Cap Attachment Device With Torque Restriction For Uniform Fastening

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cap attachment-detachment devices struggle to simultaneously and uniformly attach or detach multiple caps from containers of varying dimensions, leading to inefficient processing and potential liquid leakage.

Innovation Solution

A cap attachment-detachment device featuring a rotation driver, multiple attachment-detachment portions, and a transmitter that allows for simultaneous cap attachment or detachment. Each attachment-detachment portion includes an operation portion that moves in response to rotation and a restricting portion that controls torque, ensuring uniform fastening.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple caps are attached or detached simultaneously to improve throughput, then processing efficiency is improved, but uniformity of fastening deteriorates due to varying container dimensions

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethroughputVSAvoiduniformity of fastening
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The device divides the simultaneous cap attachment task into multiple independent attachment-detachment portions (first, second, third, etc.), each capable of independently processing one container. This segmentation allows each portion to adapt to individual container dimensions while maintaining overall simultaneous processing capability, thus resolving the contradiction between throughput and uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each attachment-detachment portion is designed with movable components that can dynamically adjust to different container sizes and positions. The operation portions can move in response to rotation driver rotation, and the gripping force can be independently controlled for each portion, enabling uniform fastening across containers of varying dimensions while maintaining simultaneous processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If a single rotation driver controls multiple attachment-detachment portions, then device complexity is reduced, but control precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of driversVSAvoidtorque uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The single rotation driver is designed with multi-functionality to control multiple attachment-detachment portions simultaneously. Through mechanical transmission mechanisms, one rotation driver can independently adjust the operation of each attachment-detachment portion, achieving both device simplicity and precise torque control across all portions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Mechanical transmission mechanisms act as intermediaries between the single rotation driver and the multiple attachment-detachment portions. These transmission mechanisms distribute and regulate the rotational motion and torque from the single driver to each portion, ensuring uniform torque application while maintaining overall system simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Speed

If torque is not restricted during cap attachment, then attachment speed is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential over-tightening or under-tightening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment speedVSAvoidproper fastening
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The device incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor the attachment process in real-time. Rotation detectors detect the rotational position and speed of each attachment-detachment portion, and this information is fed back to the control system. The system automatically adjusts the torque and rotation speed to ensure proper fastening, maintaining both speed and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The restricting portion is designed to automatically restrict torque during the cap attachment process without requiring external intervention. The mechanical structure inherently limits the maximum torque applied, preventing over-tightening while ensuring sufficient tightening, thus maintaining reliability alongside attachment speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4180821B1Cap attachment-detachment device and pre-processing device
Publication Date: 2025.05.28 SHIMADZU CORP
  • EP4180821B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4180821B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4180821B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A cap attachment-detachment device 100 includes a rotation driver 40, a plurality of attachment-detachment portions 30 corresponding to a plurality of containers 1, and a transmitter 60 that transmits rotation of the rotation driver 40 to the plurality of attachment-detachment portions 30. Each of the plurality of attachment-detachment portions 30 includes an operation portion OP, a buffer portion 35 and a restricting portion 32. The operation portion OP moves in a first direction or a second direction that is opposite to the first direction in response to rotation of the rotation driver 40 and rotates a cap 2 to attach the cap 2 to or detach the cap 2 from a corresponding container 1. The restricting portion 32 restricts a torque to be applied to the cap 2 by the operation portion OP when the cap 2 is attached to the container 1.