Programmable Maglev Conveyor for Food Portion Alignment and Buffering
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing food-processing systems are complicated due to the use of continuous conveyor belts for functions like buffering, aligning, reorienting, and product formatting, which lack flexibility and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A food-processing system utilizing a discontinuous conveyor with programmable, magnetically levitated conveyed-products carriers that can be freely programmed and modular, combined with a checking station for quality control and correction zones, and a discharge station for unusable products, to enhance flexibility and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If continuous conveyor belts are used for buffering, aligning, reorienting, and product formatting, then the conveyor system can perform these functions, but the system becomes complicated and less flexible
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous conveyor belt is segmented into discrete conveyed-products carriers that can be independently controlled. Each carrier is a separate unit that can be positioned, oriented, and programmed individually, allowing the system to achieve buffering, aligning, reorienting, and formatting functions without requiring a complex arrangement of multiple conveyor belts.
Solution Approach 2:
The discontinuous conveyor system with programmable carriers serves multiple functions (buffering, aligning, reorienting, formatting) through a single integrated system. The carriers can be configured to perform different operations based on their position and programming, eliminating the need for separate specialized conveyor components for each function.
2Productivity
If continuous conveyor belts are used to transport food product portions, then the conveying function is achieved, but the system lacks efficiency and flexibility in handling various operations
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyed-products carriers are dynamically programmable, allowing their movement, positioning, and orientation to be adjusted in real-time based on operational requirements. This dynamic control enables efficient handling of various operations such as buffering, aligning, reorienting, and formatting without requiring complex manual intervention or rigid system configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional continuous mechanical conveyor belt system is replaced with a discontinuous system using magnetically levitated carriers that can be individually controlled. This substitution enables more efficient and flexible operation by allowing precise control of each carrier's position and movement, improving both productivity and ease of operation.
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
The system achieves flexible and efficient handling of food products with improved alignment, orientation, and formatting, while ensuring quality control and reducing waste, thus enhancing overall system simplicity and productivity.
Implementation Method 1
The discontinuous conveyor thus preferably has a magnetic levitation system so that the individual conveyed-products carriers float contactlessly above the conveying surface
Data Source
AI summary
A food-processing system for processing food products (e.g. pieces of meat, pieces of cheese) includes a cutting device for cutting the food products into slices and a conveyor for conveying the food product portions away from the cutting device along a main conveyor path. The conveyor fulfills several functions in the food-processing system, such as buffering, aligning, orienting and product formatting of the food product portions, by a discontinuous conveyor. The discontinuous conveyor includes at least one conveyed-products carrier movable along the main conveying path. The main conveying path is freely programmable within a conveying area.