Rotating Carousel Packaging with Synchronized Cup Advancement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional packaging machines face limitations in achieving high production rates due to issues with transferring products from the feeder belt to the rotating drum, leading to malfunctions and jamming.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus features a rotating carousel with peripheral receptacles and axial pusher means, along with a loop conveyor with uniformly distributed cups that advance in sync with the carousel's rotation, ensuring smooth insertion of products into boxes and efficient conveyance to subsequent production stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If products are transferred from the feeder belt to cups rigidly coupled to the rotating drum, then the packaging process can be continuous, but the transfer operation prevents achieving high production rates and causes malfunctions and jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the cups movable relative to the rotating drum through a sliding mechanism. The cups can move radially outward to receive products from the feeder belt and then retract inward to secure products during rotation. This dynamic movement eliminates the rigidity problem that caused jamming, allowing smooth product transfer while maintaining continuous operation at high production rates.
2Productivity
If the cups are rigidly coupled to the rotating drum, then the structure is simple, but the product transfer causes malfunctions and prevents high production rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sliding mechanism that allows cups to move radially on the rotating drum. This dynamic mounting system, while more complex than rigid coupling, enables the cups to adapt their position during operation - moving outward to receive products and inward to secure them during rotation. The complexity is justified by the significant gain in production rate and elimination of jamming issues.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for packaging products in boxes, comprising a magazine (5) for the continuous feeding of boxes (3), at least one device (6) for opening the boxes (3) in a substantially parallelepipedal configuration, at least one feeder (7) of products (2) and at least one rotating carousel (8) which is adapted to receive the boxes (3), in a plurality of peripheral receptacles (9), the rotating carousel (8) being further provided with axial pusher means (11), which are suitable to insert the products (2) in the respective boxes (3) whereby the feeder conveyor (7) comprises one loop element (14), provided on its external surface, with supporting cups (15), adapted to convey the products (2) to be placed in boxes, the loop element (14) being associated with actuation means (15a) which are suitable to produce the advancement of the cups (15) with the products (2) to be placed in boxes in step with the rotation of the rotating carousel (8), so as to allow their insertion, one by one, in the respective boxes (3) by way of the axial pusher means (11).