Movable Gripping Elements for Smooth Container Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing container transportation systems in industrial bottling plants often cause containers to be shaken during transfer, leading to liquid spillage due to increasing working speeds, as they are typically conveyed along a connecting line between the centers of transport devices, resulting in high acceleration changes and jerky movements.

Innovation Solution

A device with a rotatable carrier and movable gripping elements that can move radially and tangentially, allowing containers to be transferred along a path that minimizes jerky movements by enabling the gripping elements to be moved in their entirety relative to the carrier, thereby reducing acceleration changes and preventing liquid spillage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If containers are transferred along a connecting line between the centers of transport devices, then the transfer path is simple and direct, but the containers experience high acceleration changes and jerky movements causing liquid spillage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransfer efficiencyVSAvoidliquid spillage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from linear transfer (connecting line between centers) to tangential transfer (along the circular path of the carrier). This dimensional change in the transfer path allows containers to move smoothly along the tangent of the circular motion, reducing abrupt acceleration changes and preventing liquid spillage while maintaining transfer efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If working speeds of transport devices are increased, then productivity is improved, but the shaking of containers increases leading to more liquid spillage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworking speedVSAvoidcontainer stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the gripping elements movable relative to the carrier, allowing dynamic adjustment during transfer. The gripping elements can move radially inward/outward and tangentially, enabling smooth acceleration and deceleration at transfer points while maintaining high working speeds, thus preventing container shaking and liquid spillage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2179960B1Device for transporting containers
Publication Date: 2016.01.27 KRONES AG
  • EP2179960B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2179960B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A device for handling containers (10), comprising a filling device (5) which fills the containers (10) with a liquid, a first transport device (2) which has a rotatable carrier (12) and a plurality of first gripping elements (14) arranged on this carrier for gripping the filled containers (10), and a second transport device (4) which has a plurality of transport elements for transporting the containers (10), wherein the first transport device (2) and the second transport device (4) are arranged such that the containers (10) are transferred from one transport device (2, 4) to the other transport device (4, 2) within a predetermined transfer area (A, B). According to the invention, the gripping elements (14) of at least the first transport device (2) are movable as a whole relative to the carrier (12).