Segment Wheel Assembly for Carton Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art segment wheel assemblies in carton packaging machines face issues with pick arms being highly curved and convoluted to avoid the segment wheel shaft, leading to carton blanks being grabbed from a low position, causing bowing, misalignment, and machine jams, as the suction cups cannot engage blanks near their top edges due to the shaft obstruction.
Innovation Solution
The segment wheel assembly features cylindrical segment wheels with open slots and no central shaft, allowing straight or less convoluted pick arms and adjustable suction cup positioning near the top edges of carton blanks, eliminating bowing and enabling narrower blank handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a continuous segment wheel shaft is used to support the segment wheels, then the structural integrity and rotational stability are improved, but the pick arm configuration becomes highly curved and convoluted, and the suction cups cannot engage carton blanks near their top edges
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous segment wheel shaft is divided into separate sections. Each segment wheel is supported by its own individual bearing assembly rather than a continuous shaft, allowing the pick arms to operate in the open space between segment wheels without being constrained by a central shaft structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The pick arms are repositioned to operate in the vertical dimension between the segment wheels rather than being constrained in the horizontal plane by the shaft. This spatial reconfiguration allows straight pick arms to engage carton blanks at higher positions near the top edges.
2Manufacturing precision
If the suction cups are positioned to engage carton blanks near their top edges, then the bowing and misalignment of blanks are reduced, but the pick arm configuration becomes more complex due to the shaft obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the shaft support structure into separate bearing assemblies for each segment wheel, the pick arms are freed from the constraint of a continuous shaft. This allows the suction cups to be positioned at the optimal location near the top edges of carton blanks without requiring convoluted arm configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous shaft obstruction is removed and replaced with discrete bearing supports. This extraction of the obstructing element allows the pick arms to adopt a simpler, more direct configuration that enables precise engagement of carton blanks at their top edges.
3Device complexity
If the pick arms are made straight or less convoluted to simplify the configuration, then the device complexity is reduced, but the suction cups cannot reach near the top edges of carton blanks due to the shaft obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The segmentation of the shaft into separate supported sections creates open space between segment wheels, allowing straight pick arms to extend upward and engage carton blanks near their top edges without interference from a continuous shaft structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The pick arms operate in the vertical dimension between segment wheels rather than being constrained horizontally by the shaft. This dimensional change allows straight arms to reach higher positions on carton blanks while maintaining configuration simplicity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the segment wheels are positioned closer together to handle narrower cartons, then the adaptability to different carton sizes is improved, but the structural stability and support become more difficult to maintain with a continuous shaft
Solution Approach 1:
Each segment wheel is independently supported by its own bearing assembly, allowing the segment wheels to be positioned closer together without compromising structural stability. This segmentation enables the system to accommodate narrower cartons while maintaining rotational stability of each segment wheel.
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
This design allows for efficient and accurate picking of carton blanks near their top edges, reducing bowing and misalignment, and accommodating narrower cartons, while simplifying the pick arm configuration and increasing operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
suction cups for engaging carton blanks from the stack
Data Source
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AI summary
An improved segment wheel assembly (41) for an article packaging machine is provided for picking individual carton blanks from a magazine and delivering the carton blanks to a conveyor to be carried to a packaging station of the machine. The segment wheel assembly has a pair of generally cylindrical segment wheels (44, 66) spaced apart from each other in end-to-end relationship. An unobstructed space is defined between the spaced segment wheels and each segment wheel has a generally rectangular cutout (47, 48) with the cutouts being aligned. A pick arm assembly (76, 77) including suction cups (78, 79) is disposed within the unobstructed space. A drive train rotates the segment wheels in unison and, simultaneously, oscillates the suction cup back and forth within the unobstructed space. The suction cup repeatedly grabs single carton blanks from the magazine and pulls them toward the rotating segment wheels, whose cutouts engage each carton blank and urges it toward and into the conveyor.