Conveying Device Pivot Drive for Liquid Container Transport

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing container transport systems face challenges in preventing liquid overflows during transportation, especially when containers are subjected to sudden accelerations, braking, or cornering, leading to contamination and insufficient filling.

Innovation Solution

A conveyor facility equipped with a basic body, a bracket for holding containers, a swivel drive unit connecting the bracket to the base body, and sensors to record acceleration, which activates the swivel drive unit to adjust the container's orientation and prevent liquid overflows.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the container is transported during rapid acceleration or abrupt braking or cornering, then the transport speed and efficiency are improved, but the liquid in the container overflows

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransport speedVSAvoidliquid overflow
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The holder is made dynamically adjustable through a pivot drive unit that can change the orientation of the holder relative to the base body. The control unit receives acceleration signals from sensors and dynamically adjusts the holder's angle to counteract inertial forces during acceleration, braking, or cornering, thereby preventing liquid overflow while maintaining transport speed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A sensor (accelerometer) is integrated to detect acceleration of the base body and provides feedback signals to the control unit. The control unit processes this feedback and automatically adjusts the pivot drive unit to tilt the holder in the opposite direction of the acceleration force, creating a closed-loop control system that prevents overflow during dynamic transport

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If a pivot drive unit with sensor and control unit is added to prevent liquid overflow, then the reliability of liquid containment is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveliquid containment reliabilityVSAvoidconveyor device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The holder serves multiple functions: it mechanically supports the container during transport and simultaneously acts as a controlled element that can pivot to prevent overflow. The integrated sensor and control unit create a multi-functional system where the same structural component (holder) performs both mechanical support and active liquid containment functions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The pivot drive unit acts as an intermediary mechanism between the base body and the holder, enabling controlled orientation changes. This intermediary component allows the system to respond to acceleration forces without requiring complete redesign of the holder structure, thus managing complexity through modular addition of the pivot mechanism

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 system effectively balances container movements and liquid dynamics, preventing overflows and ensuring accurate filling by adjusting the container's orientation based on recorded accelerations.

Implementation Method 1

The conveyor device has at least one sensor (e.g., acceleration sensor) designed to detect an acceleration, preferably an angular acceleration and/or a linear acceleration, of the conveyor device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcceleration detection: Accelerometer

Implementation Method 2

The control unit is designed to operate the at least one pivot drive unit for pivoting the holder based on a signal output of the at least one sensor, preferably for preventing a liquid medium from spilling over in the container held by the holder

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInertia: Inertia

Data Source

PatentEP3947220B1Conveying device and method for transporting a container
Publication Date: 2025.04.09 KRONES AG
  • EP3947220B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3947220B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3947220B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a method and a conveying device (18) for transporting a container (12) for a container treatment system (38, 48). The conveying device (18) has at least one pivot drive unit (28, 30) which pivotally connects a holder (26) to a main body (24). A control unit (32) is designed to operate the at least one pivot drive unit (28, 30) for pivoting the holder (26) on the basis of a signal output by at least one sensor (34), preferably in order to prevent a liquid medium in the container (12) held by the holder (26) from slopping over.