Screw Unit Cam Attachment for Combination Weigher Maintenance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing combination weighing devices face challenges in user convenience and hygiene during the exchange of screw members due to the need to reach into the coupling portion of the transporting screw and motor, which can lead to increased space requirements and costs.

Innovation Solution

A combination weighing device design featuring a screw unit with a projection that rotates about a fixed axis and a grooved cam, allowing the screw unit to be easily attached and detached without requiring direct access to the coupling mechanism, improving user convenience and hygiene by reducing the need to reach into the device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the coupling mechanism with spring and ball is arranged outside the coupling portion of the transporting screw and motor, then user convenience and hygiene are improved, but the physical distance between components increases resulting in enlarged space requirements and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidspace requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling mechanism is merged with the coupling portion by integrating the spring and ball components directly into the coupling structure between the transporting screw and motor, eliminating the need for separate external coupling mechanisms and reducing overall space requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The spring and ball coupling mechanism is nested within the coupling portion structure, allowing the coupling components to be housed within the existing structural space rather than requiring additional external space

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the coupling mechanism with spring and ball is arranged outside the coupling portion, then user hygiene is improved by avoiding contact with internal components, but the number of components increases resulting in cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser hygieneVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The coupling mechanism is merged with the coupling portion by integrating the spring and ball components directly into the coupling structure between the transporting screw and motor, eliminating the need for separate external coupling mechanisms and reducing overall space requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful aspect of user contact with internal coupling components is extracted by designing the coupling mechanism to be accessible from the outside, allowing users to operate and maintain the coupling without reaching into the internal coupling portion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of repair

If the coupling mechanism with spring and ball is used between transporting screw and motor, then the transporting screw can be easily exchanged, but it is always necessary for user to reach into the coupling portion which reduces convenience and hygiene

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexchangeability of transporting screwVSAvoiduser convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful aspect of user contact with internal coupling components is extracted by designing the coupling mechanism to be accessible from the outside, allowing users to operate and maintain the coupling without reaching into the internal coupling portion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The coupling mechanism is segmented into distinct accessible components (spring and ball) that can be independently operated and maintained, allowing users to service the coupling portion without disassembling the entire motor-screw assembly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

Enhances user convenience and hygiene by allowing screw member exchange without direct access to the coupling mechanism, reducing space requirements and costs, while maintaining efficient object conveyance and weighing operations.

Implementation Method 1

the other includes a grooved cam in which the projection is fitted and slides at an end, and after the projection is fitted in the grooved cam, the projection slides on the grooved cam by a rotation of the screw unit to attach the screw unit to the rotation driving member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCam mechanism: Cam

Data Source

PatentEP3112825B1Combination weighing apparatus
Publication Date: 2019.02.20 ISHIDA CO LTD
  • EP3112825B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3112825B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3112825B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

One aspect of the present disclosure provides a combination weighing device in which both convenience and durability can be improved from user's viewpoint of exchanging a screw member. A combination weighing device includes: a main body; plural weighing units; troughs that extend radially in directions of the plural weighing units from a center of the main body in a planar view; a screw unit that is a spiral member which is arranged in the trough to convey an object in the trough toward the weighing unit, the screw unit rotating in the trough to convey the obj ect; and a rotation driving member that rotates the screw unit. At this point, one of the screw unit and the rotation driving member includes a projection that rotates about a rotation axis fixed in a direction in which the screw unit is attached at an end, and the other includes a grooved cam in which the projection is fitted and slides at an end, and after the proj ection is fitted in the grooved cam, the projection slides on the grooved cam by a rotation of the screw unit to attach the screw unit to the rotation driving member.