Separating device provided with rotary tray relief

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing unstacking devices often fail to evenly distribute the load across trays with varying stacking heights, leading to incomplete lifting of trays and potential slipping during the unstacking process due to uneven load distribution and shallow immersion depth.

Innovation Solution

The unstacking device employs cylindrical lifting elements with a comb structure featuring multiple parallel immersion projections that distribute the load across several projections, ensuring stable lifting and preventing slipping, even at shallow immersion depths, and includes a helical and horizontal rising/falling design for smooth operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single immersion projection is used on the lifting element, then the structure is simple, but the load cannot be evenly distributed and the tray may slip during lifting

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidlifting stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting element is segmented into multiple immersion projections (at least two) arranged around its circumference. Each projection independently engages with a tray in the stack, distributing the lifting load across multiple contact points. This segmentation prevents any single projection from bearing excessive load, thereby eliminating the slipping issue while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the immersion depth is reduced to less than 2 mm for low-profile trays, then the device can handle varied tray types, but the trays become unstable and may buckle or slip

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetray type compatibilityVSAvoidtray stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the lifting contact into multiple separate immersion projections, the system achieves stable engagement with trays even at minimal immersion depths. The distributed contact points create multiple stabilizing forces that prevent buckling and slipping, allowing the device to handle low-profile and varied tray types without compromising stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple immersion projections are combined on a single rotating lifting element, working together to provide both the adaptability needed for various tray types and the stability required to prevent buckling. The combined action of all projections simultaneously engaged with the tray stack achieves both versatility and stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If swash plates are positioned at corners or opposite sides of shells, then the lifting mechanism is simplified, but not all shells are lifted uniformly and load distribution is uneven

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanism simplicityVSAvoiduniform lifting
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting element is segmented into multiple immersion projections distributed around its circumference, ensuring that trays at different positions (corners, sides, and intermediate positions) are all engaged and lifted uniformly. This segmentation approach maintains mechanism simplicity while achieving precise uniform lifting across the entire tray stack.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3363752B1Separating device provided with rotary tray relief
Publication Date: 2022.08.17 MULTIVAC SEPP HAGGENMULLER GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3363752B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3363752B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3363752B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an unstacking device (1), the vertical guides (3) for receiving a stack (4) with a large number of shells (5), a separating device (11) for stacking individual shells (5) downwards and a shell relief device (10 ) comprising a plurality of rotating lifting elements (12). The unstacking device (1) is characterized in that the lifting elements (12) are approximately cylindrical and have a comb structure (K) with at least two immersion projections (13) running parallel to one another.