Cantilever Claw Work Release Mechanism for Conveyor Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems for transferring lightweight minute works, such as injection-molded products, face challenges in securely releasing these items onto a conveyor belt without scattering, often relying on positive air pressure which can disperse the products and increase takt time.
Innovation Solution
A work transferring system that uses a hand with attracting parts to hold the work with a maintained gap, a transfer mechanism to move the work, and a work releasing member with a claw arranged in a horizontal cantilever manner to insert into the gap between the hand and the work, allowing the work to be reliably released onto a conveyor belt by moving the claw downward.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If positive air pressure is used to release the work from the attracting part, then the work can be released, but the lightweight minute work scatters and alignment is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a work releasing member with a claw as an intermediary mechanism between the attracting part and the work. The claw inserts into the gap between the attracting part and the work, providing a mechanical interface for release that does not rely on air pressure, thereby preventing work scattering while maintaining alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the pneumatic release mechanism (positive air pressure) with a mechanical release mechanism (claw insertion and downward movement). This substitution eliminates the scattering effect of air pressure on lightweight works while achieving reliable release through direct mechanical action.
2Reliability
If positive air pressure is used to release the work, then the work can be released, but the takt time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pneumatic release mechanism with a mechanical claw-based system that can release works more rapidly and reliably, reducing the time required for the release operation and thereby decreasing takt time.
Solution Approach 2:
The work releasing member is positioned in advance above the transfer destination, and the claw is pre-configured to insert into the gap. This preliminary positioning eliminates delays associated with activating air pressure systems, enabling faster release operations.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a claw is inserted into the gap to release the work mechanically, then the work releases without scattering, but the release mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The work releasing member with the claw serves multiple functions: it inserts into the gap, provides a mechanical interface for release, and guides the work onto the conveyor belt. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
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
This method ensures that lightweight and minute works are released onto the conveyor belt without scattering, maintaining alignment and reducing takt time by not relying on air pressure for release, enabling swift and reliable transfer.
Implementation Method 1
the work is held by attraction with application of negative air pressure by a molded-product picking tool
Data Source
AI summary
A work transferring system includes a hand including a body and at least one attracting part configured to hold a work with a gap maintained between the work and a surface of the body by attracting the work to a distal end protruding from the surface; a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the work to a predetermined transfer destination by moving the hand, a work releasing member disposed above the transfer destination to which the transfer mechanism transfers the work and configured to release the work from the attracting part, and a lifting mechanism configured to move up and down the work releasing member or the work. The work releasing member includes a claw arranged in a substantially horizontal cantilever manner and having a shape that allows insertion of the claw into the gap.