Elastomeric Pin Support for Tray Denesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing denesting apparatuses face challenges in supporting and individually dispensing trays due to thinner materials, decreasing tray separation, uneven tray spacing, irregular tray edges, and misalignment of larger tray stacks.
Innovation Solution
A support unit with engagement pads composed of elastomeric material and a matrix of protruding flexible pins, which can adapt to the geometry of the trays, ensuring optimal support and individual denesting regardless of tray material, separation, or edge irregularities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid engagement pads are used to support trays, then structural strength is improved, but adaptability to irregular tray edges and misalignment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement pads are made from elastomeric material that can deform elastically to conform to irregular tray edges and misaligned trays, providing both structural support and adaptability. The flexible material allows the pads to wrap around and engage with trays of varying geometries while maintaining sufficient strength for individual denesting.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement pads utilize elastomeric material that combines the structural integrity needed for support with the flexibility required to adapt to irregular tray surfaces. This composite approach merges the benefits of strength and compliance in a single component.
2Adaptability or versatility
If engagement pads are made soft and flexible, then adaptability to tray geometry is improved, but ability to individually separate trays deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric material's hardness, elasticity, and viscosity parameters are optimized to achieve the right balance. The material is soft enough to conform to tray geometry but has sufficient elastic recovery to provide the necessary separation force for individual tray dispensing. The specific elastomeric formulation allows simultaneous achievement of adaptability and reliable individual separation.
3Productivity
If the distance between trays in a stack is decreased, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision of tray position deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors detect the position of each tray in the stack and provide feedback to the control system. The system uses this information to adjust the engagement pad positioning and timing, ensuring accurate individual tray separation even when trays are closely spaced. The feedback mechanism compensates for variations in tray spacing and alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement pads are designed with dynamic positioning capabilities that allow real-time adjustment based on detected tray positions. The system can dynamically adapt the engagement force and position to accommodate varying tray spacing, maintaining measurement precision and individual separation capability at high productivity rates.
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 support unit effectively adapts to the geometry of the trays, ensuring accurate and efficient individual denesting, even with irregularities and misalignment, thereby improving the denesting process.
Implementation Method 1
the engagement portion is composed of an elastomeric material... the resilient pad upon contact with the edge is slightly deformed and thereby handles the edge of the tray
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention discloses a support unit (1), constituting part of a denesting apparatus, including a frame (2) defining a storage space, the storage space configured to host a stack of receptacles to be denested in the denesting apparatus along a stacking axis (S); the frame (2) including at least one engagement pad (3) in each of two opposed sides of the frame; each engagement pad (3) including a support surface (31) parallel to the stacking axis (S), facing the storage space and adjacent thereto, and an engagement portion (32) protruding from the support surface (31) within the storage space, so that the engagement pad (3) is suitable to contact a plurality of edges of receptacles of the stack of receptacles by the engagement portion (32), characterized in that the engagement portion (32) is composed of an elastomeric material, and the engagement portion (32) is a matrix of protruding flexible pins (320).