Carton Forming Machine Vertical Stacking and Vacuum Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing carton blank feeding and transporting systems face issues such as jamming due to friction, require manual adjustment for accurate positioning, and necessitate larger machine footprints for increased capacity, leading to decreased productivity.
Innovation Solution
A carton forming machine with a horizontal folded carton blank storage rack and a transport device that reorients and positions carton blanks accurately using a conveyor belt, vertical threaded shafts, and pneumatic cylinders to ensure precise alignment with the carton opening mechanism, eliminating the need for manual adjustments and reducing jamming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If gravity force and downward slope are used to slide carton blanks, then the feeding mechanism is simple, but blanks jam due to friction and cannot slide smoothly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the gravity-based sliding mechanism with a vacuum-based mechanical system. Vacuum cups mounted on a moving arm create negative pressure to securely hold and transport carton blanks through the forming machine, eliminating reliance on gravity and friction-based sliding that causes jamming.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs vacuum technology (a form of pneumatic system) to grip and transport carton blanks. The vacuum cups create a suction force that reliably holds the blanks during movement, providing consistent and jam-free feeding regardless of the blanks' surface friction characteristics.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual adjustment is performed to ensure blanks are in the right position, then positioning accuracy is improved, but productivity decreases due to time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-aligning features where the vacuum arm and positioning apparatus automatically adjust the blank position during the feeding process. The system includes self-correcting mechanisms that ensure proper alignment without requiring manual intervention, maintaining precision while enabling continuous automated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning apparatus pre-aligns the carton blanks on the vacuum arm before they reach the forming position. This preliminary positioning action ensures that blanks are correctly oriented and positioned in advance, eliminating the need for manual adjustment during the feeding process and maintaining high productivity.
3Quantity of substance
If more carton blanks are loaded into the feeder, then capacity is increased, but the feeder becomes longer and requires larger machine footprint
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a horizontal linear feeding arrangement to a vertical stacking configuration. Carton blanks are stacked vertically and fed one by one from the top, allowing increased capacity without increasing the horizontal footprint of the machine. This vertical dimension utilization solves the space constraint problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a vertical stacking arrangement where multiple carton blanks are nested one on top of another in the feeder. This nesting configuration allows a large quantity of blanks to be stored in a compact vertical space, increasing capacity while maintaining a small machine footprint.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables efficient, automated handling and positioning of carton blanks, reducing jamming and increasing productivity by allowing for more blanks to be loaded without expanding the machine's footprint, thus enhancing operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A folded carton blank pick up device with two vacuum cups is mounted on the folded carton blank conveyance device
Implementation Method 2
three threaded shafts mounted on the folded carton blank storage rack and connected to the conveyor device, whereby the threaded shafts can be rotated to raise and lower the conveyor device
Data Source
AI summary
A carton forming machine includes a carton blank push up device that receives a substantially horizontal folded carton blank and reorients the folded carton blank from the substantially horizontal orientation to an upright orientation below and in a first direction alignment with a carton opening mechanism. A carton blank positioning apparatus shifts the upright folded carton blank in a second direction, transverse to the first direction, below the carton opening mechanism to define a second direction position of the upright carton blank below the carton opening mechanism before the carton opening mechanism engages the upright carton blank for opening of the upright carton blank.