Neck Ring Guide Parallel Runners Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current neck ring guides in glassware making machines experience partial disengagement of neck ring sections during transfer and excessive friction, leading to misalignment and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A neck ring guide with parallel runners slidably disposed in external slots of the neck ring sections, utilizing keepers or roll pins for stable engagement and retention, ensuring consistent guidance during opening and closing movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a circular flange engages an internal circular groove in neck ring sections, then the neck ring guide can be simple in structure, but the neck ring sections become partially disengaged during transfer causing misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The neck ring guide is segmented into multiple parallel runners (typically three) that are distributed around the circumference of the neck ring sections. This segmentation provides multiple discrete guidance points rather than a single circular engagement, preventing partial disengagement and maintaining alignment during transfer operations while keeping each individual runner structurally simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The design transitions from a single circular flange-groove engagement in one dimension to multiple parallel runners distributed in a radial pattern. This dimensional redistribution of guidance elements provides continuous angular coverage and prevents the neck ring sections from disengaging during rotational transfer, thereby maintaining alignment precision without excessive structural complexity.
2Productivity
If neck ring sections are allowed to open far enough to clear the parison finish, then the parison can be removed, but excessive friction occurs between the neck ring sections and the neck ring guide
Solution Approach 1:
Each runner is given a specific local geometry with a rounded engagement surface that contacts a corresponding surface on the neck ring section. This localized quality optimization reduces friction at the contact interface, allowing the neck ring sections to open fully for parison removal while minimizing energy loss through reduced frictional resistance during the opening and closing cycle.
3Reliability
If parallel runners are used instead of a circular flange, then stable engagement and precise guidance are achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple parallel runners are merged into a single integrated neck ring guide assembly that rotates as one unit with the neck ring sections. This combining approach provides stable engagement through multiple contact points while avoiding the complexity of multiple independent guiding mechanisms, achieving reliability without proportionate increases in device complexity.
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 solution provides stable engagement and precise guidance of neck ring sections, preventing misalignment and reducing friction, thus enhancing the operational efficiency and reliability of glassware forming machines.
Implementation Method 1
there is excessive friction between the neck ring sections and the neck ring guide
Data Source
AI summary
A neck ring guide for aligning neck ring sections in a glassware forming machine has a center body and a pair of spaced parallel runners coupled to the center body for receipt in guide slots in the neck ring sections. Keepers on the outboard sides of the runners retain the runners in the guide slots. Instead of keepers, the runners may be retained in the guide slots by roll pins on the neck ring sections engaged in retainer slots in the runners.