Eccentric Clamping Mechanism for Tray Gripper Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tray sealing machines face challenges in achieving stable and quick attachment of tray grippers, leading to oscillations and vibrations that affect positioning accuracy and cause malfunctions, especially during high-throughput operations.
Innovation Solution
A method for releasably attaching a tray gripper to a gripper arm using an eccentric mechanism that applies a high clamping force, allowing for easy exchange and secure attachment, with the eccentric actuated by a lever connected to an axle, providing a defined clamping position and feedback on correct attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high forces are applied to accelerate or brake trays during high-throughput operations, then productivity is improved, but oscillations and vibrations occur in the shell grab affecting positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The shell grab is divided into modular components that can be detached and replaced. The gripper system comprises multiple shell grabs that can be independently adjusted, allowing optimization of each segment for specific tasks while reducing overall system vibrations through distributed mass and flexible configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The shell grabs are designed with adjustable parameters including length, positioning, and clamping force. By optimizing these parameters, the system can maintain positioning accuracy even during high-force operations. The adjustable nature allows adaptation to different tray sizes and weights, preventing excessive vibrations.
2Productivity
If shell grabs are designed to be particularly long to move more shells simultaneously, then productivity is improved, but stability deteriorates causing oscillations and vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single long shell grab, the system employs multiple shorter shell grabs that can be independently positioned and controlled. This segmentation maintains the ability to transport multiple shells while improving stability by distributing the load and reducing the leverage effect that causes vibrations in long single-piece grabs.
Solution Approach 2:
The shell grabs are designed to be adjustable in length and positioning, allowing dynamic optimization for each specific operation. This adaptability enables the system to use shorter grabs when stability is critical and longer configurations when maximum throughput is required, balancing productivity and stability based on real-time needs.
3Reliability
If manual pushing of the spring plate is required to release the locating bolt, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling device incorporates a spring-loaded mechanism that automatically maintains clamping force on the locating bolt. The spring plate continuously exerts pressure to secure the connection, and the system self-regulates to maintain reliability without requiring manual intervention for routine operations, while still allowing easy release when needed.
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 ensures a stable and vibration-resistant attachment of the tray gripper, maintaining positioning accuracy even during high-force operations, enabling efficient and reliable tray handling in tray sealing machines.
Implementation Method 1
By actuating an eccentric, a clamping force is exerted on the shell grab located in the pre-assembly position, so that a fastening structure of the shell grab is clamped against a bearing structure of the grab arm
Implementation Method 2
the eccentric is actuated by actuating a lever connected to an axle of the eccentric
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A shell gripper (27) is attached to a gripper arm (25) of a shell closing machine (1). For this purpose, the shell gripper (27) is moved into a pre-assembly position by hooking the shell gripper (27) onto the gripper arm (25). In addition, an eccentric (47) is actuated to exert a clamping force on the shell gripper (27) in the pre-assembly position, so that a mounting structure (43) of the shell gripper (27) is clamped against a support structure (49) of the gripper arm (25).