Tray Sealing Station Lifted Support Disc for Faster Vacuum Cycles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tray sealers require large lower tools with high capacity heights, leading to longer evacuation times, increased manufacturing costs, and reduced competitiveness due to inefficient vacuum process cycles.
Innovation Solution
A sealing station with a lifting system that moves a supporting disc device from a first position to a second, higher level position, allowing for a reduced-height tray reception mold design and shorter process cycles, while maintaining efficient vacuum sealing through a spring unit pressing the disc device against the mold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lower tool is designed with a huge capacity height to accommodate trays during sealing, then the sealing function is achieved, but the overall volume of the lower tool rises and evacuation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting disc device is designed to be movable between a first position (for tray placement) and a second position (for sealing), rather than being static. This dynamic positioning allows the lower tool to maintain a compact capacity height while still accommodating trays during the sealing process, thereby reducing evacuation time without compromising sealing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting disc device moves vertically between different levels (first position at lower level, second position at higher level), utilizing the vertical dimension to resolve the space conflict. This allows the tray reception mold to have a smaller capacity height while still providing adequate space for tray placement and sealing operations
2Reliability
If the lower tool is designed with a huge capacity height to accommodate trays, then trays can be properly received and sealed, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By making the supporting disc device movable rather than fixed, the design allows for a more compact lower tool structure. This reduces the overall volume and material requirements, leading to lower manufacturing costs while maintaining the capability to receive and seal trays reliably
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting disc device is positioned within the tray reception mold structure, utilizing the existing space efficiently. The movable design allows the disc device to be nested or repositioned as needed, optimizing space utilization and reducing the overall size of the lower tool, thereby lowering manufacturing costs
3Ease of operation
If the supporting disc device is positioned at a low level for tray placement, then tray loading is easy, but the lower tool requires greater capacity height for sealing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting disc device transitions from a static low-level position to a movable design that can be positioned at different heights. During tray placement, it remains at the convenient low level for easy loading. During sealing, it moves to a higher second position, allowing the lower tool to maintain a compact capacity height while still providing easy tray placement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The solution utilizes vertical movement to resolve the horizontal space conflict. The supporting disc device moves along the vertical dimension between different levels, allowing the tray reception mold to have a smaller capacity height while still providing adequate access for tray placement 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
Enables shorter vacuum process cycles and reduced manufacturing costs by minimizing the overall volume of the lower tool, enhancing the sealing station's competitiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a spring unit (21a, 21b) for pressing the supporting disc device (14) against a bottom (22) of the tray reception mold (13)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Sealing station (4) for a packaging machine, wherein the sealing station (4) comprises a lifting system (10) and a lower tool (9) that can be lifted by means of the lifting system (10) between an open position (P1) and a closed position (P2), the lower tool (9) comprising a tray reception mold (13) and a supporting disc device (14) for positioning the trays (3), wherein the supporting device (14) can be moved between a first position (L1) in which the trays (3) are placed thereon, and a second position (L2) in which the supporting disc device (14) is positioned for a sealing process, characterized in that being placed located in the second position (L2) the supporting disc device (14) is located at a higher level compared to the supporting disc device (14) being located in the first position (L1).