Cardboard Box Dividing Device Stabilizing Transport

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cardboard box dividing devices face challenges in stabilizing the transport of elongated cardboard boxes, leading to reduced transport speed and efficiency due to instability during transport.

Innovation Solution

A cardboard box dividing device that includes a lower conveyor, an upper conveyor, a pressing device, and a cutting knife, with a lifting/lowering device to move the conveyors and cutting knife in unison, ensuring the cardboard boxes are sandwiched and cut stably, enhancing transport stability and speed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If an elongated cardboard box is transported by means of a conveyor, then the cardboard box can be transported from the carton-forming machine to the dividing device, but the posture of the cardboard box becomes unstable during the transport and the transport speed is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransport speedVSAvoidposture stability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the upper conveyor and lower conveyor into a coordinated system that works together to sandwich and stabilize the elongated cardboard box during transport. The upper conveyor (123, 124) and lower conveyor (121, 122) operate in unison to provide both support and restraint, preventing posture instability while enabling higher transport speeds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The pressing device (125) acts as an intermediary element between the upper and lower conveyors, applying additional pressure to ensure the cardboard box remains stable during transport. This pressing force prevents the box from shifting or rotating, allowing the conveyors to operate at higher speeds without compromising stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the transport speed of the cardboard box is increased, then production efficiency can be improved, but the cardboard box becomes unstable during transport

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidtransport stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the functions of multiple conveyors and a pressing device into a unified transport system. This combination provides both the speed necessary for high productivity and the stability control needed to prevent cardboard box instability during rapid transport.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs dynamic control where the upper and lower conveyors can adjust their speeds and pressures in response to the cardboard box position. This dynamic adjustment maintains stability even at increased transport speeds, thereby improving production efficiency without sacrificing stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of manufacture

If a cutting knife is used to divide the connected cardboard box bodies, then the cardboard boxes can be divided into separate pieces, but the cutting knife may be damaged due to instability of the cardboard box

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting operationVSAvoidcutting knife durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing device (125) performs preliminary action by stabilizing and securing the cardboard box before the cutting knife makes contact. This pre-stabilization prevents movement or deformation during cutting, protecting the cutting knife from damage and ensuring reliable cutting operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pressing device serves as an intermediary that mediates between the unstable cardboard box and the cutting knife. By applying pressure and stabilizing the box immediately before and during cutting, it protects the cutting knife from impact or misalignment that would cause damage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Speed

If the cardboard box is not stabilized during transport, then the transport speed must be limited, but production efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransport speedVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple conveyors and a pressing device into an integrated system that simultaneously achieves high transport speed and high production efficiency. The coordinated operation of these components ensures stability without limiting speed, thereby maintaining high productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses dynamic speed adjustment and pressure control to optimize both transport speed and production efficiency. By dynamically adapting the conveyors and pressing device to the specific needs of each cardboard box, the system maintains stability while operating at speeds that maximize production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3708353B1Cardboard box dividing device and cardboard box production method
Publication Date: 2023.04.05 MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND MACHINERY SYST LTD
  • EP3708353B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3708353B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3708353B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A cardboard box dividing device and a cardboard box production device include: lower conveyors (121, 122) on which a plurality of connected cardboard box bodies (B0) are stacked and transported; upper conveyors (123, 124) disposed so as to face the lower conveyors (121, 122) from above and supporting upper portions of the plurality of stacked connected cardboard box bodies (BO); a pressing device (125) pressing, from above, the plurality of connected cardboard box bodies (B0) stacked on the lower conveyors (121, 122); a cutting knife (126) disposed along a width direction (Db) of the connected cardboard box body (B0) and dividing the plurality of connected cardboard box bodies (B0) stacked on the lower conveyors (121, 122) into a front part and a rear part; and a lifting/lowering device (127) relatively moving the cutting knife (126) and the plurality of connected cardboard box bodies (B0) on the lower conveyors (121, 122) along an up-down direction.