Gripper With Segmented Abutments For Electron Beam Sterilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vessel feeding systems in electron beam sterilization apparatuses face instability in vessel intervals and feeding speed, leading to fluctuations in irradiation conditions, and grippers with large contact areas block the electron beam, preventing full sterilization of bottles.
Innovation Solution
A gripper design with vertically spaced support bodies and abutments that hold the bottle's neck on opposite sides, minimizing contact area to prevent electron beam obstruction while maintaining stability, allowing the beam to pass through and ensuring thorough sterilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gripper uses a large contact area to hold the bottle neck, then the gripping stability is improved, but the electron beam is blocked and sterilization is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The abutment is divided into multiple support bodies (first, second, third support bodies) arranged vertically, creating a segmented structure that reduces the continuous contact area with the bottle neck while maintaining gripping stability through distributed contact points
Solution Approach 2:
The support bodies are positioned at specific locations (upper, middle, lower portions) of the bottle neck, applying gripping force locally at discrete points rather than across a large continuous area, allowing electron beam passage through the gaps between support bodies
2Productivity
If conventional feeding systems are used, then vessel feeding is achieved, but the intervals and feeding speed become unstable causing fluctuations in irradiation conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The electron beam irradiation apparatus is configured to irradiate the gripper itself, and the control system adjusts irradiation conditions based on the gripper's state, creating a feedback mechanism that stabilizes the feeding process and ensures consistent irradiation conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic adjustment of irradiation parameters based on real-time feeding conditions, enabling the irradiation apparatus to adapt to variations in bottle positioning and movement speed to maintain stable irradiation conditions
Data Source
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AI summary
When a bottle 4 made of resin is irradiated with an electron beam while it is being held by a gripper 2, an area of the bottle 4 which is shielded from the electron beam by the gripper 2 is minimized. The gripper has a pair of supports 22A, 22B positioned on opposite sides of the bottle made of resin, and abutments 24A, 24B disposed respectively on the supports 22A, 22B for holding the bottle 4 made of resin, each of the abutments 24A, 24B comprising two thin plates 26A, 28A, 26B, 28B which are vertically spaced from each other. The abutments 24A, 24B hold the bottle 4 by gripping a neck 4a of the bottle 4 on its opposite sides. While holding the bottle 4, the supports 22A, 22B are held out of contact with an outer surface of the bottle 4, allowing the electron beam to travel around the neck 4a to sterilize the entire surface of the bottle 4.