Guide Recess Hollow Body for Fast Container Gripper Height Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gripping and transporting devices for containers require extensive machine downtime and are costly to convert between different container types due to complex height adjustments, which is time-consuming and inefficient, especially in assembly line processing where hygienic and safety considerations are critical.
Innovation Solution
A guide device with an elongate hollow body featuring identical guide recesses for uniform movement and a height adjustment axis with a rotatable sleeve and rod, allowing for simple, quick, and inexpensive height adjustment of positioning plates, preventing rotation and facilitating easy maintenance and conversion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If height adjustment is implemented using conventional mechanisms, then the gripping device can adapt to different container heights, but the device complexity increases and requires extensive conversion components
Solution Approach 1:
The guide recesses are integrated directly into the hollow body structure, merging the guidance function with the supporting structure. This eliminates the need for separate guidance components while maintaining the height adjustment capability for different container types.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow body serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, contains the guide recesses for positioning plate guidance, and houses the height adjustment mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity while maintaining adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If extensive conversion is performed for height adjustment, then different container types can be processed, but machine downtime increases and conversion becomes costly
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning plate is designed to be dynamically adjustable in height along the guide recesses within the hollow body. This dynamic adjustment capability allows rapid adaptation to different container heights without extensive conversion, reducing machine downtime during changeovers.
Solution Approach 2:
The height adjustment mechanism is segmented into discrete, interchangeable components (positioning plate, guide recesses, hollow body) that can be independently adjusted or replaced. This segmentation enables quick reconfiguration for different container types without requiring complete machine conversion.
3Stability of the object's composition
If additional components are added for guiding and stabilizing the positioning plate, then rotation prevention is achieved, but the ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-rotation function is merged into the guide recess design itself. The geometry of the guide recesses within the hollow body inherently prevents rotation of the positioning plate, eliminating the need for separate anti-rotation components and maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a guide device for a support plate 2 of a transport device 1 for gripping, holding, guiding, and transporting bottle-like containers. To ensure rotationally secure guidance and stabilization of the support plate and/or the gripping devices, the guide device comprises an elongated hollow body 6 with several guide recesses 9, each formed along the hollow body 6. A transport device with such a guide device is also provided.