Electromagnetic Conveyor Coil Matrix for Aluminum Can Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conveying electrically conductive articles, such as aluminum beverage cans, is challenging due to tipping and stranding issues during transitions between conveyors, requiring manual intervention that increases costs and risks contamination, and can lead to batch mixing if not addressed.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor system with a diverter and coils arranged in a matrix of zones producing electromagnetic flux waves to direct electrically conductive articles from one conveyor to another, using periodic pulses and phase-shifted drive waveforms to enhance movement and prevent stranding, ensuring efficient transfer without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual intervention is used to deal with toppled and stranded cans, then the cans can be rescued from stranding and tipping, but manufacturing costs increase and contamination risks arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical intervention with an electromagnetic conveyor system that uses electromagnetic fields to propel and guide cans through transitions. The electromagnetic force acts on the conductive can material to provide controlled acceleration and directional guidance, eliminating the need for manual handling while maintaining reliable transfer and preventing stranding or tipping.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts electromagnetic field parameters (strength, frequency, distribution) to control can motion during transitions. By varying these parameters across different zones of the conveyor, the system can accelerate cans, guide them through angle changes, and prevent stranding without mechanical contact or manual intervention.
2Reliability
If manual intervention is used to prevent can stranding, then batch mixing is prevented, but contamination risks and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic conveyor system replaces manual intervention with field-based can control. The electromagnetic forces provide contactless propulsion and guidance, eliminating contamination risks associated with manual handling while maintaining precise control over can flow to prevent stranding and preserve batch integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electromagnetic field acts as an intermediary between the conveyor system and the cans, providing force transmission without physical contact. This field-based interaction prevents contamination while maintaining reliable control over can motion during transitions, ensuring batch integrity without manual intervention.
3Device complexity
If conventional conveyors are used for can transitions, then the system is simple, but cans tip and strand during transfers between conveyors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical conveyor mechanisms with an electromagnetic propulsion system. The electromagnetic field provides contactless force application to cans, enabling reliable acceleration and guidance through transitions without the mechanical contact that causes tipping and stranding, while maintaining relatively simple system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses spatially and temporally varying electromagnetic field parameters to control can motion during transitions. By adjusting field strength, frequency, and distribution across different zones, the system provides precise control over can acceleration and direction, preventing tipping and stranding while maintaining simple conveyor design.
4Productivity
If high speeds are achieved on long conveyor runs, then productivity increases, but cans become subject to tipping
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic conveyor system dynamically adjusts electromagnetic field parameters along the conveyor run to control can acceleration and velocity profiles. By providing controlled acceleration and maintaining optimal speed profiles, the system achieves high productivity while preventing the excessive forces that cause can tipping during rapid acceleration or deceleration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different electromagnetic field characteristics to different zones of the conveyor. Entrance zones provide controlled acceleration, middle zones maintain steady high-speed transport, and exit zones provide controlled deceleration. This zoned approach enables high-speed operation while maintaining can stability throughout the run.
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 system effectively directs electrically conductive articles between conveyors, reducing manual intervention, minimizing contamination risks, and preventing batch mixing by ensuring smooth and efficient transfer of cans, even at high speeds and in transitions.
Implementation Method 1
The coils in each of the first zones produce an electromagnetic flux wave that forces the electrically conductive articles on the top surface above the zone to move in the first direction. The coils in each of the second zones produce an electromagnetic flux wave that forces the electrically conductive articles on the top surface above the zone to move in the second direction.
Implementation Method 2
Coils are arranged in a matrix of contiguous first and second zones below the top surface. The coils in each of the first zones produce an electromagnetic flux wave that forces the electrically conductive articles on the top surface above the zone to move
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyor system for conveying electrically conductive articles such as aluminum bottles or cans. The conveyor system comprises a plurality of coils below the top surface of an electromagnetic conveyor at a junction between an infeed conveyor and a discharge conveyor. The coils propagate electromagnetic flux waves that induce currents in the electrically conductive articles that force the articles to follow a conveying path from the infeed to the discharge conveyor. Dead spots on the electromagnetic conveyor can be eliminated by adjusting the coil drive waveforms. And a long electromagnetic conveyor driven by a train of narrow pulses is used to singulate electrically conductive articles.