Rotatable Rod Wrapping Apparatus for Varying Product Sizes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wrapping units for bundling machines are inflexible and inefficient in handling products of varying sizes and dimensions, leading to reduced production speed due to vibration issues with chain-driven mechanisms and limited adjustability in rotating rod systems.
Innovation Solution
A wrapping apparatus with rotatable and slidably connected rods supporting crossbars, allowing for adjustable arched trajectories and interchangeable guiding means to change the number and angular distance of crossbars, enabling quick adaptation to different product sizes and pitches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chain-driven mechanisms are used to move crossbars along a closed loop trajectory, then the wrapping function is achieved, but vibration issues occur and production speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chain-driven mechanical system with a rotatable rod system that supports crossbars. This substitution eliminates the vibration issues inherent in chain mechanisms while maintaining the closed loop trajectory functionality, thereby enabling higher production speeds without compromising wrapping reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The crossbars are mounted on rotatable rods that can dynamically adjust their position and trajectory. This dynamic system allows the crossbars to follow an arched trajectory that adapts to different product sizes and pitches, improving both wrapping effectiveness and production speed compared to fixed chain-driven systems.
2Productivity
If rotating rod systems are used to support crossbars, then production speed can be increased, but adjustability for different product sizes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The crossbars are mounted on rotatable rods that can dynamically adjust their position and trajectory. This dynamic system allows the crossbars to follow an arched trajectory that adapts to different product sizes and pitches, improving both wrapping effectiveness and production speed compared to fixed chain-driven systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows changing parameters such as the number of crossbars, their angular distance from each other, and the arch trajectory of their movement. These parameter changes enable the same rotating rod mechanism to accommodate various product sizes and configurations while maintaining high production speed.
3Device complexity
If the number and angular distance of crossbars are fixed, then the mechanism is simple, but it cannot adapt to different product pitches
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows changing parameters such as the number of crossbars, their angular distance from each other, and the arch trajectory of their movement. These parameter changes enable the same rotating rod mechanism to accommodate various product sizes and configurations while maintaining high production speed.
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
This solution allows for precise, efficient wrapping of products of various dimensions and sizes while optimizing production speed by easily modifying the wrapping trajectory and pitch, reducing downtime and overall machine dimensions.
Implementation Method 1
a wrapping station in which the groups of products are successively and individually wrapped with a portion of plastic film... In a following heating station (shrinking tunnel or oven), the film portion wrapped around the products shrinks due to the heat so as to tightly wrap the products
Data Source
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AI summary
A wrapping apparatus for wrapping groups (61) of products (60) with a film (50) comprises conveyor means (21, 22, 23) for supporting and moving groups (61) of products (60) along an advancing direction (A); a feeding unit (2) of the film (50) for dispensing film portions (5 1 ) of defined length through a transverse opening (24) of the conveyor means (21, 22, 23); a wrapping unit (3) comprising a plurality of crossbars (4) supported by respective rods (5) and arranged for picking the film portions (51) coming out from the transverse opening (24) and wrapping the film portions around the groups (6 1) of products (60) and hub means (8), rotatable around a rotation axis (X) and slidably supporting the rods (5) so that the latter ones are mobile linearly and transversely to the rotation axis (X) and rotatably around the rotation axis (X), the crossbars (4) being moved along a wrapping trajectory (T); and guiding means (6, 7) engaged by the rods (5) and/or by the crossbars (4) for guiding the latter ones along the wrapping trajectory (T) changing a distance of the crossbars (4) from the rotation axis (X) during a rotation of the respective rods (5), said rods (5) being coupleable in a removable manner to the hub means (8) so as to change the number of the rods (5) and the respective crossbars (4) and an angular distance between the rods (5) around the rotation axis (X) according to dimensions of products (60) and/or a pitch (p) between successive groups (61) of products (61).