Transfer Wheel Arms for Reorienting Elongated Goods
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transfer devices are not suitable for handling elongated piece goods due to their inability to compensate for significant speed differences between infeed and outfeed conveyors and maintaining orientation, particularly for items with a length-to-width ratio of 4:1 or higher.
Innovation Solution
A transfer device with a central wheel and movable arms that can pivot and rotate to reorient elongated piece goods from a transverse to a longitudinal position, utilizing a system of axles and transmission elements to achieve precise positioning and alignment, allowing for efficient transfer across conveyors with different speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a turret of suction trolleys is used to maintain orientation of piece goods, then the orientation of the packaged goods is maintained, but the device is less suitable for transporting elongated piece goods with large speed differences between conveyors
Solution Approach 1:
The arm is designed with multiple degrees of freedom including pivoting movement about a first axis and tracking pivoting movement about a second axis. This dynamic structure allows the arm to adapt its orientation and tracking path based on the specific geometry and speed requirements of different piece goods, making it suitable for both maintaining orientation of regular goods and handling elongated piece goods with large speed differences between conveyors.
2Device complexity
If piece goods are fed in transverse position, then the transfer can be simplified, but the piece goods cannot be reoriented for longitudinal feeding to horizontal tubular bagging machines
Solution Approach 1:
The arm incorporates tracking pivoting movement about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, enabling the arm to dynamically adjust its orientation. This allows the system to feed piece goods in transverse position when simple transfer is sufficient, while also capable of reorienting piece goods to longitudinal position for horizontal tubular bagging machines, thus resolving the contradiction between simplicity and adaptability.
3Productivity
If the discharge speed is increased to 100 meters per minute for high throughput, then the productivity reaches 600 products per minute, but the speed difference between infeed and outfeed conveyors becomes significantly larger
Solution Approach 1:
The arm's tracking pivoting movement about the second axis enables it to accommodate and compensate for large speed differences between the infeed conveyor and outfeed conveyor. By dynamically adjusting its motion trajectory and timing, the arm can pick up piece goods at the slower infeed speed and deposit them at the higher outfeed speed of 100 meters per minute, achieving 600 products per minute productivity without being constrained by the speed mismatch.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a third axle is added between the first and second axles for controlled rotation, then the piece goods can be tracked and reoriented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The arm is segmented into multiple independently controllable sections with distinct rotational axes. The first axis handles the primary pivoting movement for basic orientation, while the second axis provides tracking pivoting movement for reorientation and adaptation to different piece goods geometries. This segmentation allows each axis to perform a specific function, achieving comprehensive tracking and reorientation capabilities while keeping the control of each segment relatively simple and modular.
Data Source
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AI summary
A transfer arrangement (10) for gripping articles (at 60) comprises a central wheel body with a multiplicity of arms (20), which can be pivoted about a first axis (23) in each case, articulated along its periphery. The arms (20) have a gripper (60) for receiving in each case one or more articles (15). Each gripper (60) can be rotated about a second axis (33) for predetermined positioning of the articles, while the connecting body (30) can be rotated about the first axis (23). The rotary movement of the gripper (60), then, can be transferred to the gripper (60), rotating about the second axis (33), via a shaft (28) arranged along the first axis (23), with the aid of a transfer element (25, 26, 27). Finally, a third axis (43) is arranged on the connecting body (30), between the first and second axes (23, 33). This allows rotation of the connecting body (30) to be transferred in a controlled manner to the connecting body (30), at the location of the first axis (33), via a shaft (49) arranged along the third axis (43), with the aid of a transfer element (45, 46, 47). This means that articles (15) can be tracked.