Twisting Preform Conveying Device with Constant-Spacing Rails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveyor devices for preforms face challenges in achieving precise orientation changes, particularly from horizontal to vertical, due to complex shape requirements and limited adaptability to different preform formats, leading to difficulties in maintaining fluid flow and requiring extensive device modifications.
Innovation Solution
A conveying device that combines longitudinal movement with pivoting capability around a longitudinal axis, utilizing a combination of rectilinear and curvilinear rails with adjustable positions to maintain a constant distance, ensuring smooth guidance of preforms through a tunnel-like structure, allowing for flexible adaptation to various preform sizes and orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If helical guides with constant spacing are used to achieve precise orientation change, then orientation precision is improved, but device complexity increases and adaptability to different preform formats decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide is divided into multiple straight sections connected by transition zones. Each straight section handles a specific segment of the orientation change, while transition zones smoothly connect them. This segmentation avoids the need for complex continuous helical shapes while achieving the same orientation transformation function.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide includes adjustable components that can be modified to accommodate different preform formats. The transition zones are designed with adjustable parameters allowing the guide geometry to adapt dynamically to different preform dimensions, maintaining precision without requiring complete device replacement.
2Productivity
If helical guides with constant spacing are used to maintain fluid flow, then flow smoothness is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The guide is constructed from multiple straight sections and simple transition zones rather than a continuous complex helix. This segmentation makes each component easier to manufacture using standard fabrication processes, while the assembled structure maintains the constant spacing required for smooth preform flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The transition zones incorporate smooth curved connections between straight sections, ensuring continuous and smooth preform flow. These curved transitions are designed with controlled radii that maintain constant spacing while being manufacturable using standard bending or forming processes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the entire conveyor device is changed to accommodate different preform formats, then adaptability is improved, but loss of time and productivity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide includes adjustable components, particularly in the transition zones, that can be modified to accommodate different preform formats. This dynamic adjustability allows the same device structure to handle multiple formats without complete replacement, significantly reducing changeover time while maintaining full adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide is designed with a universal structure that can accommodate multiple preform formats through adjustment of specific parameters. The combination of straight sections and adjustable transition zones creates a multi-functional device that serves different formats, eliminating the need for complete device changes and reducing downtime.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The device consists of several rails supported by a frame (17) which form a kind of tunnel for the end of the preforms, on the neck (21) side. The tunnel is twisted and the two rails (12) and (13) which act as guidance under the neck have a separation which is constant between the entrance (4) and the exit (5) of the said tunnel in order to convey diverse and varying preforms. One of the rails, the rail (12), is straight and the other rail, the rail (13), is curved, this rail (13) having a profile created in accordance with the type of preform to be conveyed. The straight rail (12) corresponds to the edge of a guide (15) in the form of a simple flat which is fixed to the frame (17), and the curved rail (13) too corresponds to the edge of a guide (16) in the form of a simple flat which is also fixed suitably to the said frame (17).