Star Wheel Container Screening Device Suction Holding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container screening devices face issues where contents and broken pieces of containers can fall into the device interior due to gaps between the conveyance surface and the valve plate, leading to contamination and maintenance challenges.
Innovation Solution
A container screening device with a star wheel having housing portions and a rotation shaft, where communication passages through the star wheel and shaft allow for suction force generation to securely hold containers, eliminating the need for a valve plate and preventing contents from entering the device interior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a valve plate is used to hold containers in grooves, then containers can be securely held and sorted, but gaps form between the conveyance surface and valve plate allowing contents to fall into the device interior
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the valve plate component from the system and replaces it with a star wheel having housing portions that directly hold containers. This extraction of the problematic valve plate eliminates the gap issue while maintaining container holding capability through the star wheel's structural design with integrated housing portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical valve plate sliding mechanism with a star wheel rotation mechanism. The star wheel, driven by rotation, uses its housing portions to hold and convey containers, substituting the sliding mechanical contact system with a rotational system that eliminates the gap problem.
2Reliability
If an adjustable mechanism is provided on the valve plate to absorb unevenness, then the star wheel can slide in close contact, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the entire valve plate assembly including its adjustable mechanisms and replaces it with a simpler star wheel structure. The star wheel's housing portions directly engage with containers without requiring additional adjustment mechanisms, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The star wheel integrates multiple functions into a single component: it holds containers via housing portions, conveys them through rotation, and provides the necessary contact surface without requiring separate adjustment mechanisms. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for complex valve plate assemblies.
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
Prevents foreign objects from entering the device interior, enhancing cleanliness and maintenance by ensuring contents are retained within the housing portions during conveyance and sorting.
Implementation Method 1
a container suction force generation member fixed to a periphery of the rotation shaft and configured to generate suction force in the communication passages to suck the containers to the housing portions
Data Source
AI summary
A container screening device (200) including: a star wheel (60) arranged on or above a conveyance surface (201) on which inspection objects (101) are conveyed and having an outer periphery formed with plural housing portions (110) configured to house the inspection objects (101); a rotation shaft (220) arranged under the conveyance surface (201) and configured to rotate with the star wheel (60); a bearing portion (230) rotatably supporting the rotation shaft (220); air holes (60a, 60b, 220a, 220b) extending through interiors of the star wheel (60) and the rotation shaft (220) and communicating with the rotation shaft (220) and the housing portions (110); and an air coupling (240) fixed to a periphery of the rotation shaft (220) and configured to generate suction force in the air holes (60a, 60b, 220a, 220b) to suck the inspection objects (101) to the housing portions (110).