Filling Arrangement Guiding Rods Package Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing filling arrangements face challenges in accurately aligning packages with filling pipes, leading to potential damage and inefficiencies, particularly when using individual cassettes that are not fixedly linked in a queue, and misalignments due to wear or component tolerances are not adequately compensated.

Innovation Solution

The use of guiding rods with circular or polygonal cross-sections interacting with guiding holes in cassettes to adjust horizontal misalignments, allowing for precise alignment of filling pipes with packages, and the inclusion of a lifting arrangement to correct vertical and rotational misalignments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If individual cassettes are used to hold packages, then flexibility and ease of adaptation to different package types are improved, but alignment precision between packages and filling pipes deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidalignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Guiding rods are introduced as intermediary elements that interact with guiding holes in the cassette to establish precise alignment between the filling pipes and packages. The guiding rods act as a mediator that transfers and maintains the correct positional relationship between the movable cassette and the fixed filling pipes, resolving the alignment precision issue while preserving cassette flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If cassettes are arranged in a queue with spacer elements, then distance between packages can be controlled, but horizontal misalignments still occur during filling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedistance controlVSAvoidhorizontal alignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The guiding rods serve as intermediary alignment elements that work in conjunction with the spacer elements. While spacers control the vertical distance between packages, the guiding rods provide the horizontal alignment function by fitting into guiding holes, thereby compensating for misalignments that occur during the filling process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If filling pipes are moved into packages without precise alignment, then filling can proceed, but package damage and spillage increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilling speedVSAvoidpackage damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The guiding rods are positioned and engaged with the guiding holes before the filling pipes are inserted into the packages. This preliminary alignment action ensures that the filling pipes are correctly positioned relative to the packages prior to the filling operation, preventing damage and spillage while maintaining efficient filling speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4574692A1A filling arrangement, a cassette, a system and a method for filling food product into a number of packages

Publication Date: 2025.06.25 TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE SA

Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A
Figure 2B

AI summary

A filling arrangement (200) comprising a filling arrangement frame (202); a number of filling pipes (204) attached to the frame (202) and arranged to be moved into a number of packages (300), respectively, during a filling procedure; wherein the number of filling pipes () are arranged to feed a food product (FP) into the packages (300), respectively; one or more guiding rods (206) attached to the frame (202) and arranged to interact with one or more guiding holes (102) of a cassette (100) holding the number of packages (300) during the filling procedure such that the filling pipes (204) are aligned with the packages (300) before the filling pipes (204) are moved into the packages (300).