a conveying system of varying speeds and friction indices, ensures stable geometry by partially reclosing the film on the bundle's sides using pretensioned extensible film.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If heat-shrink film is used to wrap products, then containment stability is improved, but manufacturing cost and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the film by applying pretension during wrapping, allowing extensible film to achieve stability without heat-shrink properties. This transforms the film's mechanical state rather than relying on thermal contraction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses standard extensible film instead of expensive heat-shrink film, accepting that the film serves its purpose in the packaging process without requiring costly specialized materials
2Stability of the object's composition
If heat-shrink film is used to wrap products, then containment stability is improved, but material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves containment stability by changing the mechanical parameters of the film through pretensioning and using spacers to maintain geometry, eliminating the need for expensive heat-shrinkable materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs conventional extensible film that is less expensive than heat-shrink film, achieving the required containment through mechanical means rather than thermal properties
3Productivity
If products are fed in continuous parallel rows with small spacing, then productivity is improved, but bundle geometry stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces spacers that segment the continuous flow of products into distinct groups, creating stable geometric boundaries between bundles while maintaining continuous production
Solution Approach 2:
The spacers act as intermediary elements between product groups, maintaining the necessary spacing and geometric stability without disrupting the continuous feeding process
4Stability of the object's composition
If spacers are inserted between product groups, then bundle geometry stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spacers are designed to be inserted automatically into the separation station and positioned by the gripper devices, reducing the need for complex manual intervention or sophisticated control systems
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
Achieves stable packaging geometry with thinner film, reducing costs and maintaining containment of bundled products on all sides without the need for heat-shrinkable materials.
Implementation Method 1
the film wrapped in the longitudinal direction after cutting is poor and therefore is not capable of containing the packaged product at the front... By using a pretensioned extensible film, it is possible to partially reclose the film on the front and back sides
Implementation Method 2
this system is considerably more expensive, as it requires a film made of a particular material and of greater thickness, as well as a further heat treatment step downstream to obtain the heat shrinkage of the film
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a machine for packaging products, e.g., bottles and other containers, in bundles. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus (1) for packaging products (P) in bundles (F), comprising a conveying system (2) for the products (P), crossing in the following order - a separation station (3) for separating the products (P) into a sequence of groups (G), - a wrapping station (4) for wrapping the groups (G) in sequence in a continuous tube of pretensioned extensible plastic film, - a cutting station (5) for cutting the continuous tube of pretensioned extensible plastic film to form bundles (F) of said products (P) wrapped in said pretensioned extensible plastic film, characterized in that the separation station (3) comprises a spacing member (6) for spacing out the products (P) to form said groups (G) and a stabilization member (7) for stabilizing the spacing between the groups (G) comprising at least a first gripper device (9a) and at least a second gripper device (9b), said gripper devices (9a, 9b) being configured to move and insert spacers (D) into the space formed by said spacing member (6) between two groups (G) of products (P).