Packaging Setup Display for Manual Adjustment Changeovers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing product processing apparatuses for packaging products in film or cardboard boxes require manual adjustments, which can lead to forgotten settings due to reliance on paper memos or worker memory, causing inefficiencies and potential machine malfunctions.

Innovation Solution

A product processing apparatus with a storage component to store settings and a display component that notifies users of adjustment-requiring parts, displaying icons, character strings, and adjustment amounts, eliminating the need for paper memos and ensuring all necessary adjustments are made during setting changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual adjustment mechanisms are used when switching settings, then the apparatus can be operated flexibly, but the user may forget to adjust parts requiring manual adjustment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesetting flexibilityVSAvoidadjustment completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device provides visual feedback by displaying on a screen which parts require manual adjustment when settings are switched. This feedback mechanism ensures users are reminded of all necessary adjustments, preventing forgotten adjustments while maintaining operational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control device acts as an intermediary between the setting change and the manual adjustment process. It receives setting change inputs, processes which parts need adjustment, and presents this information to the user through the display, mediating the transition from automatic setting change to manual adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If paper memos are used to track adjustment requirements, then adjustment information can be recorded, but the memos may be lost or get inside the machine

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustment information retentionVSAvoidmemo loss and contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical paper memo system with an electronic display system controlled by the control device. The screen displays adjustment requirements electronically, eliminating the physical memo that could be lost or contaminate the machine while preserving all adjustment information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If workers rely on memory to make adjustments, then no memo is needed, but parts requiring adjustment may escape memory

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation simplicityVSAvoidadjustment accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control device provides real-time feedback on the screen indicating which parts require adjustment. This external feedback system supplements human memory, maintaining operational simplicity while ensuring adjustment accuracy by visually presenting all necessary adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Loss of information

If all adjustment information is displayed, then no memo is needed, but the display may become cluttered and hard to read

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation retentionVSAvoiddisplay complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control device segments the display information by showing only the specific parts that require manual adjustment when settings are switched. Rather than displaying all possible adjustment information, it divides and presents only the relevant subset, reducing display clutter while retaining necessary information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3670368B1Product processing device
Publication Date: 2024.08.14 ISHIDA CO LTD
  • EP3670368B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3670368B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3670368B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

It is an object of the present invention to provide a product processing apparatus that has the function of preventing a user from forgetting to adjust a part that needs to be manually adjusted when switching a setting. A product processing apparatus (1) performs packaging or box packing of products (C) and has a storage component (71) and a display component (72). The storage component stores settings relating to the packaging or the box packing of the products. The display component displays adjustment-requiring parts requiring adjustment in the product processing apparatus (1) when changing the settings relating to the packaging or the box packing of the products.