Pneumatic Pick-Up for Clean Can, Tube, and Cartridge Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for transferring elongated products with aluminum casings, such as cans or tubes, result in damage and contamination due to contact with holding pins, leading to unwanted distribution of sealing compounds and system contamination.
Innovation Solution
A receiving device with a base element that uses a pressure chamber and perforated surfaces to create a differential pressure, allowing products to be held without mechanical contact, using negative or positive pressure to compensate for weight and acceleration during transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pins are used to hold products on the receiving device, then the products can be securely transported during transfer, but the pins cause damage to the product casing and spread sealing compound leading to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical pin-based holding system with a pneumatic suction system. Instead of using physical pins that contact and damage the product casing, the invention uses a suction cup device that creates a vacuum to hold products. This substitution eliminates direct mechanical contact with the product surface, thereby preventing damage to the aluminum casing and avoiding spreading of sealing compound.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs pneumatic principles by using a suction cup device connected to a vacuum source. The suction cup creates a pressure difference (vacuum) to hold the products during transfer. This pneumatic holding mechanism allows secure transport without mechanical contact, solving the contradiction between reliable transport and preventing product damage/contamination.
2Productivity
If multiple rows of products are transferred simultaneously, then productivity increases, but the complexity of the transfer device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving device is segmented into multiple independent suction cup units arranged in rows. Each suction cup can independently hold a product, and multiple rows can be transferred simultaneously. This segmentation allows the device to handle multiple products in parallel, increasing productivity while maintaining relatively simple individual component design.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction cup device is designed with universal applicability to handle different types of elongated products (cans, tubes, cartridges) with various cross-sections. The same basic suction cup mechanism can be configured for different product types, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high productivity through simultaneous multi-row transfer capability.
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
Prevents damage and contamination by maintaining product integrity and ensuring stable transfer without mechanical contact, enabling efficient grouping and packaging of elongated products.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure chamber (203) arranged and formed on a side of the base element (200) facing away from the contact surface (201), which pressure chamber (203) can be subjected to a differential pressure to the ambient air pressure
Implementation Method 2
The base element has a plurality of, in particular adapted to the products to be transferred, openings (211) extending from the pressure chamber (203) to the contact surface (201) and through which a pressure difference to the ambient air pressure can be exerted on an internal volume of the products
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Receiving device (40) for grouping and transferring elongated products (3) designed as cans, tubes, or cartridges sealed at one end, comprising a grouping unit (20) for receiving several rows (33) of products (3), in particular from a conveying device (101) supplying the products (3), and a multi-axis drive device (39) for adjusting and/or rotating the grouping unit (20) in several spatial directions, wherein the grouping unit (20) has a base element (200) with a contact surface (201) on which the products (3), preferably with an open end (34), come into contact during grouping and transfer, in particular that a pressure chamber (203) is arranged and formed on a side of the base element (200) facing away from the contact surface (201), which can be pressurized via a fluid connection (227) with a differential pressure to the ambient air pressure, wherein the base element (200) a multitude of,in particular, openings (211) adapted to the products (3) to be transferred, which extend to the system surface (201) and through which a differential pressure to the ambient air pressure can be exerted on an internal volume of the products (3) adjacent to the system surface (201).