Sealing Machine Sensor Feedback for Varying Product Dimensions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing machines face challenges in reliably sealing products of varying dimensions using sheetlike sealing materials, particularly due to insufficient control over the forming and sealing processes in response to changes in product height and width.
Innovation Solution
A sealing machine equipped with sensors to measure product height and width, coupled with a control device that adjusts the forming set and sealing stations to ensure adequate sealing material wrapping and positioning, ensuring reliable sealing across different product dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sealing machine uses a fixed forming set and sealing station configuration, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability of sealing deteriorates when product dimensions vary
Solution Approach 1:
The forming set and sealing station are equipped with adjustable components that can dynamically change their configuration based on product dimensions. The forming set can adjust the forming height and width, while the sealing station can adjust sealing parameters, allowing the system to adapt to varying product sizes without compromising sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor system measures the actual dimensions of products and provides feedback to the control device. The control device uses this feedback information to automatically adjust the forming set and sealing station parameters, ensuring that sealing is reliably performed for each specific product dimension.
2Reliability
If the sealing machine adjusts forming set and sealing station characteristics for each product dimension, then the sealing reliability improves, but the productivity decreases due to frequent adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement of product dimensions using sensors before the sealing process. Based on these pre-measured dimensions, the control device pre-calculates and sets the optimal forming set and sealing station parameters in advance, so that when the product enters the sealing zone, the system is already configured correctly, minimizing adjustment time and maintaining high productivity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the sealing machine uses manual adjustment of forming set and sealing station, then the device complexity is low, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates for varying product dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment with an automated control system that uses sensors and electronic actuators. The sensor system automatically measures product dimensions and the control device electronically adjusts the forming set and sealing station positions, eliminating manual intervention and achieving higher precision for varying product dimensions.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the sealing machine maintains fixed sealing parameters, then the ease of operation is high, but the adaptability to different product dimensions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing machine performs self-adjustment based on sensor feedback. The control device automatically receives dimensional information from sensors, processes this data, and adjusts the forming set and sealing station parameters without requiring operator intervention. This maintains ease of operation while achieving high adaptability to different product dimensions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A sealing machine comprising a transporter for transporting a product along a transport direction, a forming set for forming a sheetlike sealing material around a product transported through the forming set along the transport direction, and a sealing station downstream of the forming set for sealing the sealing material in a direction substantially parallel to the transport direction, the sealing machine further comprising a sensor arranged upstream of the forming set and for measuring a height and/or a width of a product and a control device for receiving a signal from the sensor that is indicative of the height and/or the width of a product and wherein the control device is further configured to control adjusting means associated with the forming set and/or the sealing station to adjust at least one characteristic of the forming set and/or the sealing station based on the signal.