Concurrent Article Placement in Packaging Apparatus
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing apparatuses for handling articles have a large space requirement and limited pacing, as they can only transfer one group of articles into an outer packaging at a time, which restricts the efficiency of article throughput in packaging and handling processes.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising a first conveyor for article supply, a second conveyor for outer packaging supply, a third conveyor for discharging filled packagings, and a placing surface with independent transfer devices that allow simultaneous transfer and staging of multiple outer packagings, enabling articles to be placed into multiple packagings simultaneously, thereby increasing pacing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If articles are transferred one group at a time into outer packagings using conventional transplacers, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity is limited due to sequential processing
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus segments the packaging process into three independent conveyor lines (first conveyor for articles, second conveyor for empty packagings, third conveyor for filled packagings) that operate simultaneously. This segmentation allows multiple articles to be placed into multiple packagings concurrently, increasing pacing while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from sequential one-dimensional processing to parallel multi-dimensional processing by introducing multiple conveyors operating in different spatial arrangements. The placing surface positioned between the second and third conveyors enables simultaneous article placement operations across multiple packagings, effectively utilizing three-dimensional space to improve productivity
2Loss of time
If conventional transplacers are used with single-group article transfer, then the device complexity is lower, but the loss of time increases due to sequential article handling
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus ensures continuous useful action by having three conveyors operating simultaneously without idle time. While the first conveyor supplies articles, the second conveyor supplies empty packagings, and the third conveyor discharges filled packagings, all operations proceed concurrently. This eliminates waiting periods and maximizes the utilization of the placing device, reducing the time span for handling articles
Solution Approach 2:
Empty packagings are prepared and supplied by the second conveyor in advance before articles are placed. This preliminary preparation of packagings ensures that when articles arrive at the placing surface, ready-to-use packagings are immediately available, eliminating waiting time and maintaining continuous operation flow
3Productivity
If multiple outer packagings are staged simultaneously on the placing surface, then the productivity increases through concurrent article placement, but the area of stationary object increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes vertical positioning of the placing surface between the second and third conveyors to enable multiple packagings to be staged simultaneously. By operating in three-dimensional space rather than expanding only horizontally, the system accommodates multiple packagings without proportionally increasing the horizontal footprint, thus improving productivity while controlling the area of stationary objects
Data Source
AI summary
The invention includes an apparatus (01) and a method for handling articles (02). The apparatus (01) includes a first conveyor (03) for supplying articles (02), a second conveyor (04) for supplying outer packagings (05), a third conveyor (06) for discharging filled outer packagings (07), and a placing surface (08) arranged between the second conveyor (04) and the third conveyor (06). The apparatus also includes a device (09) for transferring supplied outer packagings (05) from the second conveyor (04) to the placing surface (08), a device (10) for transferring articles (02) from the first conveyor (03) into outer packagings (05), and a device (11) for transferring filled outer packagings (07) from the placing surface (08) onto the third conveyor (06). The method places articles (02) into outer packagings (05), staged on a placing surface (08), from one or more article flows lined up one after the other uninterruptedly and/or with gaps between them and/or grouped. The outer packagings (05) themselves in turn are supplied independently of the articles (02) in a transport direction (41) and are transferred (91) onto the placing surface (08) individually or groupwise transversely to the transport direction (41). After the articles (02) have been placed in the outer packagings (05), they are transferred (111), in turn individually or groupwise, transversely to the transport direction (41) in order to be subsequently discharged in the direction of the transport direction (41) or opposite to it in parallel to the transport direction (41).