Container Preheating for Uniform Shrink Wrap Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for attaching wrapping members like cap seals or shrink labels to containers often result in uneven heating, leading to inclined attachments, wrinkles, and color unevenness, which can affect the accuracy of information display and impact sales.
Innovation Solution
A method involving preheating the container before attaching the wrapping member, using a device with container rotating means to ensure uniform preheating and prevent heat absorption by the container during wrapping member heating, allowing for uniform shrinkage and attachment without tilting or wrinkles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual handling and assembly of packaging materials is used, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but productivity is low and labor costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting device is divided into multiple independent picking heads (first picking head, second picking head) that can operate simultaneously to pick different packaging materials. Each picking head has its own picking mechanism and can be independently controlled, allowing parallel operation to increase packaging speed without requiring a completely complex integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting device is designed with multiple picking heads that can handle different types of packaging materials (first packaging material, second packaging material, third packaging material) using the same basic mechanical structure. The device can be configured to pick various materials from different locations and mount them on different sides of the container, providing multi-functionality without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If packaging materials are mounted on all sides of the container including narrow sides, then packaging stability is improved, but the risk of materials falling onto the product increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device applies different mounting strategies to different locations on the container. Picking heads are positioned and controlled to mount materials on specific sides (first side, second side, third side) while avoiding the narrow fourth side. Each picking head has adjustable positioning capabilities to place materials at optimal locations that provide stability without creating falling hazards onto the product.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is configured to pre-determine which sides of the container will receive packaging materials based on the container's orientation and the product's vulnerability. The control system plans the mounting sequence and locations in advance, ensuring materials are placed on safe sides before any falling risk can occur, while still achieving stable packaging through strategic material placement.
3Productivity
If a single picking head is used to pick all packaging materials, then device complexity is reduced, but the time to complete packaging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The picking function is segmented into multiple independent picking heads that operate in parallel. The first picking head picks the first packaging material while the second picking head simultaneously picks the second packaging material, and the third picking head picks the third packaging material. This parallel operation significantly reduces the total packaging cycle time compared to a single picking head operating sequentially.
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple picking heads are positioned and controlled to operate continuously without idle time. While one picking head is picking a material, another is already preparing to pick the next material, and the mounting process is continuously fed by all picking heads. This eliminates waiting time and maintains continuous useful action throughout the packaging cycle, maximizing throughput.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3d
AI summary
A wrapping member attaching device 10 for attaching a wrapping member 60 to a container 50, comprises: a container preheating means 20 for preheating at least a portion 53 of the container; a wrapping member arranging means 41 for arranging the wrapping member in such a manner that the container can be surrounded by the wrapping member; and a wrapping member heating means 30 for heating the wrapping member to a temperature not less than a shrinkage starting temperature of the wrapping member so that the wrapping member can be shrunk around the container and attached to it. Due to the foregoing, the wrapping member is attached to the container without being tilted, wrinkles and unevenness of color. A portion 54' of the container 50, at which the wrapping member shrinks most, may be preheated. The container preheating means may includes a container rotating means 25 for rotating the container. It is preferable that the wrapping member attaching device includes a self-cooling suppressing means 42 for suppressing the container, which has been preheated by the container preheating means, from being self-cooled between the container preheating means and the wrapping member heating means.