Storage Frame Loading Station With Position Locking for Robotic Rod Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In sausage production lines, the automatic insertion and removal of rod-like elements into or from storage frames can result in damage due to variations in storage frame sizes, leading to sausage products falling off, as robotic devices operate based on pre-programmed software that cannot adapt to changes in frame positions.
Innovation Solution
A loading station with two side parts connected by a cross beam, featuring position defining and locking devices to ensure the storage frame is correctly positioned and locked, preventing rod-like elements from butting against the frame, and a straightening device to correct any warping, allowing for safe robotic operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a robotic device is used for automatically inserting or removing rod-like elements into or from a storage frame, then productivity is improved, but the risk of damage increases due to inability to adapt to variations in storage frame position and size
Solution Approach 1:
The storage frame is positioned in a predetermined position and locked in advance before the robotic device operates. The position defining device and locking device prepare the storage frame in advance to ensure it is in the correct location and fixed, preventing any movement during the automatic insertion or removal of rod-like elements by the robotic device.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking device acts as an intermediary mechanism between the storage frame and the robotic device. It secures the storage frame in a predetermined position, serving as a mediator that prevents the storage frame from moving or butting against the robotic device during automatic operation, thus protecting the rod-like elements and sausage products from damage.
2Device complexity
If storage frames are standardized with fixed dimensions, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability decreases when frames are modified due to damage, repair, or individual adaptation
Solution Approach 1:
The locking device provides a dynamic positioning solution that can accommodate variations in storage frame dimensions. Instead of requiring perfectly standardized frames, the locking device can adapt to different positions and sizes by adjusting its locking mechanism, allowing the system to work with modified or individually adapted storage frames while maintaining safety during robotic operation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a loading station for a storage frame. In the loading station, the storage frame serves for temporarily holding and transporting rod-like elements, in particular smoking rods, on which sausage-shaped products, like sausages, are stored, and comprises two side parts, wherein each side part has two supports being substantially parallel to each other and wherein the side parts are connected with each other by at least one cross beam, and horizontally arranged trays for accommodating rod-like elements. The loading station comprises at least one position defining device for defining a predetermined position of the storage frame. Moreover, at least one locking device is provided for releasably locking of the storage frame in its predetermined position.