Gear Rack Drive for Container Filling Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filling devices with continuous chain drives face issues such as frequent readjustment and positioning challenges at operating stations, and chainless drive systems have not gained widespread adoption due to inefficiencies in acceleration and deceleration control.
Innovation Solution
The use of gear racks as operating elements in support elements, where a drive side feed member engages complementary teeth for controlled acceleration and deceleration, allowing for a compact and efficient drive configuration with minimal moving masses, and the gear rack also serves as a stabilization and support element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a continuous chain drive is used to run support elements through the filling device, then the support elements can be continuously fed through the device, but the chain requires frequent readjustment and separate positioning at each operating station due to chain elongation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the continuous chain drive from the system and replaces it with individual drive mechanisms at each operating station. Each support element is accelerated and decelerated independently by drive wheels at specific stations, eliminating the chain entirely and its associated elongation and positioning problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous drive function is segmented into discrete drive stations along the filling device. Instead of one continuous chain, multiple independent drive mechanisms are distributed at different operating stations, each responsible for accelerating or decelerating support elements at specific points in the process.
2Device complexity
If a chainless drive system is used to omit the chain drive device, then the device complexity is reduced, but the acceleration and deceleration control of support elements becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The drive system uses dynamically controllable drive wheels that can independently adjust their rotation speed and engagement timing. This allows precise control over the acceleration and deceleration of each support element, maintaining high productivity despite the elimination of the continuous chain drive.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors and control mechanisms that monitor the position and speed of support elements, providing feedback to the drive stations. This enables real-time adjustment of acceleration and deceleration rates to maintain optimal cycling rates and prevent slippage.
3Productivity
If support elements are accelerated and decelerated at high cyclic rates of up to 60 cycles per minute, then productivity is improved, but controlled acceleration and deceleration becomes more difficult without interconnection through a drive device
Solution Approach 1:
The drive wheels are designed with dynamic control capabilities that allow them to rapidly adjust their rotation speed and torque output. This enables the system to achieve high cyclic rates of up to 60 cycles per minute while maintaining controlled acceleration and deceleration of support elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive wheels serve multiple functions: they propel support elements forward, control acceleration, manage deceleration, and position elements at operating stations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate control mechanisms for each function, simplifying the overall control system despite high cyclic rates.
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 enables precise and controlled acceleration and deceleration of support elements, reducing friction and installation size, and allows for high cyclic rates without slippage, making it superior to traditional chain and worm drive systems.
Implementation Method 1
a drive side feed member engages a complementary opposite teething in order to introduce the feed force into the support element
Data Source
AI summary
A device for filling containers including an upper main element, a lower main element and lateral main elements connecting the upper and the lower main element; support elements arranged at one another without a continuous drive device, which support elements are provided with receivers for the containers and are run in an endless manner through the device past operating stations and along the main elements; a drive which runs the support elements in a feed direction at least through the upper main element or the lower main element along the operating stations; and operating elements arranged at the support elements through which a feed force of the drive is introduced into the support elements, wherein the operating elements at the support elements are gear racks in which a drive side feed member with a complementary teething engages in order to introduce the feed force into the support elements.