Converging Guide Elements for Beverage Container Fastening
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for creating containers from liquid containers face issues with high downtimes, low throughput, and inability to adapt to different sizes and shapes due to complex moving parts and deflection requirements, which can cause bottlenecks and damage.
Innovation Solution
A device with a conveying system and a station equipped with converging rigid guide elements and a minimal number of moving components, along with a controller for synchronized operation, allows for efficient fastening of liquid containers into holding elements, enabling high throughput and adaptability to various container sizes and shapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex moving parts and deflection mechanisms are used to fasten bottles, then the bottles can be secured in holding elements, but the device experiences high downtimes and low throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes complex moving parts and deflection mechanisms from the system, replacing them with a simple linear conveyor and rigid guide elements. The fastening function is achieved through the geometric arrangement of fixed guide elements that converge to press bottles into holding elements, eliminating the need for complex actuators and moving components while maintaining fastening reliability and enabling high throughput operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using moving parts to actively press bottles into holding elements, the patent inverts the approach by using fixed rigid guide elements whose geometric convergence naturally applies the necessary pressing force. The bottles are passively guided and pressed by the fixed structure rather than being actively pushed by moving mechanisms, thereby eliminating downtime associated with complex actuation systems.
2Reliability
If strong deflection of bottle movement direction is applied to achieve fastening, then bottles can be secured, but the required throughput is negatively affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for strong deflection of bottle movement by inverting the fastening approach: instead of deflecting moving bottles through complex mechanisms, fixed rigid guide elements with converging geometry passively guide and press bottles into holding elements along a linear path, maintaining high throughput speed while achieving reliable fastening.
3Reliability
If gear-like wheels are used to press bottles into recesses, then bottles can be fastened, but the bottles can get caught and cause downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes gear-like wheels and moving pressing mechanisms entirely, replacing them with fixed rigid guide elements that have a converging geometric arrangement. These fixed elements continuously and smoothly press bottles into holding elements without the risk of bottles getting caught in moving parts, thereby eliminating downtime while maintaining fastening reliability.
4Reliability
If a device with many moving parts is used for fastening, then bottles can be secured, but the device requires frequent maintenance and has high downtimes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts all complex moving parts from the fastening mechanism, leaving only fixed rigid guide elements and a simple linear conveyor. This dramatically reduces maintenance requirements and downtime while maintaining fastening reliability through the geometric convergence of the fixed guide elements that naturally press bottles into holding elements.
5Adaptability or versatility
If complex mechanisms are used to accommodate different bottle sizes, then various containers can be processed, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs fixed rigid guide elements with a converging geometric arrangement that can accommodate different bottle sizes and shapes without requiring mechanism changes. The universal geometry of the guide elements allows them to adapt to various container dimensions while maintaining a simple, low-complexity fixed structure rather than requiring complex adjustable or reconfigurable mechanisms.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The apparatus has a station (10) receiving beverage containers (20) e.g. bottles, fed by a conveyor unit (152), where the conveyor unit includes a device for feeding a separate holding element (16). The holding element is positioned in the station into which the containers are guided. Two rigid guiding elements (50) are positioned in the station in a transport direction of the containers, so that the rigid guiding elements run towards each other and clamp the containers in the holding element. The device removes the holding element from depot and feeds the holding element to the conveyor unit. An independent claim is also included for a method for making packs of two beverage containers.