Sliding Protective Body for Labeling Area Access and Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional labeling machines face challenges in providing adequate protection of the labeling area during operation while allowing easy and convenient access for maintenance or repair, often hindering operator movement with fixed or hinged protection panels.
Innovation Solution
A labeling assembly with a slideable protective body that moves between active and inactive positions, using guides and counterweights for easy access, and detection means to control the labeling machine's operation based on the protective body's position, ensuring safety and operational efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed protection panels are used to delimit the work area, then safety protection is improved, but operator movement freedom deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protection panel is transformed from a fixed structure to a movable one, capable of sliding between a closed position (providing protection) and an open position (allowing operator access). This dynamic configuration resolves the contradiction by adapting the protection level according to operational needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The protection system is divided into movable panels that can be independently positioned. The panels are segmented to allow partial opening while maintaining protection in other areas, enabling both safety and operator accessibility simultaneously.
2Ease of repair
If hinged protection panels are used to allow access during maintenance, then ease of repair is improved, but operator movement freedom deteriorates due to obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The hinged panels are replaced with slideable panels that can be fully retracted to an inactive position, eliminating obstacles in the operator's path while maintaining full protection when in the active closed position.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of hinged movement in one arc, the panels move in a linear sliding motion along guides, changing the dimension of movement. This allows the panels to be completely removed from the operational space when open, rather than occupying space as hinged panels do.
3Ease of operation
If protection panels are removed and placed on the floor, then ease of operation is improved, but safety protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protection panels are made dynamically movable on slides rather than being permanently removed, allowing them to be quickly repositioned to the closed protective position when needed, thus maintaining both safety and operational convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The slideable mechanism allows operators to easily move the panels themselves without requiring additional tools or assistance, enabling quick setup of protection when working on the labeling means.
Data Source
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AI summary
A labeling assembly for labeling machines which comprises a base frame (2) which is adapted to be associated with a conveyor (3) of containers (4) to be labeled and which supports means (6) for labeling the containers (4); means are provided for at least partially delimiting the work area of the labeling means (6); the delimiting means comprise at least one protective body (7) which can move slideably, with respect to the base frame (2), between an active position, in which it is adapted to delimit at least partially the work area of the labeling means (6), and at least one inactive position, which is spaced with respect to the active position, in which it allows access from the outside to the work area of the labeling means (6).