Valve Bag Fitting Apparatus with Coupled Gripper and Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for attaching valve bags to packaging machines face challenges with adjustable distance and coordinated movement requirements, leading to inefficiencies and increased error rates, especially with varying sack sizes.
Innovation Solution
A device with a pivotable gripper mechanism and a common drive system, utilizing a coupling mechanism such as toggle levers, allows for precise and simultaneous movement of gripper and push-on parts, enabling adjustable positioning and high-speed operation without safety time constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the distance between the drive means and the filling spout is made adjustable, then the attachment accuracy for different sack sizes is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment device is divided into a stationary gripper device and a movable drive means that can be independently adjusted in the longitudinal direction. This segmentation allows the gripper to maintain a fixed pickup position while the drive means is optimized for different sack widths, resolving the contradiction between attachment accuracy and device complexity.
2Reliability
If multiple movements are coordinated with safety times, then the reliability of the attachment process is improved, but the productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper device and drive means are mechanically coupled through a common pivot mechanism, merging their movements into a single coordinated motion. This eliminates the need for separate safety time coordination between multiple movements, allowing both reliability and high productivity to be achieved simultaneously.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the entire automatic attachment device is made movable to adjust distance, then the adaptability to different sack sizes is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment device is segmented into a stationary gripper device and a movable drive means. This allows the system to adapt to different sack sizes by adjusting only the drive means position rather than moving the entire device, thereby improving adaptability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
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
This solution enables high attachment rates and efficient operation by ensuring precise spatial alignment and coordinated movement, reducing errors and increasing throughput capacity.
Implementation Method 1
a suction bar (19) which, in a first pivoting position (8), is in the sack acceptance position and grips the uppermost valve sack (2) of a sack bundle (3)
Implementation Method 2
The coupling mechanism (15) comprises two toggle levers (16, 17) connected to one another in order to further increase the effect
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Apparatus by means of which valve bags can be fitted onto a filling nozzle (27) of a packing machine (1), having a fit-on head (20) on which are provided a pivotable gripper device (4) and a fit-on device (5), wherein the gripper device is provided and suitable for gripping and accommodating in a first pivoting position a valve bag of a bundle of bags arranged on an accommodating surface of a set-down table (7) and for transferring this valve bag, in a second pivoting position, to a fit-on device, the fit-on device being provided and suitable for opening the valve of the valve bag and accelerating the valve bag in order for it to be fitted on. The fit-on device here comprises two fit-on parts (11, 12), of which one fit-on part (11) is arranged in a pivotable manner. The fit-on device is arranged such that it can be adjusted longitudinally in relation to the gripper device, in order for it to be possible to compensate for different bag dimensions. Also provided is a common drive for the pivoting of the gripper device and of the pivotable fit-on part, the gripper device and the pivotable fit-on part being coupled mechanically via a coupling mechanism.