Container Clamping Cam Linkage for Gentle Neck Holding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clamping devices for beverage containers in filling plants either apply high force, leading to damage of fragile containers or result in sudden gripping and releasing, causing wear and contamination issues due to unilateral pretension and abrupt movements.
Innovation Solution
A clamping device with two pivoting arms and a control cam coupled via a slotted groove and control bolt mechanism, allowing controlled and gentle opening and closing of the clamping arms, reducing wear and preventing sudden impacts, ensuring secure and gentle handling of containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If passive clamping devices are used with stiff gripper arms, then the container can be held firmly, but the container surface may be scratched and quality reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cushioning element (dämpfungselement) between the clamping arm and the container that absorbs impact energy during insertion. This cushioning mechanism prevents direct transmission of high insertion forces to the container surface, thereby avoiding scratches while maintaining effective clamping force during operation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If active clamping devices with multiple components are used, then secure and gentle container handling is achieved, but the device becomes complicated to clean and has high production cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated clamping arm structure. The clamping arm incorporates both the clamping function and the cushioning function within one component, eliminating the need for separate cushioning elements and reducing the total number of parts. This simplifies the device structure, reduces production costs, and facilitates easier cleaning while maintaining gentle container handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping arm is designed with a flexible or elastomeric material that provides inherent cushioning properties. This flexible structure allows the clamping arm to deform elastically during container insertion, absorbing impact forces without requiring additional rigid cushioning components, thereby simplifying the overall device design.
3Strength
If unilateral pretension of clamping arms is used, then the container can be securely held, but sudden gripping and releasing occurs causing wear and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a counterbalancing spring mechanism that opposes the unilateral pretension force. This counterbalancing force smooths out the force profile during clamping arm movement, preventing sudden gripping and releasing actions. The spring gradually adjusts the force application, reducing impact and wear while maintaining secure container holding.
4Ease of operation
If control cam works against unilateral pretension, then the clamping arms can be actuated, but a great deal of wear occurs between clamping arms and control cam
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static unilateral pretension into a dynamic balanced system where the pretension force is counterbalanced by a spring mechanism. This dynamic balance reduces the peak forces and impact loads that the control cam must overcome during actuation, significantly reducing wear between the control cam and clamping arms while maintaining full actuation capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A clamping device for holding a container in a container treatment device, for example for holding a beverage container at a neck portion, comprising two clamping arms with a holding portion for holding the container to be held, and a control cam which is pivotable about a control cam pivot axis, wherein the clamping arms and the control cam are coupled via a coupling mechanism so that a pivoting of the control cam about its control cam pivot axis causes a pivoting of the clamping arms relative to one another, and the coupling mechanism comprises at least one pair of a slotted groove and a control bolt guided in the slotted groove for transmitting movements of the control cam to the clamping arms.