Dispenser Cover for Tape Packaging Loading and Jam Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dispensers for tape-like packaging of sterile membranes are cumbersome to load and require complex mechanics, making them costly, bulky, difficult to clean, and sterilize, with a cumbersome manual handling process and accessibility issues during tape transport.
Innovation Solution
A dispenser with a movable cover member that articulates between closed and open positions, allowing easy access to the transport path for loading and jam removal, featuring a pinching zone upstream of the outlet to facilitate one-hand operation and intuitive loading, and integrated guide surfaces for film alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed separator and complex loading mechanism are used, then the dispenser can reliably separate and convey the tape, but the loading process becomes time-consuming and requires manual delicate adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The separator is changed from a fixed structure to a movable one. The cover member can be opened to provide access to the transport path for loading tape, and the separator can be positioned at different locations along the transport path. This dynamic design allows easy loading while maintaining reliable tape separation when closed.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator is divided into multiple sections (first separator section, second separator section, third separator section) that can be independently positioned and adjusted. This segmentation allows the separator to be optimized for different functions: tape separation, film spreading, and guiding, while maintaining overall reliability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If fixed separator bars are used to define the slot, then the tape transport path is stable, but the transport path becomes inaccessible for jam removal
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member is designed to be movable between open and closed positions. When closed, it provides a stable transport path for tape conveyance. When opened, it provides access to the transport path for removing jams and performing maintenance, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and accessibility.
3Device complexity
If lateral insertion of tape is required, then the separator slot can be defined, but the manual handling becomes cumbersome and requires precise alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member acts as an intermediary element that facilitates tape loading. It can be opened to allow easy insertion of the tape from the lateral side, and it provides guiding surfaces that help align the tape automatically, reducing the need for manual delicate adjustments while maintaining the necessary separator structure.
4Reliability
If complex mechanics are used for tape conveyance, then the dispensing function is reliable, but the dispenser becomes bulky and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member serves multiple functions: it defines the separator slot, provides access to the transport path, guides the tape during loading, and can be used for cleaning and maintenance. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, simplifying the overall mechanics while maintaining reliable dispensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The separator and cover member are merged into a single integrated component. The cover member itself forms part of the separator structure, combining the functions of enclosure and separation. This merging reduces the number of separate mechanical components, making the dispenser less bulky and more cost-effective.
Data Source
AI summary
A dispenser for opening a tape like packaging comprising first and second films releasably connected to each other, forming envelopes sealed around an object, and disposed sequentially with a predetermined pitch. The dispenser comprises a space for holding a container of the packaging, a separator through which the packaging can be passed, for spreading apart and separating the films at an outlet thereof when a pulling force is acting on said first and second films, thereby opening envelopes and releasing the objects contained therein, and means for winding up separated first and second films of the tape like packaging. The separator further comprises a cover member that is articulated to the dispenser to be movable between a closed position and an open position.