Integrally Formed Spring Tongue Gripper Arm for Hygienic Bottle Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gripper arms for bottle-like containers in production lines face contamination issues and have complex, costly designs with multiple parts, making them difficult to maintain and clean, especially in hygiene-sensitive environments.
Innovation Solution
A gripper arm with an integrally formed, elastically deflectable spring tongue that acts as an energy store, eliminating the need for separate springs or magnets, and is manufactured as a single piece from fiber-reinforced plastic to reduce contamination risks and manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate springs or magnets are used as energy stores in gripper arms, then the gripping function is achieved, but the device complexity increases and contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the energy store function with the gripper arm structure itself by integrating a spring tongue directly into the arm body. This eliminates separate springs or magnets, reducing the number of parts and eliminating contamination risks associated with separate energy storage components. The spring tongue is formed as an integral elastic element within the gripper arm, merging the structural and energy storage functions into a single component.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripper arm is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides structural support, enables gripping motion, and stores energy through its integrated spring tongue. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate dedicated energy storage components, simplifying the overall device while maintaining the required gripping functionality.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate components are used in gripper arms, then the gripping function is achieved, but the ease of manufacture and assembly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single integrated gripper arm component with an embedded spring tongue. This reduces the total number of parts that need to be manufactured, stored, and assembled, thereby lowering manufacturing costs and simplifying production logistics. The spring tongue is formed as an integral part of the gripper arm, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly of energy storage components.
3Ease of repair
If separate springs or magnets are used as energy stores, then the opening function is achieved, but the ease of repair and maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the energy store function with the gripper arm structure by integrating a spring tongue directly into the arm body. This eliminates separate springs or magnets, reducing the number of parts that can fail and require maintenance. The spring tongue is formed as an integral elastic element within the gripper arm, merging the structural and energy storage functions into a single component that is easier to maintain.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If separate energy store components are used, then the gripping function is achieved, but the contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the energy store function with the gripper arm structure itself by integrating a spring tongue directly into the arm body. This eliminates separate springs or magnets that could collect dust and contaminants. The spring tongue is formed as an integral elastic element within the gripper arm, creating a seamless structure with no separate components that could harbor contamination.
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
The solution provides a more hygienic, cost-effective, and easily maintainable gripper arm that can be quickly replaced, reducing the risk of contamination and damage to containers, while ensuring stable and efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
The gripper arm (2) comprises an energy store (6) for the moving of a gripping section (5) of the gripper arm (2) from the gripping position into the open position or vice versa. The energy store comprises a spring tongue (6) which is integrally formed on the gripper arm (2) and elastically deflectable.
Data Source
AI summary
A gripper arm for a device for gripping, holding and guiding bottle-like containers having a bore to support a bearing pin to pivotably fix the gripper arm in the device and including an energy store for moving a gripping section of the gripper arm by a control cam from an open position into a gripping position and vice versa, wherein the energy store is spring tongue integrally formed on the gripper arm and elastically deflectable so as to operatively engage the spring tongue of another gripper arm of the device in a mirror-inverted configuration. The gripper arms produced from a fiber-reinforced plastic, so as to remain sufficiently free of contaminants and germs, and be easily cleaned as well as being faster and easier to produce.