Parallel Container Recovery Conveyor for Reverse Vending Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reverse vending machines with bulk feed systems experience reduced throughput due to serial isolation of empties after input, despite high individual transport speeds.
Innovation Solution
A device with a steep conveyor that parallelizes empties on carriers and feeds them to a detection unit in a field arrangement, using discharge means arranged in multiple rows to simultaneously eject and transport empties to collection containers, maintaining parallelization throughout the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If empties are serially isolated one after the other after input, then individual detection can be performed, but the throughput through the device takes up too much time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from serial processing (one dimension in time) to parallel processing by arranging multiple discharge means and collection containers in spatial dimensions. The conveyor system processes multiple empties simultaneously at different positions, effectively adding spatial parallelism to overcome the time-consuming serial isolation limitation while maintaining detection accuracy through the field arrangement of detectors.
2Productivity
If a steep conveyor is used to parallelize empties, then throughput is increased, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the conveyor system into multiple independent discharge means (first, second, third discharge means) with corresponding collection containers. This segmentation allows parallel processing of different empty types simultaneously, increasing throughput while managing complexity through modular, repeatable units rather than a single complex mechanism.
3Productivity
If multiple rows of discharge means are arranged across the width of the conveyor, then parallel processing of different empty types is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple discharge means that can handle different types of empties (metal cans, plastic bottles, glass containers) through a unified conveyor system design. Each discharge means is positioned at different heights and can be selectively activated based on the detected empty type, providing multi-functional capability without requiring entirely separate processing lines for each container type.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an apparatus for recovering empty containers, in particular plastic bottles and metal cans, in which the empty containers are guided by a conveying means from a collecting chamber (bulk input) past detectors belonging to a detection unit, and discharging means for removing the empty containers from the conveying means are arranged downstream of the detection unit, in the conveying direction. The aim of the invention is to provide such an apparatus with an increased throughput. This aim is solved according to the invention in that the conveying means is configured as an inclined conveyor (3) which removes the empty containers (10) in a parallel manner on carriers (8, 28) from the collecting space (11) and feeds them to the detectors (15, 32, 33) in a uniformly spaced arrangement. The apparatus also has discharging means (16, 17) which extend transversely in at least two rows, on different levels, over the entire width of the inclined conveyor (3). A further feature of the invention is that discharging means (16, 17) are assigned conveyer belts (18, 19) for advancing the discharged empty containers (10).