Rotary Feed Unit for Asymmetrical Component Orientation

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing feed systems for smoking articles with asymmetrical components struggle to ensure uniform orientation, leading to inefficiencies and inaccuracies in assembly processes.

Innovation Solution

A rotary device with channels and pushers, combined with a guide member and transfer drum, rotates to align and orient components, ensuring they are delivered in a uniform orientation to subsequent assembly apparatus.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a vibratory bowl feeder is used to feed components, then components can be fed into the assembly line, but components with incorrect orientation are ejected back into the bowl, causing loss of time and reduced productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly line throughputVSAvoidtime lost due to ejection and re-feeding of misoriented components

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The feed unit performs preliminary orientation of components before they enter the assembly line. The rotary device with channels and pushers pre-aligns components in the correct orientation during the feeding process itself, eliminating the need for later ejection and re-feeding operations that occur with conventional vibratory bowl feeders.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The feed unit acts as an intermediary device between the component supply and the assembly line. It includes a rotary device with channels that receive components and pushers that actively push them along a defined path, serving as a mediator that ensures proper orientation before components reach the assembly apparatus.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If conventional feed systems are used for asymmetrical components, then components can be fed to assembly apparatus, but uniform orientation cannot be ensured, leading to assembly errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly accuracyVSAvoidcomponent orientation uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The channels in the rotary device are specifically designed with local geometric features that match the asymmetrical shape of the components. The pushers are positioned and shaped to apply force at specific locations on the components, ensuring they assume the correct orientation. This local customization of the feeding path and pushing mechanism ensures uniform orientation for asymmetrical components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The feed unit performs preliminary orientation of components before they enter the assembly line. The rotary device with channels and pushers pre-aligns components in the correct orientation during the feeding process itself, eliminating the need for later ejection and re-feeding operations that occur with conventional vibratory bowl feeders.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If components are fed without pre-alignment, then the feeding process is simpler, but assembly errors increase due to incorrect component orientation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefeeding mechanism complexityVSAvoidassembly accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The feed unit performs preliminary orientation of components before they enter the assembly line. The rotary device with channels and pushers pre-aligns components in the correct orientation during the feeding process itself, eliminating the need for later ejection and re-feeding operations that occur with conventional vibratory bowl feeders.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9994399B2Feed unit

Publication Date: 2018.06.12 BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO (INVESTMENTS) LTD

AI summary

A feed unit, for example for feeding components to smoking article assembly apparatus, includes a rotary device having one or more channels (7) adapted to receive components, one on top of another, and one or more pushers (21) associated with each channel. The feed unit also has a track (14) to receive components from outlets of the one or more channels (7) and the rotary device is configured to rotate with respect to the track (14) so that components pass through the channels (7) and are pushed along the track by the pushers (21) for output from the feed unit.