Thermoforming Movable Side Walls for Dynamic Container Sizing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermoforming assemblies require frequent retooling and long downtimes to accommodate products with varying dimensions, limiting production flexibility and increasing costs and contamination risks, especially in packaging food products like hams.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating movable side walls within the forming mould allows for real-time adjustment of container dimensions to match product variations, eliminating the need for containment moulds and reducing handling and contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed forming moulds are used, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but adaptability deteriorates requiring frequent retooling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the side walls of the forming mould movable rather than fixed. The side walls can be adjusted along the forwarding path to accommodate different product lengths, transforming a static mould into a dynamic, adaptable system. This resolves the contradiction by enabling continuous adaptation without requiring complete mould replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by allowing the dimensional parameters of the forming mould (specifically the side wall positions) to be varied according to the product being packaged. This enables the same mould structure to produce containers of different sizes by simply adjusting the side wall positions, eliminating the need for multiple fixed moulds.
2Adaptability or versatility
If retooling is performed to accommodate different products, then adaptability improves, but productivity deteriorates due to long downtimes
Solution Approach 1:
By making the side walls dynamically adjustable during production, the system eliminates the need to stop production for retooling. The movable side walls can be repositioned while the production line continues operating, maintaining productivity while achieving adaptability to different product dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary positioning of the movable side walls based on the known dimensions of the next product to be packaged. This allows the mould to be pre-adjusted to the required configuration before the product arrives, enabling seamless transition between different product types without production downtime.
3Stability of the object's composition
If containment moulds are used for products like hams, then product shape is maintained, but device complexity increases and contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the containment function from separate external moulds and integrates it directly into the forming mould that creates the container. The forming mould itself provides the containment structure during packaging, eliminating the need for additional containment moulds and reducing contamination risk through fewer handling steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the container forming function with the product containment function into a single integrated process. The forming mould serves dual purposes: creating the vacuum container and providing the containment structure, thereby simplifying the overall system and reducing contamination risks associated with multiple moulds and handling operations.
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
Enhances production flexibility, reduces processing waste, minimizes product contamination, and decreases operational costs by allowing for precise adaptation of container dimensions to product variations without the need for additional handling or containment moulds.
Implementation Method 1
brought to a suitable temperature by heating devices operating on the forming mould itself and/or immediately upstream
Implementation Method 2
by a positive and/or negative pressure pneumatic action, and/or with the aid of mechanical thrusters, provide for its deformation making it adhere against the internal surfaces of the forming cavity
Data Source
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AI summary
The thermoforming assembly comprises feeding devices for moving a continuous strip-shaped semi-finished product (21) along a forwarding path (22), along which a forming mould (25) is arranged defining a forming cavity (26) delimited by a base wall (27), a first pair of respectively opposed side walls (28), and a second pair of respectively opposed side walls (29a, 29b). Heating devices (30) operate on the strip-shaped semi-finished product (21) near the forming mould (25), and forming devices (32) are operatively associated with the forming mould (25) and configured to conform the strip-shaped semi-finished product (21) against the base wall (27) and the side walls defining the forming cavity (26). At least one of the side walls (29a, 29b) belonging to the second pair is a movable wall (29a), positionable towards and away from the other side wall (29b) belonging to the second pair, to vary the dimension of the forming cavity (26).