Two-Compartment Package Forming Device With Pneumatic Sheet Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional packaging devices are inflexible, requiring collar and lance substitution for volume adjustments, leading to lengthy shutdowns and uncontrollable sheet layer deposition, resulting in unwieldy packages with wrinkled edges.
Innovation Solution
A device with a collar and longitudinal shaping element featuring adjacent ducts and pneumatic means to control sheet movement and heat-sealing, allowing adjustable compartment volumes and preventing wrinkling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fixed lances are used to form pockets, then the structure is simple, but the compartment volume cannot be adjusted without substituting the collar and lances, leading to lengthy machine shutdowns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by replacing fixed lances with movable, adjustable lances that can be repositioned along the collar circumference. The lances are mounted on a rotatable mechanism allowing dynamic adjustment of their position and the resulting pocket volume without requiring collar substitution, thus enabling continuous operation and eliminating lengthy machine shutdowns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the collar structure into a modular system where the collar itself remains fixed but the lances are separable and independently adjustable components. This segmentation allows the lances to be repositioned or removed individually to modify compartment volumes while maintaining the collar structure, avoiding complete collar substitution and reducing downtime.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional fixed lances are used, then the device structure is simple, but there is no control over sheet layer depositing, causing wrinkling and poor package appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by equipping the lances with sensors that detect the position and condition of the base sheet as it is being formed. This feedback mechanism allows the system to monitor sheet layer deposition in real-time and make adjustments to prevent wrinkling, ensuring precise control over the forming process while maintaining a relatively simple device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism between the lances and the base sheet, consisting of controlled pneumatic or mechanical elements that mediate the forming process. This intermediary system provides fine control over sheet layer deposition by adjusting the pressure or force applied during forming, preventing wrinkles while adding minimal complexity to the overall device structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If collar and lances are substituted to modify pocket volume, then the compartment volume can be adjusted, but the procedure is lengthy and inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the lance positioning system dynamic and adjustable through a motorized or manually operable mechanism that allows quick repositioning of lances along the collar. This dynamic adjustment capability enables operators to modify compartment volumes by simply moving the lances to new positions rather than substituting entire collar-lance assemblies, greatly improving operational convenience and reducing adjustment time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the lances as universal, multi-functional components that can serve multiple volume configurations. The same lance structure can be repositioned to create different pocket volumes, eliminating the need for multiple specialized collar-lance assemblies. This universality simplifies the adjustment procedure and makes the device easier to operate across different packaging requirements.
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 flexible adjustment of compartment volumes and prevents wrinkling, reducing machine downtime and improving package aesthetics.
Implementation Method 1
said device comprises pneumatic means for moving said base sheet between said two longitudinal ducts
Implementation Method 2
The sheet is heat-sealed in a longitudinal direction at the two opposing facing flaps, creating a tubular package
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~3b
Figure 4a~5b
AI summary
A device (10) for providing a two-compartment package (11, 111) starting from a base sheet (13, 113), said device (10) comprising a collar (14) for forming the base sheet (13, 113) and a longitudinal element (15) for shaping the base sheet (13, 113), inserted in the collar (14); the shaping longitudinal element (15) has two longitudinal ducts (16a, 16b) which are laterally adjacent at least in a first portion (19) thereof at/proximate to the collar (14); the device (10) comprises pneumatic means (18) for moving the base sheet (13, 113) between the two longitudinal ducts (16a, 16b), downstream of at least one of the two longitudinal ducts (16a, 16b).