Sandwich Packaging Posture Inversion and Spacing Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing layered food packaging systems face challenges in efficiently conveying and packaging sandwiches in a stable posture, leading to potential quality issues due to positional deviations and interference between robots, which can result in poor packaging quality and increased cycle time.
Innovation Solution
A sandwich packaging system comprising a carrier conveyor, first and second robots that lift sandwiches from a horizontal posture to a vertical posture, and a temporary placement apparatus with a spacing reduction mechanism, allowing the third robot to package the sandwiches in a bag, thereby improving alignment and reducing spacing between sandwiches for efficient packaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If robots directly package sandwiches conveyed in horizontal posture, then packaging process can be simplified, but positional deviations occur and packaging quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a temporary placement apparatus as an intermediary device between the carrier conveyor and packaging robot. Sandwiches are first placed vertically on the temporary placement apparatus, which stabilizes their position and orientation. The packaging robot then packages them from the vertical posture, eliminating positional deviations that occur when directly packaging horizontally conveyed sandwiches.
2Productivity
If multiple robots operate in close proximity to convey and package sandwiches, then productivity increases, but interference between robots occurs and cycle time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the packaging process into distinct segments: the carrier conveyor handles horizontal transport, the temporary placement apparatus handles vertical positioning and spacing reduction, and the packaging robot handles bagging. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently and efficiently, reducing interference between robots and optimizing the overall cycle time.
3Ease of manufacture
If sandwiches are conveyed in horizontal posture, then conveyance is simplified, but stability deteriorates and deformation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by changing the sandwich posture from horizontal during conveyance to vertical during packaging. Sandwiches are conveyed horizontally on the carrier conveyor for simplicity, then placed vertically on the temporary placement apparatus for stable positioning and packaging. This inversion of posture optimizes both conveyance simplicity and structural stability at different process stages.
Data Source
AI summary
A layered food packaging system includes: a carrier device configured to convey a sandwich in a horizontal posture in which a layering direction of the sandwich is substantially vertical; a temporary placement table configured to temporarily place the sandwich thereon in a vertical posture in which the layering direction of the sandwich is substantially horizontal; a first robot and a second robot configured to grip the sandwich that is conveyed by the carrier device, lift the sandwich from the carrier device, change the posture of the sandwich from the horizontal posture to the vertical posture, and temporarily place the sandwich on the temporary placement table; and a third robot configured to grip the sandwich that is temporarily placed on the temporary placement table, and insert the sandwich into a bag for packaging the layered food.