Counter-Rotating Roller Press for Plastic and Metal Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for compressing empty containers, such as beverage bottles or cans, are costly, require extensive maintenance, and often produce suboptimal results due to inadequate adjustment of roller distances and cutting edges, leading to inefficient processing and increased investment costs for separate devices for plastic and metal containers.
Innovation Solution
A device with a pair of counter-rotating rollers featuring axially oriented sections with disks of different diameters and properties, allowing simultaneous high-quality compression of plastic and metal containers, with specialized cutting and pressing mechanisms to prevent material expansion and ensure clean cuts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single pressing device is used for both plastic and metal containers with compromise design, then device complexity is reduced, but compression quality for both material types deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The roller surface is segmented into multiple axial sections, each with disks of different diameters and configurations. The first roller has sections with different disk diameters, while the second roller has corresponding sections that match each section of the first roller. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized for specific container types (plastic or metal) while maintaining a unified device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the rollers have locally optimized disk configurations tailored to specific material types. Each axial section contains disks with diameters and spacing optimized for either plastic or metal containers, allowing the device to provide high-quality compression for both material types simultaneously without requiring separate devices.
2Ease of operation
If roller distance and cutting edge position are not precisely adjusted, then device operation is simplified, but manufacturing precision of compressed containers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The rollers are pre-configured with multiple axial sections containing disks of different diameters during manufacturing. This preliminary arrangement of cutting edges and pressing surfaces eliminates the need for complex operational adjustments, as the device is already optimized for different container types before use.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate devices are used for plastic and metal containers, then compression quality for each material type is improved, but investment costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing device is designed as a universal machine capable of processing both plastic and metal containers with equal efficiency. The rollers feature multiple axial sections with disks of varying diameters that can handle different material types, allowing a single device to replace what would traditionally require separate specialized equipment for each container type.
Solution Approach 2:
The device merges the functionality of separate plastic and metal container pressing machines into a single unit. By combining multiple roller sections with different disk configurations on one device, it achieves the compression quality of specialized equipment while reducing the need for multiple separate installations.
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
The device achieves high-quality compression of both plastic and metal containers with reduced manufacturing, operating, and maintenance costs, enabling efficient processing without the need for separate equipment for each material type.
Implementation Method 1
a first working area, for compressing the plastic containers, and a second working area, for compressing the metal containers
Implementation Method 2
the peripheral surfaces of the cutting disks each having at least one groove
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3a
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for compressing empty containers, in particular beverage bottles or cans made of plastic, especially PET, or tinplate. The device according to the invention comprises a cutting and pressing unit (4) and means for driving and controlling the cutting and pressing unit (4), wherein the cutting and pressing unit includes at least two cooperating, counter-rotating rollers (4.1 and 4.2) spaced apart from each other with respect to their axes of rotation (A1, A2), each roller (4.1, 4.2) having several disks (5, 6, 50, 60) arranged axially apart from each other. In a specific further development, it is proposed that, at least in the working area of the two rollers (4.1, 4.2), a first working area (21), for compressing the plastic containers, and a second working area (22), for compressing the metal containers, are arranged axially adjacent to each other.