Tile Weighing With Vertical Lift Platform And Load Cell
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tile weighing machines are structurally complex, prone to breakage, and suffer from low precision due to inertial forces during weight measurement, making them costly and unreliable.
Innovation Solution
A machine design featuring rollers for transport and a load platform with projecting elements that lift tiles for precise weight measurement by load cells, decoupled from the transport mechanism, ensuring accurate weight detection without inertial interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the lifting platform is made movable both vertically and horizontally to intercept tiles from the conveyor belt, then the weighing function is achieved, but the device complexity increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting platform is divided into multiple independent lifting units, each capable of vertically moving to intercept tiles from the conveyor belt. This segmentation allows the system to achieve weighing functionality without requiring complex horizontal movement of the entire platform, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting platform acts as an intermediary between the conveyor belt and the weighing mechanism. By introducing this intermediate structure that can independently move vertically, the system decouples the tile transport function (performed by the conveyor belt) from the weighing function (performed by the stationary weighing mechanism), thus avoiding the need for complex coupled movements and improving reliability.
2Productivity
If the lifting platform moves horizontally to remain in line with advancing tiles, then continuous weighing is enabled, but inertial forces reduce measurement precision
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting platform performs preliminary vertical movement to intercept the tile from the conveyor belt before the weighing measurement begins. This preliminary action allows the tile to be positioned and stabilized on the platform without requiring horizontal movement during the actual weighing process, thereby eliminating inertial forces that would otherwise reduce measurement precision while maintaining continuous weighing capability through rapid sequential interception.
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting platform operates in periodic cycles, moving vertically to intercept tiles at regular intervals corresponding to the conveyor belt speed. This periodic action enables continuous weighing of multiple tiles without requiring the platform to move horizontally during measurement, thus maintaining both productivity and measurement precision through rhythmic, controlled operations.
3Reliability
If multiple moving components are added to enable platform movement, then weighing functionality is achieved, but the cost increases and breakdown risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The horizontal movement function is extracted from the lifting platform and assigned to the conveyor belt system. The lifting platform retains only the essential vertical movement function required for intercepting tiles. This extraction of unnecessary movement functions from the weighing platform reduces the number of moving components, lowers cost, and improves reliability by minimizing potential failure points.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveyor belt system serves the dual purpose of both transporting tiles through the production line and providing the horizontal positioning function that would otherwise require additional mechanisms on the lifting platform. This self-service approach allows the existing conveyor infrastructure to perform multiple functions, reducing the need for additional expensive and complex components on the weighing machine.
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 design provides precise, reliable, and cost-effective weight measurement of tiles, enabling accurate determination of enamel thickness and reducing machine complexity and breakdowns.
Implementation Method 1
with a load cell operatively associated with the lifting platform in order to be able to detect the weight of the tiles
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Machine (1) for weighing plate-like elements, in particular tiles, comprising a plurality of rollers (8) and a load platform (10). Such rollers (8) are side-by-side each other along a transport direction (X), are each extended along a main axis (Y) thereof perpendicular to the transport direction (X), are parallel to each other, each define, with the adjacent roller, an elongated slit (9) and are actuatable to rotate around their main axes (Y) in order to move the plate-like elements along the transport direction (X). The load platform (10) is provided with multiple projecting elements (11), each of which terminates with a free end (12) thereof and is placed at a respective slit (9). In addition, the aforesaid load platform (10) is movable at least between a lowered position, in which the free ends (12) of the projecting elements (11) are each placed in the corresponding slit (9) and interposed between the two adjacent rollers (8), and a raised position, in which the projecting elements (11) each traverse the corresponding slit (9) and their free ends (12) each project from the respective slit (9) in order to lift the plate-like elements from the rollers (8) and allow a load cell (7) mechanically connected to the load platform (10) itself to detect the weight of the aforesaid lifted plate-like elements.