Vertical Cup Feed Assembly for Can Bodymaker Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional can bodymakers with horizontally oriented rams face issues such as ram droop, mis-alignment, and reduced production efficiency due to their cantilevered design, leading to quality problems and the need for multiple machines to meet production quotas.
Innovation Solution
A cup feed mechanism for a vertically oriented reciprocating ram assembly, incorporating a chute assembly, a rotatable feeder disk, and biasing devices to maintain cup position, allowing for efficient cup feeding and can body formation with improved alignment and increased production capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a horizontally oriented ram is used in a can bodymaker, then the structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but the ram experiences droop and mis-alignment leading to quality problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional horizontal ram orientation to a vertical orientation. This inversion eliminates the cantilevered design that causes ram droop and mis-alignment in horizontal configurations, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and alignment precision.
2Device complexity
If a horizontally oriented ram is used in a can bodymaker, then the device structure is simpler, but production efficiency is reduced due to inability to produce multiple can bodies per cycle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-cycle horizontal processing approach to a multi-level vertical stacking configuration. By utilizing the vertical dimension, multiple cup feeders and can body formation stations are stacked at different heights, allowing simultaneous production of multiple can bodies per cycle while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular design.
3Ease of manufacture
If gravity is used to position cups in a horizontal bodymaker, then the cup positioning is simpler, but the cup orientation must be horizontal which limits feeding efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the cup orientation from horizontal to vertical, allowing cups to be fed downward under gravity into the vertical ram's path. This inversion maintains the simplicity of gravity-based positioning while dramatically improving feeding efficiency by enabling continuous vertical feed and simultaneous multi-level processing.
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
The vertical cup feed mechanism enhances alignment and production efficiency, reducing quality issues and enabling the production of multiple can bodies per cycle, thus addressing the limitations of horizontal ram designs.
Implementation Method 1
The outer sidewall at the transfer chute second end includes a first biasing device. The first biasing device is structured to maintain a cup in the holding space.
Data Source
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AI summary
A cup feed assembly (12) for a can bodymaker (10) with a vertically oriented, reciprocating, elongated ram assembly (250) is provided. The cup feed assembly (12) includes a chute assembly (20), a rotatable feeder disk assembly (80), and a cup locator (70). The chute assembly (20) includes a transfer chute (40). The transfer chute (40) includes an outer second side member (56), a first end (42) and a second end (44). The transfer chute first end (42) is in communication with the feeder chute outlet end (32). The outer second side member (56) at the transfer chute second end (44) includes a first biasing device (100). The cup locator (70) defines a holding space (76), the holding space (76) in communication with the transfer chute second end (44). The feeder disk assembly (80) is structured to move a cup (1) disposed at feeder chute outlet end (32) through the transfer chute (40) into the cup locator (70). The first biasing device (100) is structured to maintain a cup (1) in the holding space (76).