Gripper Elastic Band Spring Retention High Acceleration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gripper devices face challenges in securely transporting food products during high accelerations, leading to potential product displacement or loss, requiring additional manual corrections and reducing process reliability.
Innovation Solution
A gripper device equipped with an elastic band that is pressed against the product by a spring element, ensuring stable retention and precise transport, even under extreme acceleration, with the band being easily detachable for hygiene and quick replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a band belt is used to press on the food product to improve retention, then the retention of the picked-up food product is improved, but the band belt wears out due to repeated closing and opening of the gripper
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the durable but high-friction band belt with a disposable or easily replaceable low-friction coating layer on the gripper arms. This coating can be applied fresh or renewed, serving the function of reducing friction without requiring the entire gripper structure to be replaced, thus resolving the contradiction between retention and service life.
2Productivity
If the gripper device accelerates quickly to improve productivity, then the throughput is improved, but the product may move or fall out due to inertia
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a low-friction coating on the gripper arms that creates a counteracting effect against the inertial forces during acceleration. The coating reduces the frictional lock between product and gripper surface, allowing the product to remain stable through controlled slip rather than being forcefully held, thus maintaining position stability during high-speed transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface friction parameter of the gripper arms by applying a special coating. This parameter change allows the system to tolerate higher accelerations without product displacement, as the modified surface properties prevent excessive frictional forces that would cause product movement or damage during rapid acceleration.
3Manufacturing precision
If additional workers are assigned to check and correct product position to ensure precision, then the placement accuracy is improved, but the productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the gripper device to self-correct product positioning through its low-friction coating mechanism. During transport, the coating allows minor position adjustments to occur naturally without external intervention, and the product self-aligns during dispensing, eliminating the need for manual position checking and correction while maintaining high placement accuracy.
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
The solution enables secure and accurate transport of products, eliminating the need for manual corrections and enhancing throughput by maintaining product stability during high accelerations, while meeting stringent hygiene standards.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element which is designed to press the elastic band against a surface section of the product to be transported by the gripper device
Implementation Method 2
the elastic band can be pressed against the surface section of the product by at least one spring element in order to hold the product stationary
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a gripper device (1) for picking up and transporting a product (P). An elastic band (13) is provided on the gripper device (1) and rests against a surface section of the product (P) when the product is picked up by the gripper device (1). The elastic band (13) can be pressed against the surface section of the product (P) by at least one spring element (16) in order to hold the product securely in the gripper device (1) during transport.