Filling Tube Assembly with Dual Angled Tubes for Automated Casing Refill

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sausage-shaped product production systems require manual or complex automated refilling of tubular packaging casings, leading to downtime, potential damage, and operational inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A filling tube assembly with a revolver plate and dual filling tubes, along with a robotic device and gripper unit, allows for automated and efficient transfer of tubular packaging casings, eliminating the need for manual intervention and reducing downtime.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual refilling of tubular packaging casing is used, then operational flexibility is maintained, but production time increases and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational flexibilityVSAvoidproduction time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automatic self-refilling of tubular packaging casings through a robotic device that autonomously transfers casings from storage to the filling tube, eliminating manual intervention and continuous operator presence requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Tubular packaging casings are pre-stored in a storage device positioned and oriented ready for automatic transfer, allowing the refilling operation to be performed in advance without interrupting the filling process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If automated refilling by gravity or shifting element is used, then productivity increases, but device complexity and control requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverefilling speedVSAvoidcontrol amount

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical gravity-fed or shifting-element refilling systems with a simpler robotic device that uses controlled movement and gripping mechanisms to transfer packaging casings, reducing the control amount required

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

A robotic device acts as an intermediary between the storage device and the filling tube, simplifying the transfer mechanism by using controlled robotic movement rather than complex gravity-dependent or mechanically-linked shifting systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If specific storage positioning is required for automated refilling, then refilling accuracy is improved, but adaptability and installation flexibility decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment accuracyVSAvoidinstallation flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic device provides dynamic and adaptable positioning capability, allowing the storage device to be positioned at various locations and orientations while the robot adjusts its movement and gripping actions to achieve accurate transfer, eliminating fixed alignment requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The robotic device can change its movement parameters (position, orientation, speed) to accommodate different storage device positions and packaging casing configurations, providing flexibility without sacrificing transfer accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Device complexity

If manual operator is required for refilling, then system simplicity is maintained, but loss of time increases and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoiddowntime

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic refilling system enables continuous operation by automatically transferring packaging casings without interrupting the filling process, eliminating downtime associated with manual refilling operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-refilling operations autonomously, eliminating the need for manual operator intervention and the associated downtime, while maintaining relatively simple system architecture through the use of a robotic device

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250295127A1Filling Tube Assembly of a Clipping Machine

Publication Date: 2025.09.25 POLY CLIP SYST

AI summary

A filling tube assembly of a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products, like sausages, by filling a filling material into a tubular packaging casing, the filling tube assembly comprising: a revolver plate, which is rotatable about a rotation axis, at least a first filling tube and a second filling tube each having a central axis, wherein the filling tubes are mounted on the revolver plate, at least a first casing brake assembly and a second casing brake assembly, wherein the first casing brake assembly is connected to the first filling tube and the second casing brake assembly is connected to the second filling tube, and a drive device for rotating the revolver plate including the filling tubes about the rotation axis, wherein the central axis of the first filling tube and the central axis of the second filling tube define an angle larger than 0°, preferably between 15° and 75°, and more preferably between 30° and 60°.