Movable Insertion Feeding for Uniform Product Receptacle Filling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing feeding devices for products such as medical or pharmaceutical items, food, and dietary supplements often result in unsatisfactory fill levels and require retooling for different formats due to limited adaptability and inefficiencies in product insertion.
Innovation Solution
A feeding device with a movable insertion device having multiple degrees of freedom, controlled by a variably adjustable motion profile, allowing flexible adaptation to various formats and optimizing product distribution into receptacles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a brush feeder with rotating agitators is used to feed products into product holders, then products can be swept into the holders, but the fill level becomes unsatisfactory and retooling is required for different formats
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the insertion device freely movable in at least one plane parallel to the transport plane, allowing it to be positioned dynamically at different locations along the filling line. This enables the same device to adapt to different product formats and holder arrangements without retooling, while maintaining efficient feeding through optimized insertion positions
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion device is designed with universal applicability by enabling it to perform insertion operations at multiple positions and orientations. The device can handle different product types and holder configurations through its mobility and adjustable motion profile, serving multiple functions that would traditionally require separate dedicated devices for each format
2Speed
If agitators move products at high acceleration into product holders, then feeding speed increases, but products may be conveyed over holders instead of into them
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action through the variably adjustable motion profile that controls the insertion device in a controlled, rhythmic manner. The device can accelerate, decelerate, and pause at specific positions to allow products to be gently inserted into holders rather than forced at high speed, ensuring both feeding efficiency and precise placement
Solution Approach 2:
The motion profile is variably adjustable based on feedback about product characteristics, holder positions, and insertion effectiveness. This allows the system to optimize the balance between feeding speed and insertion precision by modifying acceleration and position parameters in response to actual operating conditions
3Ease of manufacture
If the insertion device is fixed in position, then the design is simple, but adaptation to different formats requires retooling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the contradiction between simple design and adaptability by implementing minimal mobility - the insertion device is freely movable in at least one plane parallel to the transport plane. This adds only one degree of freedom to an otherwise simple device structure, enabling format adaptation without complex mechanisms or multiple components
Data Source
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AI summary
A feeding device (22) and a method for feeding products (10) and inserting the products (10) into product receptacles (8) are characterized by at least one insertion device (46) which is configured to push the products (10) into the product receptacles (8) and which is freely movable at least in one plane (52) parallel to the transport plane (32).