Flexible Plastic Curtain for Glass Bottle Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container removal devices, particularly in bottling systems, face issues with glass bottles breaking during ejection, leading to contamination of intact bottles with shards and splinters, which complicates the separation process.
Innovation Solution
A curtain with vertical slats made of flexible plastic is installed at the inlet opening of the collection chute, allowing whole containers to pass while blocking fragments, combined with an air jet mechanism to prevent shards from escaping and non-return flaps to enhance security, ensuring only complete containers enter the chute.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pulse-controlled plungers are used to separate glass bottles, then bottles can be removed from the conveyor, but bottles may break and contaminate the collection container
Solution Approach 1:
A curtain made of flexible plastic strips is introduced as an intermediary element at the inlet opening of the collection chute. This curtain allows whole containers to pass through while blocking glass shards and fragments, serving as a protective barrier between the ejection zone and the collection container.
Solution Approach 2:
The curtain consists of multiple layers of flexible plastic strips that can bend and deform. This flexibility allows the curtain to passively open when a whole container pushes against it, while still maintaining the barrier function to prevent glass shards from entering the collection container.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a curtain is installed at the inlet opening to block fragments, then contamination is prevented, but whole containers may be impeded from entering the chute
Solution Approach 1:
The curtain is designed with dynamic flexibility rather than being a rigid barrier. The flexible plastic strips can move and deform in response to the passage of whole containers, automatically opening to allow entry while maintaining the blocking function for fragments.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple layers of flexible plastic strips create a dynamic barrier that responds to the size and shape of passing objects. Whole containers can push the flexible strips aside to enter, while smaller glass shards are blocked by the same flexible structure.
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
This solution effectively prevents contamination by ensuring only whole containers are collected, while the air jet and flaps further secure the chute, preventing glass shards from re-entering the conveyor system, thus maintaining the cleanliness of the bottling process.
Implementation Method 1
Between the first and the second layer of lamellae 10, a wide slotted nozzle 9 is arranged on the upper side of the shaft 6, which is supplied with compressed air via a hose 17. The air jet emerging from the slotted nozzle 9 moves down between the first and second layer of louvers 10 and causes these louvers to immediately return to their original position after a container 2 has passed through.
Implementation Method 2
a chute 6 which is arranged on the side of the conveyor 3 opposite the ejection element 4 and has an inlet opening 7 and an outlet opening 12, which receives the containers 2 sorted out by the ejection element 4 and, by means of gravity, feeds the ejected containers 2 to a collection container 5 located underneath
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The device (1) has a ejection organ (4) and a shaft (6) for holding the ejected container and feeding a collecting tank (5) with an inlet opening (7) for the container. A transluscent curtain (8) is provided in the area of the inlet opening of the shaft for a container (2). The curtain is impermeable for container fractions, schards or similar items. The curtain fully covers the inlet opening. The curtain comprises of many layers and is formed from multiple flexible plates, preferably from plastic.