Seaming Cam Layout for Partial and Complete Lid Seaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seaming machines for canning have high manufacturing and maintenance costs, are not satisfactory from a functional point of view, and suffer from mechanical discontinuities that lead to impacts and reduced durability of cam follower members, necessitating frequent checks and potential errors due to speed variations.
Innovation Solution
A seaming machine with a single-piece control cam that rotates between two end-of-stroke positions, allowing for quick transitions between complete and partial seaming without compromising initial settings or bending operations, thus eliminating the need for mechanical adjustments and reducing production interruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a movable sector cam is used to control the pressing roller for excluding pressing operation during checks, then the ability to perform checking operations is improved, but the mechanical discontinuity and impacts on cam follower members worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The cam is divided into two distinct sectors: a first sector that controls both bending and pressing rollers during normal operation, and a second sector that controls only the bending roller during checking operations. This segmentation allows the pressing roller to be excluded during checks while maintaining continuous cam rotation, eliminating mechanical discontinuities and impacts on cam follower members.
2Reliability
If the rotating structure speed is reduced during checking operations to prevent mechanical damage, then the protection of cam follower members is improved, but the production efficiency and consistency worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The cam continues to rotate at constant speed throughout both normal seaming operations and checking operations. The transition between these modes is achieved through the cam's continuous rotation from one sector to the other, maintaining constant rotational speed and eliminating the need to slow down the rotating structure, thereby preserving production efficiency and consistency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a two-sector cam system is used to enable checking operations, then the operational flexibility is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing costs worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The control functions for both the bending roller and pressing roller are merged into a single cam structure. The first sector of the cam simultaneously controls both rollers during normal operation, while the second sector controls only the bending roller during checks. This merging approach simplifies the overall device by using one cam instead of separate control mechanisms for each roller.
Data Source
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AI summary
Seaming method and seaming machine (1), according to which a lid (2) is connected to a relative container (3) by means of a complete seaming process consisting of a bending operation of the edges of the lid (2) and of the container (3) followed by a pressing operation of the bent edges (43) keeping a mechanical cam (31) made in one piece for controlling a bending roller (22) and a pressing roller (23) in a fixed position of complete seaming or by means of a partial seaming process consisting of the sole bending operation by rotating the entire mechanical control cam (31) about a fixed axis (13) until bringing it to a fixed position of partial seaming different from the position of complete seaming.