Valve Sack Feeding Device Alignment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sacking machines face challenges in efficiently handling valve sacks with non-constant dimensional tolerances and low rigidity, particularly when sacks are handmade or have wide tolerances, which complicates their alignment and insertion into feeding tubes.
Innovation Solution
A sack feeding device that picks up and manipulates individual valve sacks with suction cups and mechanical vanes to align and position them correctly for insertion into a sacking machine, using a combination of pneumatic and linear actuators to manage sacks with variable dimensions and low rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If automatic machines use suction cups to pick up sacks from stacks, then sacks can be introduced into feeding inlets, but the machine becomes complex when dealing with rotary movements and wide dimensional tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the sack handling process into separate functional modules: a picking mechanism for retrieving sacks, a positioning mechanism with retainers for aligning sacks, and a feeding mechanism for introducing sacks. This segmentation allows each module to handle specific tasks independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary elements such as retainers and positioning means between the picking mechanism and the feeding inlet. These intermediaries serve as buffers that accommodate dimensional variations in sacks, allowing the automated system to handle irregularly dimensioned sacks without increasing complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If sacks are made by hand or with low mechanization, then dimensional tolerances become wide (5% or more), but this makes alignment and insertion difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs dynamic positioning mechanisms that can adjust to varying sack dimensions. The retainers and positioning means are designed to accommodate dimensional variations through flexible positioning, allowing the system to adapt to handmade sacks with wide tolerances while maintaining proper alignment for insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from fixed-dimensional assumptions to variable-dimensional accommodation. The positioning mechanism allows for parameter changes in sack dimensions by providing adjustable retainers and positioning means that can adapt to different sack sizes and shapes, enabling handling of handmade sacks with up to 5% dimensional variation.
3Ease of operation
If sacks are not sufficiently rigid, then they cannot be aligned in stacks, but this prevents automated handling
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary positioning actions using retainers and positioning means before the actual insertion into the feeding inlet. This preliminary action aligns the sacks individually, compensating for their lack of rigidity by providing external support and guidance during the alignment process, enabling automated handling of flexible sacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainers and positioning means act as intermediary structures that provide temporary support and alignment for flexible sacks. These intermediaries compensate for the sacks' lack of rigidity by providing external structural support during the alignment and positioning phases, allowing automated machines to handle soft or flexible sack materials.
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 high-speed processing of sacks with variable dimensions by ensuring accurate alignment and insertion into the feeding tube, maintaining efficiency even with sacks that cannot be stacked due to significant dimensional variations.
Implementation Method 1
By means of appropriate suction cups, the valve is opened and the sack is introduced into the feeding inlets of the sacking machine
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 2a~2b
AI summary
A sack feeding device for a sacking machine comprising: means (21) for picking up one sack at a time from a stack of sacks arranged on a first plane (11); said sacks being elongated having two long sides (7, 9) and two short sides (6, 8), and at least one corner between a long and a short side comprising a valve (5), said long and a short side with a valve in between being referred to as a short valve side (6) and a long valve side (7); means (32, 34) for pushing one sack at a time so that said long valve side (7) is arranged on a second plane (40) and abuts against a retainer (41) and the long side (9) opposite to said long valve side (7) is contained by a vertical edge (36) opposite to said retainer (41), means (42) for pushing said short valve side (6) to a predetermined position on said second plane (40); means (46) for lifting said short valve side (6), away from said second plane (40).