Rotating Panel Transport Tray for Automatic Food Product Unloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual unloading of heavy food products from transport trays in manufacturing installations is tiring and inefficient, as the trays are typically stacked and require manual discharge.
Innovation Solution
A transport tray with a chassis and two panels that can rotate from a transport position to an unloading position, facilitated by actuators, allowing for automatic discharge onto a conveyor system, with limitation means to prevent panels from lifting beyond the transport position, ensuring easy unloading and preventing product fall.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual unloading of heavy food products is used, then the tray structure can be simple, but operator fatigue increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the tray bottom panels rotatable rather than fixed. The panels can rotate between a closed transport position and an open unloading position, transforming the static tray structure into a dynamic system that automatically facilitates product discharge, thereby reducing operator effort and improving unloading efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray design enables self-service unloading through its rotatable bottom panels. When the tray is inverted, gravity automatically causes the products to slide off the opened panels onto the discharge conveyor without requiring manual handling, allowing the tray system to serve itself in the unloading process.
2Productivity
If the tray bottom is made openable for automatic discharge, then unloading efficiency improves, but the tray structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The tray bottom is segmented into multiple independent rotatable panels rather than a single fixed structure. This segmentation allows each panel to rotate independently for product discharge while maintaining structural integrity during transport, achieving automatic unloading without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the transport function and unloading function into a single integrated tray structure. The same tray that transports products also automatically discharges them through the rotatable panels, eliminating the need for separate unloading equipment and reducing overall system complexity.
3Extent of automation
If panels are made rotatable for product discharge, then automatic unloading is enabled, but control over panel position becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The panel rotation operates periodically between two fixed states: closed position during transport and open position during unloading. This periodic action between discrete positions simplifies control compared to continuous positioning, as the system only needs to switch between two predetermined states rather than control arbitrary positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical positioning systems with a simpler gravity-based system. Once the panels are rotated to the open position, gravity automatically manages the product discharge, eliminating the need for complex mechanical control mechanisms to maintain specific panel positions during unloading.
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 solution enables efficient and automated unloading of food products, reducing operator fatigue and improving the handling of heavy products by allowing them to be discharged smoothly onto a conveyor, enhancing the manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
each panel being able to move in rotation about a rotation axis parallel to said first edges between a transport position in which the distance between the first edges is less than the diameter of the food products and an unloading position in which at least one of the first edges is lowered
Data Source
AI summary
A transport tray for use in an installation for manufacturing food products, the installation having actuators. The transport tray has a chassis and a bottom having two panels mounted on the chassis, each having a first parallel edge and being able to move in rotation about a rotation axis parallel to the first edges between a transport position in which the distance between the first edges is less than the diameter of the fruit products and an unloading position in which at least one of the first edges is lowered so that the distance between the first edges is greater than the diameter of the food products. Each panel cooperates with an actuator for passing it from the transport position to the unloading position. Apparatus is provided to prevent lifting of the first edge of each panel beyond the transport position.