Rotary Capping Machine with Adjustable Star Wheels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic packaging machines face challenges with high labor and machine downtimes during format changes, inability to handle special-shaped containers and caps, complexity in mechanical design, and reduced productivity due to the use of anthropomorphic arms, which are expensive and bulky.
Innovation Solution
A capping machine with mobile transport units that rotate continuously around a main axis, equipped with gripping heads that can move in two degrees of freedom, and a programmable control unit to manage the movement of caps and containers, allowing for flexible adaptation to different formats and rapid format changes, while maintaining high productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If star wheels are used to transport and cap containers, then the capping operation can be performed mechanically, but the device cannot effectively transport containers and caps having special shapes and outlines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs adjustable and reconfigurable mechanical members that can dynamically adapt their configuration to match different container and cap shapes. The star wheels are designed with adjustable seating arrangements that can be repositioned to accommodate various geometries, enabling reliable transport and capping of special-shaped containers while maintaining operational effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The capping device is divided into modular components including multiple star wheels with independently adjustable seatings. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for specific container shapes while maintaining overall system versatility. The modular design enables easy reconfiguration when handling different cap and container formats.
2Adaptability or versatility
If anthropomorphic arms with multiple work axes are used to manipulate caps, then the machine can handle various cap formats, but the productivity is reduced to about 100-120 containers packed per minute
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex anthropomorphic robotic arms with a streamlined mechanical system using star wheels and dedicated transport members. This substitution eliminates the slow, multi-axis movements of robotic arms while maintaining adaptability through mechanically adjustable components, thereby achieving high-speed operation at approximately 400 containers per minute.
Solution Approach 2:
The star wheels are designed to rotate continuously, providing uninterrupted cap pickup and delivery operations. This continuous rotational motion eliminates the start-stop cycles inherent in robotic arm operations, maintaining constant productivity at high speed while the adjustable seatings provide the necessary adaptability for different cap formats.
3Productivity
If four robots are used to achieve the target value of 400 containers per minute, then the productivity target is met, but the machine becomes very expensive and bulky with considerable increase in volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions (cap pickup, transport, positioning, and delivery) into a single integrated star wheel system. This consolidation replaces the need for four separate robotic systems, dramatically reducing machine volume, complexity, and cost while maintaining the target productivity of 400 containers per minute through efficient mechanical coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The star wheel assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: it transports caps, positions them precisely, and delivers them to containers in a single continuous operation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple specialized robotic systems, reducing overall device complexity and volume while achieving high productivity.
4Extent of automation
If mechanical members with rotatable members are used for capping, then the capping operation can be automated, but long and laborious operations are necessary to adjust the mechanical parts at each change in format of the caps
Solution Approach 1:
The star wheels are pre-configured with adjustable seatings that can be quickly repositioned to match different cap formats. This preliminary preparation of adjustable components allows for rapid format changes without requiring lengthy mechanical adjustments, maintaining automated operation while minimizing downtime during format transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical members incorporate dynamically adjustable components that can be reconfigured for different cap formats. These adjustable seatings on the star wheels can be quickly repositioned to match various cap geometries, enabling fast format changes while preserving the automated capping operation and reducing adjustment time.
Data Source
Figure 1~10
Figure 2
Figure 3~3a
AI summary
Apparatus for capping containers (101), comprising a plurality of mobile transport units (12A, 12C, 12E, 12G; 12B, 12D, 12F, 12H), rotatably positioned around a main axis of rotation (Z), and configured to pick up caps (102) individually fed by a feed line (103) and to deposit each of them on a respective container (101) to be capped and advancing on a transport line (109), wherein each transport unit (12A, 12C, 12E, 12G; 12B, 12D, 12F, 12H) comprises a gripping head (30) to grip the caps (102), able to be driven into rotation on itself around an axis of longitudinal development (T), and the apparatus also comprises at least two movement groups (13; 14), driven by respective motor members (28, 29), and each configured to move a respective group of said transport units (12A, 12C, 12E, 12G; 12B, 12D, 12F, 12H) between a retracted condition (R), in which the transport units (12A, 12C, 12E, 12G; 12B, 12D, 12F, 12FI) are closer to the main axis of rotation (Z), and an extended condition (E), in which the transport units (12A, 12C, 12E, 12G, 12B, 12D, 12F, 12H) are more distant from the main axis of rotation (Z).