Electric-Drive Container Closing With Pre-Contact Abort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container closing apparatuses face issues with damage, contamination, and downtime due to incorrect positioning between the closing element and the container mouth, leading to excessive forces and potential malfunction.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method and apparatus that utilize an electric drive device, preferably a servo drive unit, to monitor and abort the movement of a closing element when a position deviation exceeds a specified limit, allowing for early detection and prevention of damage, contamination, and uninterrupted operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the closing element is moved to the container without monitoring, then the closing operation can be completed, but damage to containers and apparatus may occur due to incorrect positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by monitoring the following error (position deviation) of the electric drive device during the closing operation. The control system continuously compares the actual position of the closing element with the target position and adjusts the drive accordingly. When the following error exceeds a predetermined threshold, the system automatically aborts the closing operation, preventing damage to containers and apparatus while maintaining reliable operation.
2Reliability
If the following error monitoring is implemented with a small limit value, then damage prevention is improved, but the risk of false aborts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the limit value for following error monitoring based on the specific application requirements. By carefully selecting and adjusting this parameter, the system achieves an optimal balance between early detection of positioning errors (preventing damage) and avoiding false aborts that would reduce productivity. The limit value can be adapted to different container types and closing operations.
3Reliability
If the closing operation is aborted due to position deviation, then damage is prevented, but unwanted downtimes occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary monitoring of the following error during the closing approach phase, before actual contact between the closing element and container occurs. By detecting position deviations early in the process, the system can abort the operation before damage happens, allowing for quick reset and continuation without extensive cleaning or repair downtime. The container can be easily removed and replaced without interrupting the overall production flow.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to, among other things, a method for operating an apparatus for closing containers. An electric drive device of the apparatus is operated in order to move a closing element of the apparatus to a container received in a container receptacle of the apparatus in order to apply a closure to the container. A following error of the electric drive device during operation of the electric drive device for moving the closing element to the container is monitored via a processing device of the apparatus. If the monitored following error reaches or exceeds a prespecified limit value, the electric drive device is operated to abort the movement of the closing element to the container and to move the closing element away from the container.