Multi-Station Can Necking Turret With Elastic Cam Follower Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing neck forming equipment for ring-pull cans experiences stability and reliability issues during high-speed operations, leading to can crushing, damage, and jamming.
Innovation Solution
A multi-station neck forming equipment with improved mold end sleeve and push plate end push rod assemblies, featuring elastically clamped follower bearings and precise cam-driven movements, ensuring high-precision necking under high-speed conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-speed operation is implemented in neck forming equipment, then productivity increases, but can crushing, damage, and jamming occur during transfer and handover between stations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by designing transfer mechanisms that gently guide and support cans during transfer between stations. The transfer case and station designs include features that prevent sudden impacts and jerky movements, cushioning the cans against crushing and damage before problems can occur during high-speed operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by using a multi-station rotary design where stations are positioned at specific angles (less than 170 degrees included angle) to optimize transfer paths. The system dynamically adjusts the timing and motion of transfer mechanisms to match the rotational speed, maintaining reliable can handling even at high operating speeds of 2,800 cans per minute or more.
2Manufacturing precision
If the included angle between main gear and transfer case is reduced to increase necking angle range, then manufacturing precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies another dimension by transitioning from a linear or simple angular arrangement to a three-dimensional rotary configuration. The main turret and drive turret assemblies are arranged vertically with gears engaged at specific included angles (less than 170 degrees), utilizing the vertical dimension to achieve the desired necking angle range while maintaining a compact footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses intermediary elements such as the transfer case and planetary gears as mediators between the main drive and the necking molds. These intermediaries transmit and transform the rotational motion, allowing the main gear and transfer case to be positioned at optimized included angles that maximize the necking angle range without requiring direct complex gear arrangements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multi-station neck forming equipment is used to achieve various can opening dimensions, then adaptability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a modular multi-station system where each station can be configured for different necking operations. The main turret and drive turret assemblies can accommodate various mold configurations, allowing the same basic equipment structure to handle multiple can opening sizes (e.g., 211mm to 200mm, or 204mm to 200mm) through reconfigurable mold sets rather than requiring entirely separate equipment for each size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements segmentation by dividing the neck forming process into multiple discrete stations, each responsible for a specific reduction step. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each station's molds and transfer mechanisms, making the overall system more adaptable to different can sizes while managing complexity through modular design. Each station can be adjusted or replaced independently to accommodate different production requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-station neck forming equipment for ring-pull cans includes at least two necking stations, each including: a main shaft turret assembly, drive shaft turret assembly, tailstock support assembly and frame assembly. The main shaft turret assembly includes a main turret shaft, mold turret assembly, push plate turret assembly, and main shaft turret planetary gear, and the mold turret assembly is composed of a group of several mold end sleeve assemblies, which include a mold end sleeve, mold end push rod, necking external mold, necking internal mold and two mold end follower bearings, and the bearings adopt the drive structure of elastically clamping the mold end cam.