Container Feeding System Pickup Pushing Wheel Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing feeding systems for empty containers to washing units are inefficient due to the need for a full round of the pushing wheel and double impact, which limits the feeding rate and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A feeding system with a modified sequencing device that includes a pickup wheel and a pushing wheel with coordinated rotation and a control unit to control the angular rate, allowing for a single finger to complete the insertion of containers into the conveying device, thereby increasing the feeding rate without reliability losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a full round of the pushing wheel is required to complete container insertion, then the container is reliably inserted into the conveying device, but the feeding rate is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The container is preliminarily positioned by the pickup wheel before the pushing wheel completes the insertion. The pickup wheel places the container on the guiding profile at an optimized position, so that the pushing wheel only needs to complete the final insertion motion rather than performing a full rotational cycle, thereby reducing the pushing wheel's angular travel while maintaining reliable insertion
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically coordinates the rotation of the pickup wheel and pushing wheel through a control unit. The angular rates of both wheels are independently controlled and synchronized, allowing the pushing wheel to rotate at variable speeds - faster during the insertion phase and slower or stationary during the container positioning phase - thereby increasing overall feeding rate while ensuring reliable insertion when needed
2Reliability
If a double impact mechanism is used to insert containers, then the containers are reliably fed to the conveying device, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insertion function is extracted from the pushing wheel and assigned to a separate finger element. The finger is selectively engaged by the pushing wheel only when needed for container insertion, while the pickup wheel handles container acquisition and initial positioning. This separation allows the pushing wheel to have a simpler, more focused function, reducing overall mechanism complexity while maintaining reliable feeding
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit monitors the positions and angular rates of both wheels, providing feedback control to coordinate their motion. This feedback mechanism ensures that the pickup wheel and pushing wheel are synchronized properly, maintaining reliable container feeding without requiring complex mechanical linkages or interlocks between the wheels
Data Source
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AI summary
Feeding system (8) for feeding empty containers (2) to a conveying device (4) of a washing unit (1) at an inlet station (I) includes a guiding profile (G) and a moving mechanism (107, 108, 110, 111) for moving the containers (2) onto the guiding profile (G) along an oriented feeding direction (F); the moving mechanism (107, 108, 110, 111) includes a first finger (120), which is rotatable about an axis (D) fixed with respect to the guiding profile (G) and pushes the containers (2) traveling onto the guiding profile; an end portion (121) of finger (120) traces an imaginary circumference (113) coplanar to the guiding profile (G) and such that a line (H) is tangent to the circumference (113) at the inlet station (I); the oriented feeding direction (F) forms with the line (H) an angle (α) that defines a plane portion with the axis (D) and is greater than 90°.