Independent Sausage Suspension Hook Spacing Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sausage hanging devices lack the ability to quickly and easily adjust the distances between suspension hooks, making them inflexible and time-consuming to convert for different sausage calibers and production requirements.

Innovation Solution

The suspension hooks are independently controlled by a controller, allowing for variable spacing and speed adjustments, enabling flexible positioning and movement to accommodate various sausage sizes and production processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the hanging device is evenly equipped with hooks along its entire length, then the device can handle natural casing processing, but the device lacks flexibility when filling products of different caliber

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different sausage calibersVSAvoidcomplexity of hook adjustment mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the hook positions adjustable rather than fixed. The hook transport element allows hooks to be moved along the circumference to different positions, enabling the device to adapt to different sausage calibers and spacing requirements. This dynamic reconfigurability resolves the contradiction between adaptability and device complexity by providing a relatively simple adjustment mechanism that enables versatile operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If hooks are removed and repositioned to adjust spacing, then the spacing can be adapted to different requirements, but the changeover process becomes very time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespacing adjustment capabilityVSAvoidtime for changeover and adjustment
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic hook positioning system where hooks can be moved along the hook transport element's circumference. This allows spacing adjustments to be made by repositioning hooks rather than removing and reinstalling them, significantly reducing the time required for changeovers while maintaining full adaptability to different spacing requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If the hook transport element has a fixed circumference, then the device structure is simple, but the spacing between hooks cannot be flexibly adjusted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility in hook spacingVSAvoidcomplexity of variable spacing mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves this contradiction by implementing a dynamic positioning system on the hook transport element. Hooks can be moved to different positions along the fixed-circumference transport element, enabling flexible spacing adjustment without changing the overall device structure or circumference. This maintains structural simplicity while achieving the desired flexibility in hook spacing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2653036B1Device and method for suspending sausages
Publication Date: 2019.04.03 ALBERT HANDTMANN MASCHFABRICK
  • EP2653036B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2653036B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2653036B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The method involves providing suspension hooks (2) on a horizontal circulation path (3) and circulating the suspension hooks on circulating path. The sausages suspended from suspension hooks are conveyed into a removal area (A) along a conveying direction (T), and are taken up from suspension hooks. Each suspension hook is controlled independently. An independent claim is included for a device for suspending sausage.