Container Feed System With Variable Carrier Spacing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional container feed systems for transporting containers, such as beverage cans, suffer from issues like contamination due to chain abrasion and lubricant leakage, difficulties in cleaning, and inflexibility in accommodating different sealing modules, leading to potential contamination and inefficiencies in the food industry.

Innovation Solution

A container feed system utilizing a pulling element with multiple types of carriers, each with a unique shape to maintain a constant transport distance, allowing for flexibility in using alternative pulling elements like toothed belts, which simplifies cleaning and reduces contamination risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a chain carrier system is used for transporting containers, then the containers can be conveyed along the transport path, but contamination occurs due to chain abrasion and lubricant leakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer transport reliabilityVSAvoidcontainer contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the harmful chain carrier system from the container transport path and replaces it with a pulling element system. The chain is completely removed and replaced by a pulling element that moves carriers without direct contact with containers, eliminating the source of contamination through abrasion and lubricant leakage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces carriers as intermediary elements between the pulling element and the containers. These carriers are attached to the pulling element at fastening points and transport containers without direct chain contact, serving as a clean intermediary that prevents contamination while maintaining transport functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a conventional chain carrier system is used, then containers can be transported, but cleaning becomes difficult due to chain structure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer transport functionalityVSAvoidsystem cleaning ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The complex chain structure is extracted and replaced with a simpler pulling element system consisting of a continuous element with attachment points. This simplified structure eliminates difficult-to-reach areas between chain links, making the entire system much easier to clean and maintain hygiene standards.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of manufacture

If identical carriers are used at all fastening points, then the system is simple to manufacture, but the system becomes inflexible in accommodating different sealing modules

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarrier manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidsealing module accommodation flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by allowing carriers to have different shapes at different fastening points along the pulling element. Each carrier can be specifically designed for its location and the required container type, enabling the system to accommodate various sealing modules while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized carrier designs for each position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system achieves dynamic adaptability by allowing the selection and arrangement of different carrier types at different fastening points. This dynamic configuration enables the same pulling element system to adapt to different sealing modules and container types by simply changing the carrier arrangement rather than redesigning the entire system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Adaptability or versatility

If the distance between fastening points varies, then alternative pulling elements can be used, but the transport distance between containers becomes non-constant

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepulling element selection flexibilityVSAvoidcontainer transport distance consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by allowing the pulling element to have variable spacing between fastening points at different locations. Each section can be optimized for specific requirements, and the carrier shapes are designed to compensate for spacing variations, ensuring constant effective transport distance while maintaining flexibility in pulling element selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12275592B2Container feed system for the transport of containers

Publication Date: 2025.04.15 FERRUM PACKAGING AG

AI summary

A container feed system for the transport of containers along a transport path includes a pulling element, first carriers, second carriers, the first and second carriers arranged distributed at fastening points of the pulling element such that the containers are received and transported along the transport path by the first and second carriers during movement of the pulling element. The fastening points for first and second carriers of the first carriers are arranged side by side on the pulling element and have a first fastening distance and the fastening points of a third carrier of the first carriers is arranged next to a first carrier of the second carriers on the pulling element and have a second fastening distance. The second carriers have a shape that is different the first carriers such that a transport distance between the containers guided side by side along the transport path is constant.