Container Feed Conveyor Layout for Compact Thermal Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermal treatment devices, such as pasteurizers, coolers, and heaters, require significant space and exert high forces on containers during feeding, necessitating a more space-efficient and force-reducing solution.
Innovation Solution
A container feeding device with multiple parallel conveyors arranged in opposing directions and controlled drive speeds, combined with a discharge area and railings with deflectors, ensures containers are transferred efficiently without excessive pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional container feeding devices are used, then containers can be fed to the mass flow conveyor, but the device requires a lot of space and exerts high forces on the containers
Solution Approach 1:
The container feeding device is divided into multiple separate conveyor belts (first conveyor belt, second conveyor belt, third conveyor belt, fourth conveyor belt) that operate independently. Each conveyor belt handles a specific portion of the container flow, allowing the system to achieve the desired container feeding function while reducing the overall space requirement and minimizing the forces exerted on individual containers through distributed, gentle handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a multi-directional conveyor arrangement where containers are conveyed in different directions (first direction, second direction opposite to first, third direction transverse to second) across multiple parallel conveyor belts. This spatial reconfiguration allows the system to compact the feeding device footprint while maintaining efficient container flow and reducing mechanical stress through distributed conveying paths.
2Productivity
If conventional container feeding devices are used, then containers can be fed to the mass flow conveyor, but the device occupies significant plant space
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple conveyor belts are merged into a coordinated system where the first, second, third, and fourth conveyor belts work together in parallel to achieve high container feeding throughput. This merged multi-conveyor system maintains high productivity by handling multiple containers simultaneously while occupying less space than conventional single-path feeding devices would require.
Solution Approach 2:
The container feeding system utilizes multi-directional conveyance across four parallel conveyor belts arranged in a compact configuration. By distributing container flow across multiple spatial dimensions and directions, the system achieves high feeding efficiency without requiring excessive plant space, effectively decoupling productivity from footprint.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a thermal treatment device (43), such as a pasteurizer, cooler or heater, having at least one container feed device (1, 25) for feeding containers (40) each to one mass flow conveyor (18) comprised by the thermal treatment device. The treatment device adjoins the at least one container feed device. The container feed device comprises: an at least one-track infeed conveyor (2) which can be driven in a first direction (16) and is designed to convey containers in the first direction; a first group (8) of a plurality of parallel first conveyors (3-7) which are arranged so as to be parallel and adjoining the at least one-track infeed conveyor (2) and which can be driven in the first direction and are designed to convey containers in the first direction; a second group (14) of a plurality of parallel second conveyors (9-13) which are arranged so as to be parallel and adjoining the first group and which can be driven in a second direction (17) and are designed to convey containers in the second direction which is counter to the first direction. The second group can deliver the containers transversely to the second direction in the direction (22) of a mass flow conveyor (18). The invention also relates to a method for operating the thermal treatment device having the at least one container feed device.