Conveyor Unit for Reverse Vending Machines with Movable Guide Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Empty feeding machines face issues with residual fluids from returned containers, leading to adherence and unpleasant odors, requiring time-consuming cleaning and reducing machine availability due to confined spaces.
Innovation Solution
An input unit with a conveyor system featuring inclined grooves for liquid drainage, selectively movable conveyor belts, and a guide structure for easy access, along with a detection system for efficient empty type identification and maintenance, allowing for quick cleaning and replacement of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the conveyor unit is fixed in the housing, then the structural stability is improved, but the accessibility for cleaning and maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor unit is designed with selective movability along the transport direction, transitioning from a fixed state during operation to a movable state during cleaning/maintenance. The guide structure enables this dynamic reconfiguration, allowing the conveyor unit to be accessed for cleaning while maintaining structural stability during normal operation.
2Ease of repair
If the conveyor unit is made accessible for cleaning, then the ease of maintenance is improved, but the structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the conveyor unit's position between fixed (stable) and movable (accessible) states based on operational requirements. The guide structure provides controlled movement only when needed for maintenance, preserving structural integrity during normal operation.
3Productivity
If the conveyor belts are continuously running, then the productivity is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor belts operate periodically rather than continuously, running only when empties need to be transported. During cleaning and maintenance periods, the belts are stationary, reducing energy consumption while maintaining productivity during operational phases.
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 effectively manages residual liquids, facilitates easy cleaning and maintenance, and enhances the operational efficiency of empty feeding machines by preventing fluid adherence and odor issues, thus improving machine availability and reducing maintenance time.
Implementation Method 1
The conveyor may have a liquid flow (which ends, for example, at a front end thereof, for example, in the form of a forward-inclined groove or ramp), so that any residual liquid exiting the empties is derivable
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
An input unit (1) for a reverse vending machine (111) comprises: a conveying unit (3) with at least one conveyor belt (5-1, 5-2) for picking up and transporting a reverse vending machine (105), and a guide structure for carrying and guiding the conveying unit (3) relative to a housing (111) of the reverse vending machine (100).