Glass Inverting Mechanism Eccentric Guide Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional inverting mechanisms for glassware forming machines suffer from air leakage due to incomplete seals in the coupling system using slots or grooves, leading to inefficiencies and increased manufacturing complexity, as well as wear and calibration issues from the 180-degree movement of neck ring arms.

Innovation Solution

The inverting mechanism employs eccentric guides on a central shaft for automatic rotation of the arm cylinders, replacing the slot-based coupling system, and incorporates a double-envelope transmission system with a worm screw and gear for enhanced load capacity and reduced backlash, utilizing sealing rings to minimize air leakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a slot-based coupling system is used to connect cylindrical bodies and rotary cylinders, then the structure is simpler to manufacture, but air leakage occurs due to incomplete seals

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidsealing performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the slot-based coupling system entirely and replaces it with an eccentric guide mechanism. This extraction eliminates the source of air leakage (the slots) while maintaining the functional requirement of coupling and movement transmission through a fundamentally different approach using guide bodies with eccentric axes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces guide bodies with eccentric axes as intermediary elements between the rotary cylinders and the driving mechanism. These guide bodies serve as mediators that transmit motion while maintaining sealed connections, thereby preventing air leakage while still achieving the necessary mechanical coupling and movement transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If a slot-based coupling system is used, then assembly is easier, but wear and calibration issues occur from 180-degree movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of assemblyVSAvoidcalibration precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the problematic slot-based coupling system that causes wear and calibration issues during 180-degree movement. By removing this system and implementing eccentric guides, the invention eliminates the wear mechanisms and calibration drift that occur in slot-based systems while maintaining ease of assembly through the simplified guide body design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using slots that wear and require calibration, the patent inverts the approach by using fixed guide bodies with eccentric axes that naturally guide the 180-degree movement without wear. The inversion transforms the problem from managing wear in moving slots to using fixed guides that eliminate the wear mechanism entirely.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Device complexity

If traditional coupling systems are used, then device complexity is lower, but air leakage increases requiring additional sealing measures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidair leakage
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the traditional slot-based coupling system that inherently causes air leakage. By extracting this problematic element and replacing it with eccentric guide bodies, the invention eliminates the need for additional sealing measures while maintaining low device complexity through the straightforward guide body design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 design simplifies construction and assembly, reduces air leakage to zero, minimizes wear, and increases the load capacity, ensuring precise and efficient operation of the neck ring holder arms.

Implementation Method 1

a worm screw and gear for enhanced load capacity and reduced backlash

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWorm drive: Worm Drive

Implementation Method 2

utilizing sealing rings to minimize air leakage

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSealing:

Data Source

PatentEP3604239B1Inverting mechanism for a machine for shaping glass items
Publication Date: 2024.02.14 VITRO
  • EP3604239B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3604239B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3604239B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention related to an inverting mechanism of a glass forming machine which comprises: a supporting structure. A shaft horizontally located over the upper portion the supporting structure to rotate on its own axis. Drive means coupled to a shaft to provide rotational movement to the shaft to the left or right. A cylindrical body having a longitudinal opening in an eccentric reference axis, which is securely coupled to the shaft through its longitudinal opening, in an eccentric position. At least one hollow cylinder coupled with each cylindrical body having attached supports to its outer part which are connected to neck ring holder arms so that, by means of a first sliding movement of the hollow cylinder on the cylindrical body, it provides a lateral movement to the right or to the left to open and close the neck ring holder arm supports in parallel and, by means of a rotational movement, it moves the neck ring holder arms with a 180° movement from a parison mold to a finish blow mold.