Horticultural Product Packaging Assembly for In-Line Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging systems for horticultural products face challenges in ensuring consistent spatial orientation of products, leading to complex and expensive solutions that increase cycle time and create bottlenecks in the production process.
Innovation Solution
A packaging assembly that uses a handling system with a grip element and independent rotation means, controlled by an electronic unit, to orient products according to specific spatial requirements with minimal degrees of freedom, avoiding temporary stops and maintaining process efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If terminal stations with multiple devices are used to dictate further rotations on products, then product orientation requirement is met, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the orientation function from complex terminal stations with multiple devices and concentrates it into a single rotation device positioned along the conveyance path. This isolated rotation device imparts the necessary rotational movement to products during conveyance, eliminating the need for complex coordinated actions of multiple devices at terminal stations.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotation device is positioned along the conveyance path to perform the orientation action before products reach the terminal station. By imparting rotation during the conveyance phase rather than requiring complex terminal station operations, the system achieves product orientation requirements through preliminary action along the path.
2Manufacturing precision
If terminal stations dictate further rotations on products, then product orientation requirement is met, but cycle time increases due to temporary stops
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation device is integrated along the conveyance path to perform orientation actions continuously as products move through the system. This eliminates the need for temporary stops at terminal stations, maintaining continuous conveyance and processing operations while still achieving the required product orientation.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex terminal stations with multiple devices are used, then product orientation requirement is met, but productivity decreases due to bottlenecks
Solution Approach 1:
The orientation function is extracted from complex terminal stations and distributed along the conveyance path through a single rotation device. This eliminates the bottleneck effect of complex terminal station operations and allows products to move through the system at higher throughput rates while maintaining orientation requirements.
4Shape
If conventional rotation methods are used to ensure consistent spatial orientation, then packaging appearance is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the orientation function from complex terminal stations with multiple coordinating devices and implements it through a single rotation device positioned along the conveyance path. This isolated device imparts the necessary rotational movement to products during conveyance, achieving consistent spatial orientation requirements with significantly reduced device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A packaging assembly for the preparation of packages of horticultural products, the packaging assembling includingat least one system for handling horticultural products,at least one instrument for viewing the horticultural products, andat least one apparatus for the transfer of the products. The assembly furthermore includesat least elements for the independent rotation of each product, configured to impart to each advancing product a selectively independent rotation about a first axis, andat least one electronic control and management unit, provided with instructions for the control at least of the apparatus and of the elements on the basis at least of the information acquired by the instrument, for the variation of the spatial orientation of each product, performed by the elements and by the apparatus, until it is deposited in the respective container according to a target spatial orientation.