Transfer Tool Clamping for Product Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transfer methods for products on accumulation surfaces in industrial lines face issues such as misalignment, shifting, and breakage due to functional clearance, leading to inefficiencies and reduced production rates.
Innovation Solution
A clamping device with a fixed member and a movable member that approximates to the products during transfer, ensuring alignment and secure holding without applying stress, using a four-bar mechanism for improved product support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If functional clearance is provided between transfer members and products, then the transfer tool can be inserted and retracted without touching products, but products may shift or lose balance during transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer members are designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing them to move between a retracted position (providing functional clearance for insertion/extraction) and an advanced position (reducing clearance to minimize product shifting). This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and manufacturing precision.
2Productivity
If transfer members are spaced apart by functional clearance, then products can circulate freely between members, but acceleration and deceleration cause shocks that unbalance products
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer members are positioned to provide preliminary support to products before acceleration begins, and maintain support during deceleration. This preliminary action ensures products are stabilized before and during speed changes, preventing shocks and unbalancing while still allowing free circulation.
3Productivity
If sliding floors are used at accumulation surface junctions, then products can be transferred between zones, but friction causes products to shift or lose balance
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer members act as intermediary elements between the sliding floors of different zones. Instead of products directly contacting the sliding floor interface (which causes friction and shifting), the transfer members mediate the transfer, providing a controlled low-friction surface that maintains product positioning while enabling zone transitions.
4Productivity
If thrust is applied to move products during transfer, then circulation between zones is enabled, but contact with thrust members causes shocks that induce product imbalance
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer members are designed to change the application parameters of thrust force. Instead of applying force at a single point or with high intensity (causing shocks), the thrust is distributed across multiple contact points and applied gradually. This parameter change enables product circulation while maintaining product balance.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~7
Figure 8~9
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for transferring products (1) to or from an accumulation surface (2) in a line for the continuous treatment of said products (1), in which a first transit area (3) is longitudinally fed with products (1) by an input conveyor (5), a second transit area (4) longitudinally supplies an output conveyor (6) with products (1), and at least one column of products (1) is transferred by transverse thrust, via a transfer tool (8) provided with members (7) arranged either side of each column. The invention is characterised in that, at the moment of the transfer, each column is gripped by the relative closening of said members (7), a first member (70) being stationary, while a second member (71) is mounted in a mobile manner. The invention also relates to a a transfer device for implementing such a method.