OCC Baler with Integrated Weighing and Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Retailers face economic disadvantages and inefficiencies in recycling old corrugated containers (OCC) due to lack of precise baling and weighing capabilities, leading to suboptimal transportation costs and potential legal issues, as they rely on haulers to produce bales of inconsistent size and weight, which reduces the material's value and increases transportation costs.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a baler, scale, and identification system that allows for on-site baling and weighing of OCC, assigning individual identifiers to bales, and generating an accurate inventory, ensuring bales are of consistent size and weight, ready for efficient container shipment or mill use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If retailers use simpler balers without precise weighing capabilities, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision of bale size and weight deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary weighing system that measures the weight of OCC material before and during baling, providing precise feedback to control the baling process. This mediator enables the simple baler to achieve precise bale weight and size control without complex internal mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the weight of OCC material fed into the baler and adjusting the baling process accordingly. This feedback loop ensures that each bale achieves the target weight and dimensions, resolving the contradiction between simple equipment and precise output.
2Device complexity
If retailers rely on haulers to produce bales, then the device complexity at retailer location is reduced, but the measurement precision of bale weight deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables retailers to self-produce and self-verify bale weights through the integrated weighing system. This self-service approach eliminates reliance on external haulers for weight verification, providing retailers with direct, precise measurement capability while keeping equipment simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the mechanical trust-based verification with electronic weighing and digital recording. Instead of relying on hauler-reported weights, the system uses electronic sensors and digital documentation to provide objective, precise weight measurements that retailers can verify independently.
3Ease of manufacture
If bales are produced with inconsistent size and weight, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the productivity of transportation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements parameter changes by setting and maintaining specific target values for bale weight and dimensions. The weighing system monitors and adjusts material feed to achieve consistent parameters, ensuring that all bales meet standardized specifications for optimal transportation efficiency while remaining easy to produce.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces dynamics by continuously adjusting the baling process based on real-time weight measurements. Rather than static, fixed procedures, the system dynamically modifies material feed rates and compaction levels to maintain consistent bale parameters, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing flexibility and transportation efficiency.
4Ease of operation
If containers are not filled to maximum capacity, then the ease of operation is improved, but the loss of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and pre-organizing OCC material into standardized bales with precise weights and dimensions before transportation. This preliminary standardization enables efficient container loading that maximizes capacity while maintaining operational simplicity, as uniform bales can be quickly and easily arranged to fill containers optimally.
Data Source
AI summary
A recycling method is disclosed that includes the steps of compacting recyclable material into a fixed bale of recyclable material while concurrently weighing the OCC in the compactor and independently of the force that the compactor applies to the material or to the bale, assigning an individual identifier to the fixed bale in which the identifier includes at least the weight of the bale, and sending the fixed identified bale to a destination selected from the group consisting of shippers, mills, rebalers, or a customers for the baled recyclable material.