Linear Motor Transport for Container Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing treatment machines for containers require conventional infeed and outfeed stars, which are expensive and space-intensive, and have limited flexibility in container transport division and gap consideration, leading to quality issues during treatment.
Innovation Solution
A treatment machine with a linear motor system featuring upper and lower circulating paths with rectilinear transport sections, turntables, and centering heads for vertical clamping, allowing for flexible container positioning and transport speed adjustment, eliminating the need for conventional infeed and outfeed stars and enabling continuous horizontal container entry and exit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional infeed and outfeed stars are used, then container transport is achieved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the conventional infeed and outfeed stars from the treatment machine. Instead, it uses a linear motor system with transport vehicles that move containers linearly through the treatment units, removing the complex star-shaped mechanical components while maintaining container transport functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical star-shaped infeed/outfeed systems with a linear motor system. The linear motors provide direct electromagnetic propulsion to transport vehicles, substituting complex mechanical gear systems with a more compact and controllable electromagnetic drive system.
2Ease of operation
If conventional infeed and outfeed stars are used, then container transport is achieved, but the machine requires more space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from the horizontal plane expansion of star-shaped mechanisms to a more compact linear arrangement. The vertical stacking of treatment units and linear transport path allows the machine to utilize vertical space more effectively, reducing the horizontal footprint.
3Productivity
If transport speeds are increased to compensate for large transport distances, then productivity is maintained, but treatment quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The linear motor system provides dynamic speed control for each transport vehicle independently. This allows the system to optimize transport speeds for each container based on treatment requirements, maintaining both productivity and treatment quality through adaptive speed adjustment rather than uniform high-speed transport.
4Adaptability or versatility
If transfer stars with pitch delay are used for flexible container inlet and outlet, then transport division flexibility is achieved, but device complexity and mechanical complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The linear motor system enables dynamic adjustment of transport vehicle positions and speeds, providing flexible container inlet and outlet configurations without mechanical transfer stars. The electronic control system allows pitch delay and transport division adjustments through software rather than mechanical reconfiguration.
5Measurement precision
If individually driven escort vehicles are used for turntables, then container positioning is achieved, but space requirements and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the positioning function with the primary transport function. The same linear motor system that propels transport vehicles along the linear path also provides precise positioning control at each treatment unit, eliminating the need for separate escort vehicles and turntable mechanisms.
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
This design enhances flexibility in container transport, reduces the need for additional lifting devices, and allows for synchronized transport with individual containers, improving treatment quality and efficiency while minimizing space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a linear motor system with long stators and transport vehicles driven individually by them
Implementation Method 2
turning sections with a substantially vertical path curvature
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A treatment machine (1) for containers (2) is described, comprising at least one treatment unit (3, 3'); and a linear motor system (4) with long stators (5, 15) and individually driven transport vehicles (6, 16) thereof, wherein the long stators are arranged in the form of an upper and a lower orbit (20, 30) for the transport vehicles facing each other on the treatment unit, in particular straight transport sections (23, 33), and wherein the transport vehicles are designed in pairs for vertically clamping the containers. Because the upper and the lower orbit include turning sections (21, 25, 31, 35) with substantially vertical path curvature (27, 28, 37, 38), a particularly compact container inlet and outlet with flexible adjustment of the transport division within the treatment machine can be provided without additional inlet stars, outlet stars or the like.