Gripper Device for Folding Crate Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gripper devices for folding crates are heavy, leading to high inertia and limited speed in opening or closing operations, necessitating high mass forces and restricting capacity.
Innovation Solution
A gripper device with lighter transfer means, utilizing multiple transmission arms and guide elements connected via pivot axes, allowing independent displacement of grippers in a plane, enabling efficient control of folding crate side walls without moving heavy structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a heavy structure is used to support the grippers, then the structural strength and stability are improved, but the inertia increases and the speed of opening or closing operations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy structure is divided into multiple separate components: a stationary support structure and multiple independent transmission arms (first transmission arm, second transmission arm, third transmission arm, fourth transmission arm). Each transmission arm is connected to the support structure via pivot axes, allowing them to move independently. This segmentation eliminates the need to move the entire heavy structure, as only the lightweight transmission arms need to be actuated, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural strength and operational speed.
2Manufacturing precision
If a heavy structure is moved to achieve gripper displacement, then the grippers can be positioned accurately, but very high mass forces must be absorbed and the capacity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission arms act as intermediaries between the stationary support structure and the grippers. The actuators apply forces to the transmission arms, which then transmit these forces through pivot connections to the grippers. This intermediary mechanism allows precise force transmission and positioning without requiring the movement of heavy structures, thereby reducing the mass forces that must be absorbed while maintaining positioning accuracy.
3Speed
If the transfer means are made lighter, then the inertia is reduced and speed is improved, but the structural stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The stationary support structure serves multiple functions: it provides stable mounting for the actuators, serves as a fixed reference frame for the transmission arms to pivot from, and supports the entire mechanism without needing to move. This multi-functional stationary structure maintains structural stability while allowing the lightweight transmission arms to move freely for high-speed operations, resolving the contradiction between lightness and stability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a gripper device (7, 7') for opening or closing foldable side walls (10) of a folding crate (8), comprising grippers (11, 12) for gripping the side walls (10), and transfer means for transferring control movements of actuators (13, 14) to displacement movements of the grippers (11, 12), which comprise guide elements (15, 16) which are offset to one another and displaceable in a first linear displacement direction (Z), and pairs of transmission arms (17, 18 and 19, 20) which on the one hand are pivotably connected to a respective guide element (15) and on the other hand are connected to the first gripper (11) and the second gripper (12) respectively.