Flat Lollipop Gripper Orientation Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Flat lollipops tend to deform during transportation due to their shape and the lack of effective stabilization methods in existing production technologies.
Innovation Solution
A method and forming apparatus that ensure the lollipop head is maintained in a horizontal orientation during transportation by using grippers that grip the stick of the lollipop, preventing rotation and minimizing deformation, with a transfer wheel and transportation chain system that synchronizes the handling and orientation of lollipops to maintain stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flat lollipops are transported using conventional transportation means, then transportation efficiency is maintained, but the lollipop heads deform during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specialized gripper as an intermediary device between the lollipop and transportation system. The gripper comprises two arms that grip the stick from opposite sides, acting as a mediator that prevents rotation and maintains orientation without requiring complex modifications to the entire transportation system.
Solution Approach 2:
The transportation system is designed to maintain the lollipop in a horizontal position throughout transport, creating an equipotential state where the gravitational force acts uniformly on the lollipop. This is achieved by ensuring the gripper holds the stick horizontally and the transportation path maintains consistent orientation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the lollipop stick is allowed to rotate during transportation, then handling flexibility is improved, but the lollipop head orientation becomes unstable and deforms
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper is designed with asymmetric arms of different lengths that grip the stick at different positions. This asymmetric design naturally prevents rotation by creating an unstable equilibrium if the stick attempts to rotate, while still allowing easy loading and unloading operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripper is designed to automatically orient the lollipop in the correct horizontal position during the gripping action itself. The preliminary action of gripping simultaneously establishes the correct orientation, eliminating the need for separate orientation adjustments and maintaining precision throughout transport.
3Reliability
If the lollipop is transported in vertical orientation, then space efficiency is improved, but deformation of the flat lollipop head increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains the lollipop in a horizontal equipotential position during transport, where the gravitational field acts uniformly across the flat surface. This prevents the gravitational deformation that would occur in vertical orientation, while the compact gripper design minimizes the additional space required.
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 method effectively limits deformation of flat lollipop heads during transportation by maintaining a consistent orientation relative to gravitational forces, ensuring the lollipops are handled and transferred without significant shape distortion.
Implementation Method 1
the gripper comprises means that deform the stick elastically or plastically so that the moment of momentum needed to rotate the respective lollipop is increased
Implementation Method 2
the gripper may comprise means to increase the friction coefficient between the stick of the lollipop and the gripper
Implementation Method 3
the head of the lollipop is always in well-defined position particularly relative to the gravitational force of the earth
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method to produce a lollipop with a flat lollipop-head, wherein a mass is formed into a flat lollipop head in a forming apparatus into which a stick is inserted, wherein the lollipop is handed over to transportation means with grippers, which grip the stick of the lollipop and transfer the lollipop away. The present invention further relates to a forming device with a forming apparatus which comprises moulds to form a flat lollipop, which is subsequently handed over and transported by a transportation system with grippers.