Controllable Braking System for Carrier Deceleration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing devices for treating containers, such as blow molding and filling machines, face challenges in achieving rapid and controlled deceleration of a carrier with a large mass, leading to torque fluctuations and vibrations during emergency stops, which exceed the capacity of drive motors and mechanical brakes, resulting in delayed braking and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

A device with a controllable braking system using pneumatic or hydraulic valves that adjust braking force in response to torque fluctuations, allowing for variable regulation of pressurized flowable media to achieve a braking effect, thereby compensating for torque imbalances and ensuring smooth deceleration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If a mechanical brake is used to decelerate the carrier, then the rotational speed can be reduced, but torque fluctuations and vibrations occur that exceed the drive motor's compensation capacity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverotational speed of carrierVSAvoidtorque fluctuations and vibrations
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The brake torque is made dynamically adjustable through a control device that varies the braking force based on detected torque fluctuations. The control device receives signals from sensors monitoring the carrier's rotational behavior and automatically adjusts the brake's clamping force to compensate for fluctuations, transforming a static braking system into a dynamic one that adapts to changing conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A feedback control loop is implemented where sensors detect torque fluctuations and rotational speed variations, transmit this information to the control device, which then adjusts the brake torque accordingly. This closed-loop feedback system enables the brake to counteract vibrations and torque fluctuations by continuously adapting its braking force to the actual operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of time

If the drive motor and mechanical brake operate at full capacity during emergency stop, then rapid deceleration is achieved, but component sizing must be large and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebraking timeVSAvoidcomponent sizing and costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The braking system uses dynamic torque adjustment to optimize the braking process. Instead of relying on oversized static components, the system varies the brake torque in real-time to achieve maximum deceleration efficiency. This allows for smaller, more cost-effective component sizing while maintaining rapid emergency stopping capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control device changes the braking parameter (torque) dynamically during the deceleration process. By optimizing the torque profile rather than maintaining constant maximum torque, the system achieves rapid braking with smaller components. The parameter changes allow for efficient energy dissipation and reduced thermal loads, enabling compact brake design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Weight of moving object

If the carrier mass is large, then treatment units can be adequately arranged, but the drive motor cannot brake the carrier alone within a defined time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecarrier massVSAvoidbraking time
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges the drive motor's electromagnetic braking capability with a mechanical friction brake to create a combined braking system. The drive motor provides initial deceleration and fine control, while the mechanical brake supplies additional friction torque for rapid stopping. This combination allows the system to handle large carrier masses within defined braking times without requiring an excessively oversized drive motor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical brake provides excessive braking force beyond what the drive motor alone can deliver, enabling rapid deceleration of the heavy carrier. The control device modulates this excessive brake torque to prevent overshooting and ensure precise stopping within the required time frame, utilizing the brake's capacity more fully than traditional designs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Object-generated harmful factors

If torque fluctuations are large during emergency stop, then the drive motor's compensation capability is exceeded, but the carrier's structural rigidity cannot be increased for cost reasons

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetorque fluctuationsVSAvoidcarrier structural rigidity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The feedback control system detects torque fluctuations caused by the carrier's flexible structure and automatically adjusts the brake torque to compensate. Sensors monitor vibrations and rotational variations, and the control device modifies the braking force in real-time to counteract these fluctuations, eliminating the need for expensive structural reinforcement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control device acts as an intermediary between the mechanical brake and the carrier, mediating the interaction by adjusting brake torque to account for the carrier's structural flexibility. This intermediary control layer smooths out the interaction, preventing torque fluctuations from being directly transmitted to the carrier structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution enables rapid and controlled deceleration of the carrier, reducing torque fluctuations and vibrations, allowing for smaller component sizing and reduced costs, while maintaining efficient operation and precise control of the braking process.

Implementation Method 1

a pneumatic or hydraulic valve (1e), which can be switched proportionally by means of the control device (3d), such that a pressurized flowable medium can be discharged or supplied from or to a reservoir of the braking device (4, 5) to or from a brake cylinder (8) of the braking device (4, 5) in an individually switchable manner

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPneumatics and hydraulics: Hydraulic Press

Implementation Method 2

The operating principle of the mechanical brake is essentially based on reducing a movement through friction between a fixed and the moving body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2700581B1Device and method for handling containers with a mechanical braking device
Publication Date: 2017.06.14 KRONES AG
  • EP2700581B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1e
  • EP2700581B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

The apparatus (1) has multiple treatment units, which are arranged on a carrier (2) rotatable around a rotational axis (Z). A mechanical braking unit (4,5) is provided with a valve, which is switchable in a variable manner by a control unit that is communicatively connected to the braking unit, such that a removal or supply of a flowable medium under pressure from or to a reservoir of the braking device is carried out individually on or by a braking cylinder of the braking device to attain a braking effect. An independent claim is included for a method for treatment of containers.