Capsule Filling Machine Internal Control Cabinet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional capsule filling machines have space inefficiencies due to external control cabinets, which limit accessibility, increase maintenance complexity, and require additional space, while routing cables through the production area can lead to contamination and transmission issues.
Innovation Solution
Integrating a control cabinet with a machine computer and process drives within the machine housing, allowing independent control of process stations and eliminating the need for external mechanical indexing gears or cam discs, thus enabling the control cabinet to be housed internally and reducing cable routing through the production area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the control cabinet is permanently attached to the outside of the machine housing, then the control functions are integrated, but accessibility to the machine is reduced and cleaning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The control cabinet is segmented from the main machine housing and placed on a separate movable support structure. This allows the control cabinet to be physically separated for maintenance while remaining functionally integrated, resolving the contradiction between control integration and machine accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure for the control cabinet is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing dynamic adjustment of the control cabinet's position. This enables easy access to the machine for cleaning and maintenance while maintaining control functionality when needed.
2Ease of operation
If the control cabinet is set up as an external control cabinet separately from the machine housing, then accessibility is improved, but cable routing through the production area increases contamination risk
Solution Approach 1:
A dedicated support structure acts as an intermediary between the control cabinet and the machine housing, providing a controlled pathway for cable connections. This intermediary structure allows cable routing away from the production area while maintaining functional connectivity, reducing contamination risk.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the control cabinet is located in an external technical room, then contamination is avoided, but maintenance becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure enabling the control cabinet to be easily moved between locations. This dynamic positioning capability allows the control cabinet to be placed in clean areas during operation for contamination avoidance, and moved closer to the machine during maintenance for ease of repair.
4Ease of operation
If external control cabinets are used, then accessibility is improved, but the footprint of the capsule filling machine increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control cabinet is positioned in a vertical dimension above the machine table rather than extending the horizontal footprint. This dimensional reorganization maintains accessibility benefits while minimizing the machine's footprint on the production floor.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a capsule filling machine for filling capsules composed of a capsule top and a capsule bottom, comprising a machine housing in which a machine table is arranged and a conveyor wheel on the circumference of which a plurality of capsule holders are provided, each having a plurality of capsule receptacles for one capsule each, further comprising a conveyor wheel drive also arranged in the machine housing, with which the conveyor wheel can be rotated intermittently so that the capsule holders move intermittently along a conveyor path, and comprising a plurality of process stations arranged along the conveyor path on or at the machine table and also arranged in the machine housing, wherein the process stations include at least one feed station for feeding capsules to be filled into the capsule receptacles,The process station comprises at least one opening station for opening the capsules to be filled by separating the capsule tops from the capsule bottoms, at least one filling station for filling the capsule bottoms with the material to be filled, at least one closing station for closing the filled capsules by connecting the capsule tops to the capsule bottoms, and at least one ejection station for ejecting the filled capsules, wherein the process stations have process drives for their operation which are controllable independently of the conveyor drive, and wherein a control cabinet, which includes, among other things, a machine computer for operating the capsule filling machine and controlling the conveyor drive and the process drives, is also arranged within the machine housing and is connected to at least the conveyor drive and the process drives via lines arranged within the machine housing.