Food Conveyor and Packaging Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional baked food product packaging systems are inefficient and costly due to the dependency of multiple conveyor lanes on individual packaging machines, leading to space inefficiency and high labor requirements, as well as downtime when one machine is inoperable.
Innovation Solution
A system featuring an upstream conveyor that stacks products and transfers them to a bucket conveyor, where robotic arms selectively move individual stacks to packaging machines without intermediary conveyors, allowing for flexible operation and reduced space usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple independent conveyors are used for each packaging machine, then each packaging machine can operate independently, but the system occupies significant floor space and requires high labor headcount
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple independent conveyor systems into a single shared conveyor that serves multiple packaging machines. The conveyor is divided into multiple lanes that can direct products to different packaging machines, reducing floor space while maintaining operational independence through selective lane assignment and dynamic routing.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared conveyor system is designed to serve multiple packaging machines simultaneously through its multi-lane structure. Each lane can be dynamically assigned to different packaging machines based on operational needs, making the conveyor universal rather than dedicated to a single machine, thus reducing overall space requirements.
2Reliability
If multiple independent conveyors are used for each packaging machine, then each packaging machine can operate independently, but the system requires significant labor headcount for monitoring and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
By combining multiple conveyor systems into one shared infrastructure, the patent reduces the number of independent systems that require monitoring. Workers can oversee the entire packaging line from a central location rather than needing dedicated attendants for each separate conveyor, thereby reducing labor headcount while preserving machine independence.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared conveyor system incorporates automated control mechanisms that allow it to self-regulate lane assignments and product routing based on packaging machine status. This automation reduces the need for manual intervention and monitoring, decreasing labor requirements while maintaining system reliability.
3Productivity
If dedicated conveyors are assigned to each packaging machine, then conveyor lanes will not stop when one machine is inoperable, but the system occupies excessive space and increases operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple conveyor functions into a single shared system with multiple lanes. This merged structure allows the conveyor to serve multiple packaging machines while maintaining the ability to continue operation when one machine is down, as products can be redirected to other functional machines through the shared lane system.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared conveyor system incorporates dynamic lane assignment capabilities that allow real-time redistribution of product flow based on packaging machine availability. When one machine is inoperable, the system dynamically redirects products through alternative lanes to other functioning machines, maintaining continuous operation without requiring a complex network of dedicated conveyors.
4Productivity
If dedicated conveyors are used for each packaging machine, then the system can maintain high productivity, but it requires manual workers to attend to each conveyor for inspection and issue resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple conveyor monitoring functions into a unified shared system that can be overseen by fewer workers. The consolidated nature of the shared conveyor allows for centralized monitoring and maintenance, reducing the number of manual workers needed while preserving high productivity through efficient resource allocation and rapid issue resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared conveyor system incorporates automated monitoring and control features that enable self-diagnosis and self-regulation of lane assignments. This reduces the need for constant manual inspection and intervention, allowing the system to maintain high productivity with reduced labor requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A conveyor and packaging system includes an upstream conveyor that transports stacks biscuits in a plurality of lanes into buckets of a bucket conveyor. The bucket conveyor transports the buckets in a direction perpendicular to the length of the buckets to a packaging area, where transfer devices transfer the biscuit stacks to an input of a packaging machine. The transfer device can transfer the stacks without use of an intermediary conveyor.