Capping Machine Lid Reuse via Container Position Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing closing machines in the beverage industry often result in avoidable waste of lids due to incorrect positioning of containers or absence of containers in the container stations, leading to unnecessary lid ejection and labor-intensive collection processes.
Innovation Solution
A closing machine equipped with a detection unit to assess the presence and correct positioning of containers in the container stations, coupled with a control device that prevents the ejector from triggering if a container is missing or incorrectly positioned, allowing the lid to remain in the lid station and be reused in subsequent cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ejector is triggered without exception to remove lids from lid stations, then the process achieves a safe state by removing incorrectly positioned lids, but this causes avoidable waste of lids and increases labor requirements for collecting discarded lids
Solution Approach 1:
The detection unit provides feedback about container presence and positioning status to the control device. The control device uses this feedback to intelligently decide whether to trigger the ejector, enabling selective ejection only when necessary. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by maintaining process safety through detection while avoiding unnecessary lid waste through conditional ejection control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter of the ejector from constant activation to variable/conditional activation based on detection results. By modifying the ejection behavior from a fixed state to a dynamic state controlled by container positioning parameters, the system achieves both process safety and lid conservation.
2Reliability
If the ejector is triggered without exception to remove lids from lid stations, then the process achieves a safe state by removing incorrectly positioned lids, but this increases labor requirements for collecting discarded lids in controlled environments
Solution Approach 1:
The detection unit provides feedback about container presence and positioning status to the control device. The control device uses this feedback to intelligently decide whether to trigger the ejector, enabling selective ejection only when necessary. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by maintaining process safety through detection while avoiding unnecessary lid waste through conditional ejection control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables lids to remain in lid stations and be automatically reused in subsequent cycles when containers are correctly positioned, eliminating the need for manual collection and redistribution of lids. This self-service mechanism reduces labor time while maintaining process safety through automated detection and control.
3Reliability
If lids are ejected from lid stations, then the process-technically safe state is achieved, but the lids must be collected in a controlled manner and removed from the cleanroom, increasing operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The detection unit provides feedback about container presence and positioning status to the control device. The control device uses this feedback to intelligently decide whether to trigger the ejector, enabling selective ejection only when necessary. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by maintaining process safety through detection while avoiding unnecessary lid waste through conditional ejection control.
Solution Approach 2:
When containers are correctly positioned, lids remain in the lid stations and are continuously reused in subsequent closing cycles without interruption. This continuous operation eliminates the discontinuous manual collection and removal process, simplifying operations while maintaining process safety through automated detection.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a closing machine (1) for closing containers (2), comprising a rotating container handling unit (3) having at least one container station (4) for receiving a container (2) at a transfer point (A) and for transporting the container (2) to a closing area (B). The closing machine (1) further comprises a rotating lid handling unit (6) having at least one lid station (7) for receiving a lid (8) and for transporting the lid (8) to the closing area (B), as well as at least one ejector (10) for ejecting the lid (8) from the lid station (7). The closing machine (1) further comprises a control device (12) for controlling the lid handling unit (6).According to the invention, a detection unit (11b, 11c) is provided which is designed to detect whether a container (2) is located in the container station (4) after passing through the transfer point (A) and/or whether a container (2) located in the container station (4) is incorrectly positioned after passing through the transfer point (A). The control device (12) is designed not to subsequently actuate the ejector (10) if a container (2) is missing and/or if a container (2) is incorrectly positioned, so that the lid (8) remains in the lid station (7) after passing through the closing area (B) and the lid (8) is transported in a circular manner in the lid station (7) again to the closing area (B).The control device (12) is further configured to control the lid handling unit (6) such that the lid (8), after reaching the closing area (B) again, is applied to a container (2) which was picked up at the transfer point (A) during a renewed circulation of the container station (4).