Packaging Machine Pressing Wall Surface for Bonding Quality

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing packaging machines face issues with bonding defects and defective shaping of boxes due to uneven or insufficient pressing force applied to the glue application regions, particularly when the shape and type of the box and contained object vary, leading to caving and peeling.

Innovation Solution

The packaging machine incorporates a conveyor system with pressing wall surfaces that have a reduced effective length along the longitudinal axis, avoiding the high-rigidity areas at the ends of the side walls to ensure a uniform and appropriate pressing force is applied to the glue application regions, thereby preventing bonding defects and shaping issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the pressing wall surfaces press the entire side wall, then the pressing force is applied over a large area, but the pressing force becomes concentrated on high-rigidity areas causing caving in low-rigidity areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressing areaVSAvoidbonding quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing wall surface is segmented into multiple zones along the longitudinal axis: a first pressing zone with full pressing force, a second pressing zone with reduced pressing force (avoiding high-rigidity areas), and a third pressing zone with full pressing force. This segmentation allows differential pressing force application to prevent caving while ensuring bonding quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the side wall receive different pressing force magnitudes based on their local rigidity characteristics. The low-rigidity areas (end parts) receive reduced pressing force to prevent caving, while the high-rigidity areas (middle portions) receive full pressing force to ensure bonding, achieving local quality optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the pressing force is reduced to avoid caving in low-rigidity areas, then caving is prevented, but the pressing force becomes insufficient for bonding in high-rigidity areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecaving preventionVSAvoidbonding reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing wall surface is divided into segments with different pressing force characteristics. The second pressing zone (concave portion) provides reduced force to prevent caving, while the first and third pressing zones provide full force to ensure bonding reliability in high-rigidity areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of applying uniform pressing force, the system applies partial pressing force (reduced magnitude) only in the specific region where caving occurs, while maintaining full pressing force in other regions where bonding is critical, achieving both caving prevention and bonding reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Device complexity

If the pressing force is applied uniformly along the entire side wall, then the pressing mechanism is simple, but the pressing force distribution becomes nonuniform due to varying rigidity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressing mechanism complexityVSAvoidpressing force uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing wall surface is segmented into distinct zones (first, second, and third pressing zones) with different pressing force characteristics, achieving nonuniform pressing force distribution through a relatively simple structural modification rather than complex control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pressing wall surface incorporates a concave portion (curved geometry) in the second pressing zone, which naturally reduces pressing force in that region due to the geometric configuration, achieving nonuniform force distribution through shape design rather than complex mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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

This solution effectively suppresses bonding defects and defective shaping by ensuring a consistent pressing force is applied to the glue application regions, regardless of the box's shape or type, enhancing the quality of the packaging process.

Implementation Method 1

those side wall parts are bonded to each other by the glue (adhesive) applied on a glue application region of the side wall parts

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesive bonding: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP3492397B1Packaging machine
Publication Date: 2021.06.02 JAPAN TOBACCO INC
  • EP3492397B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3492397B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3492397B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A packaging machine (1) for forming a box (30) by folding a blank around the periphery of a plurality of smoking articles, including a conveyance path (26) for thereafter conveying the box (30) to a subsequent processing stage, wherein the box (30) includes a longitudinal axis (32), and a pair of side walls (30e) having inner and outer side wall parts (34a, 34b) which extend along the longitudinal axis (32) and are bonded to each other, and assumes a posture in which the pair of the side walls (30e) extend in a direction traversing the conveyance path (26) in the conveyance path (26); the conveyance path (26) has a pair of conveyance walls (28a) for holding therebetween the box (30) by the pair of side walls (30e), and includes a conveyor (28) for conveying the box (30) while holding the same between the conveyance walls (28a); the pair of conveyance walls (28a) respectively include pressing wall surfaces (28d) for substantially pressing the side walls (30e); and at least one of the pressing wall surfaces (28d) includes means (56, 58, 60) for reducing a total effective length (L) of the pressing wall surface (28d) along the longitudinal axis (32) to be less than an overall length (La) of the side wall (30e).