Goods Advancing Device with Curved-Guide Fill Level Indicator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for advancing goods with fill level indicators require multiple components and complex assembly due to varying guide profile lengths, making them cumbersome and difficult to produce and assemble.
Innovation Solution
A device with a curved guide that allows the marking element to be adjusted along a movable strip, enabling a simple and efficient fill level indication using a few components, where the curved guide can be positioned perpendicularly to the slider's movement, and a viewing window provides visibility from multiple angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If guide profiles of different lengths are used to accommodate varying slide positions, then the device can adapt to different filling levels, but the marking elements must also be provided in different lengths and require numerous assembly components
Solution Approach 1:
The marking element is segmented into a fixed base portion and a movable indicator portion that can be independently positioned along the curved guide. This allows the same marking element design to work with guide profiles of different lengths without requiring multiple component variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The marking element transitions from a static, fixed-length component to a dynamic system where the indicator portion can move along the curved guide. This dynamic positioning capability allows the marking element to adapt to different guide profile lengths and slide positions without changing the physical length of the component itself.
2Loss of information
If the marking element is fixed to the slider to indicate filling level, then the fill level can be indicated, but the marking element requires numerous components and complex assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The movable indicator portion is extracted from the slider and placed on the front anchor, driven by the slider's movement through the curved guide mechanism. This separation allows the marking element to be assembled independently from the slider, reducing the number of components that need to be assembled together and simplifying manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved guide acts as an intermediary mechanism that translates the slider's linear movement into the marking element's positional indication. This intermediary structure eliminates the need for direct coupling between the slider and marking element, reducing assembly complexity while maintaining accurate fill level indication.
3Loss of information
If the viewing window is placed on the front anchor, then the filling level can be monitored, but the marking element must be precisely positioned relative to the slider movement
Solution Approach 1:
The curved guide provides a predetermined, geometrically defined path that automatically ensures correct positioning of the marking element relative to the slider movement. This curved geometry eliminates the need for complex precision positioning mechanisms, as the curve itself defines the relationship between slider position and marking element position.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved guide is pre-configured with the exact geometry needed to translate slider movement into correct marking element positioning. This preliminary design of the guide curve ensures that proper positioning is achieved automatically through the mechanical relationship, without requiring additional precision adjustment mechanisms during assembly.
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
Enables a cost-effective and easily assembled fill level indicator that can be produced with fewer components, allowing for accurate monitoring of the fill level from various angles, including from above, thus simplifying the assembly and production process.
Implementation Method 1
a slide (4) which can be moved along a guide profile (2) and is pretensioned by a spring (12) in an advancing direction (15)
Implementation Method 2
a driver (11) which can be moved together with the slider (4) and can be moved along a curved guide (16), with the marking element (18) being adjustable by the curved guide (10)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for feeding goods, with a slide (4) movable along a guide profile (2), which is biased in a feeding direction by a spring (12) to move goods to a stop (8) on a front anchor (7), wherein a marking element (18) is provided on the front anchor (7) to indicate the fill level, wherein a driver (11) together with the slide (4) is movable and can be moved along a cam guide (10), wherein the marking element (18) is adjustable by the cam guide (10).