Nestable Transport Members for High-Speed Packaging Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional secondary packaging systems are inefficient in handling articles of various shapes and sizes, leading to instability, increased changeover times, and reduced throughput due to the need for reconfiguration and slower operation speeds to maintain control.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a frame and transport members that include outer and inner tracks and rollers, allowing for the nesting and independent movement of transport members to accommodate different article sizes and shapes, enabling continuous operation at high speeds even with missing or rejected articles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional secondary packaging systems operate at high speeds, then throughput increases, but primary packages become unstable and may fall over or be improperly arranged
Solution Approach 1:
Transport members are configured to nest within one another when not in use, with at least a portion of one transport member receiving at least a portion of another transport member. This nesting capability allows the system to compactly store multiple transport members, reducing space requirements while maintaining the ability to deploy individual members for handling primary packages at high speeds without compromising package stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs movable and adjustable transport members that can dynamically adapt to different primary package configurations. The transport members include adjustable features that allow real-time modification of handling characteristics, enabling stable transport of various package shapes and sizes even at elevated operational speeds.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional secondary packaging systems are configured for specific article sizes and shapes, then handling precision improves, but adaptability to different article sizes and shapes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The transport members are designed with universal features that enable them to handle multiple types of primary packages with different sizes and shapes. The nestable transport members include adjustable and reconfigurable elements that allow the same hardware to adapt to various article configurations without requiring dedicated equipment for each package type, thereby maintaining handling precision across diverse products.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the transport function into modular, segmentable transport members that can be individually configured. Each transport member can be adjusted or reconfigured to match specific article dimensions, allowing precise handling of different package types while maintaining overall system versatility.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional secondary packaging systems require reconfiguration for different article configurations, then specialization for specific tasks improves, but changeover time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transport members incorporate dynamic, quickly-adjustable features that allow operators to reconfigure the system for different article types without extensive downtime. The nestable design with movable components enables rapid deployment of appropriate transport configurations, reducing changeover time while maintaining the ability to specialize in specific handling tasks when needed.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for advancing articles or tooling includes a frame having a first portion and a second portion spaced apart and opposing the first portion. The first and second portions each comprise an outer track and an inner track that extend parallel with the outer track. The outer and inner tracks define a machine direction. The apparatus includes a first transport member and as second transport member. The first and second transport members are defined by a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion separating the first and second end portions. The first and second end portions of the first and second transport members are at least partially nestable.