Sorting Insert Stacking Lug and Cam Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sorting inserts for food, particularly baked goods, face challenges in automated separation and stacking due to undefined distances and high static friction between inserts, which complicates mechanical processing and can lead to damage during handling.
Innovation Solution
A sorting insert made from a flat blank with a separating web, featuring a first part connected to the wall and a second part connected to the bottom, including a widened section and stacking cams that ensure defined spacing and minimize friction, allowing for easier automated separation and stacking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If sorting inserts are stacked one inside the other without defined spacing features, then stacking density is improved, but automated separation becomes difficult due to undefined distances and high static friction
Solution Approach 1:
The sorting insert is segmented into functional zones: a base area, a wall area, and a divider area. The divider is further segmented into a first part connected to the wall and a second part connected to the base. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function - the divider for separation, the wall for structural support, and the base for stability - while enabling automated handling through defined geometric features like the stacking cam and widened section.
Solution Approach 2:
The stacking cam acts as an intermediary element between stacked sorting inserts. It provides a defined contact point on the lower insert that receives the stacking lug from the upper insert, establishing a precise vertical distance between inserts. This intermediary feature eliminates the need for sensors to detect exact positions, as the geometry itself defines the spacing and facilitates automated separation.
Solution Approach 3:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the divider by introducing a widened section with a specific profile (preferably conical, widening toward the wall). This parameter change creates a stacking cam with defined dimensions that interact with the stacking lug to establish a fixed vertical distance. The specific angle and dimensions of the widened section are optimized to minimize friction while maintaining stable stacking.
2Ease of operation
If the divider is made with a widened section and stacking cam, then automated separation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into the divider structure: it serves as both the product separator and the stacking mechanism component. The widened section of the divider creates both the stacking cam for defined spacing and the geometric feature for friction reduction. This merging eliminates the need for separate stacking mechanisms, as the divider itself provides both separation and stacking functions through its integrated geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The divider is designed as a multi-functional element that performs separation of goods, defines stacking distance, and minimizes friction during handling. The first part of the divider connected to the wall and the second part connected to the base work together to create a structure that is both a separator and a stacking interface, reducing the overall number of components needed in the system.
3Ease of manufacture
If sorting inserts are kept at a defined distance when stacked, then mechanical processing requirements are reduced, but the structure requires additional features like stacking cams
Solution Approach 1:
The stacking cam and widened section are pre-formed as integral parts of the sorting insert structure during manufacturing. This preliminary action of creating defined geometric features ensures that when inserts are stacked, the correct vertical distance is automatically established without requiring additional mechanical processing or adjustment during operation. The friction-minimizing geometry is already in place before stacking occurs.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a sorting insert (02) made from a blank (32) comprising at least one divider (04) unfolded from the sorting insert (02) for separating goods, comprising a base (08) and at least one wall (06), wherein the divider (04) comprises a first part (10) and a second part (12), wherein the first part (10) of the divider (04) is connected to the wall (06) of the sorting insert (02) and the second part (12) of the divider (04), and wherein the second part (12) of the divider (04) is connected to the first part (10) of the divider (04) and the base (08) of the sorting insert (02), wherein the first part (10) of the divider (04) comprises a widened section (16) that is wider than the second part (12) of the divider (04), wherein in the wall (06) of the sorting insert (02) below the widened section (16) at least one stacking cam (20) is formed.