Container Opening Feedback Control to Minimize Content Damage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing container opening systems often damage contents due to the lack of visibility and unawareness of the contents' arrangement, leading to inefficient cutting or opening processes.

Innovation Solution

The use of optical sensors and image analysis to scan containers before and after opening, combined with millimeter wave technology, to assess damage and adjust cutting algorithms, ensuring minimal damage by iteratively modifying cutting parameters based on detected issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a cutting or opening machine is used to open containers, then productivity is improved, but the contents of the container may be damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer opening speedVSAvoiddamage to contents

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary scanning of the container contents using optical sensors and millimeter wave technology before the cutting operation. This allows the control circuit to identify the location, shape, and arrangement of contents in advance, and adjust the cutting path and parameters accordingly to avoid damage while maintaining high productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from pre-opening and post-opening scans to continuously optimize the cutting process. The control circuit compares the scanned images, identifies any damage, and adjusts cutting parameters for subsequent containers, creating a closed-loop system that improves accuracy while maintaining speed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the container is opened manually, then damage to contents is reduced, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedamage to contentsVSAvoidcontainer opening speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual mechanical opening with an automated cutting machine controlled by optical sensing and image processing. The mechanical cutting is precisely controlled based on scanned content information, providing both the speed of automation and the care of manual operation, thereby achieving high productivity with minimal damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Manufacturing precision

If cutting parameters are adjusted to avoid damage, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces optical sensors and millimeter wave scanning as intermediary detection layers between the container and the cutting machine. These intermediaries provide detailed information about content location and shape, enabling precise cutting control without requiring direct complex interaction between the cutting machine and diverse container contents

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11550301B2System and method for adjusting the opening of containers to avoid damage to contents

Publication Date: 2023.01.10 WALMART APOLLO LLC

AI summary

First scanned images of the first container are received from a scanning device that show the contents of the interior of the first container before the first container is cut and opened. Second scanned images that are of the contents of the first container after the first container is cut and opened are also received. The images are analyzed and, based upon the analysis, selective modifications to the operating parameters of the container opening machine are determined and made.