Movable Plate Aligner for Conveyor Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
In production lines, particularly in the food industry, there is a need for precise alignment of products on trays or plates during transportation to ensure accurate application of toppings or coatings, as misalignment leads to waste, pollution, and imperfect product presentation.
Innovation Solution
An arrangement for aligning plates in an array transported along a conveyor path, using a propelling means and a movable aligner that engages the plates at specific points or through intermeshing protuberances and indentations to maintain precise positioning without interfering with the transport process, ensuring accurate placement of products relative to treatment devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If an elevator with spikes is used to precisely position trays by engaging apertures, then positioning precision is improved, but the transport process is interrupted and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The aligner is designed as a movable component that can dynamically adjust its position between an engaged state (for alignment) and a disengaged state (for transport). This dynamic capability allows the system to switch between precision positioning and continuous transport modes, resolving the contradiction between positioning precision and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The aligner operates periodically by engaging with the plate side surfaces only during specific moments when precision alignment is required, then disengaging to allow continuous transport. This periodic engagement-disengagement cycle enables both high positioning precision during treatment and uninterrupted productivity during transport phases
2Manufacturing precision
If a stationary aligner is used to continuously align plates, then alignment precision is maintained, but the aligner interferes with plate transport and increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The aligner transitions from a stationary component to a movable one that can engage and disengage as needed. This reduces interference with plate transport while maintaining alignment precision when engaged, and simplifies the overall system by eliminating the need for complex stationary alignment mechanisms that would continuously interfere with transport
3Stability of the object's composition
If the aligner engages multiple plates simultaneously, then alignment consistency across the array is improved, but the risk of damage to plates and products increases
Solution Approach 1:
The aligner features localized engagement points with rounded edges positioned at specific locations on the plate side surfaces. These localized features distribute the engagement force across multiple discrete points rather than concentrated areas, maintaining alignment consistency while reducing stress concentration that could cause plate deformation or product damage
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement force and contact characteristics are optimized by designing the aligner with specific geometric parameters (rounded edges, controlled contact area). This parameter optimization allows the aligner to engage multiple plates simultaneously with sufficient force for consistent alignment while maintaining force levels below the threshold for causing damage to plates or products
Data Source
AI summary
A method and arrangement for aligning plates is provided. The plates are arranged substantially end to end and have a first and second side, the sides being parallel and arranged on opposite sides, and a front side and rear side, where the sides delimit a plate area, During transport, the rear side of a first plate is adjacent the front side of a subsequent plate. The plants have a propelling means along the first side for engaging and propelling the plates and an aligner arranged along the second sides, where the aligner, is moved orthogonal to from a first position where the aligner is not in contact with the plates to a second position where the aligner is in contact with at least two adjacent plates, and the contact aligns the second sides of adjacent plates, such that the plates are arranged with the second sides along a straight line.