Vertical Packaging Machine Adjustable Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vertical packaging machines require significant downtime for format changes and cannot easily adjust the position of supporting fingers, limiting the sizes of boxes that can be processed and requiring laborious operations, especially when counting machines are involved.
Innovation Solution
A vertical packaging machine with kinematic mechanisms in containers that allow adjustable dimensions and positions to accommodate different box sizes, including sliding chains and movable guides for the second containers to change width and depth, enabling rapid format changes and accurate product dosing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If known machines use fixed hoppers and supporting fingers for packaging, then the packaging process is stable and reliable, but format changes require significant downtime and laborious operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the container dimensions adjustable through kinematic mechanisms. The containers can dynamically change their width and depth to accommodate different box formats, eliminating the need for downtime during format changes. This is achieved through movable walls and adjustable supporting fingers that adapt to various packaging requirements while maintaining continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by allowing the container dimensions (width and depth) to be modified through kinematic mechanisms. The supporting fingers can adjust their position to match different box sizes, enabling rapid format changes without stopping the packaging process. This parameter adaptability resolves the contradiction between maintaining stable packaging and enabling quick format transitions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the position of supporting fingers is fixed, then the machine structure is simple and reliable, but it cannot accommodate various box sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting fingers are designed with dynamic adjustment capabilities through kinematic mechanisms. These mechanisms allow the fingers to move and reposition themselves according to different box sizes while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. The dynamic nature of the supporting fingers enables versatility without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The kinematic mechanisms integrated into the containers provide multi-functionality by enabling both dimension adjustment and supporting finger positioning. This universal mechanism serves multiple purposes: adjusting container width, adjusting container depth, and repositioning supporting fingers, thereby achieving box size adaptability without requiring separate complex systems for each function.
3Manufacturing precision
If containers have fixed dimensions, then the dosing process is simple and fast, but accurate product dosing cannot be ensured for different box sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The containers are designed with dynamic dimension adjustment capabilities through kinematic mechanisms that can modify width and depth. This allows the container dimensions to precisely match the target box size before dosing, ensuring accurate product dosing for various box formats. The dynamic adjustment occurs rapidly, maintaining dosing accuracy without significantly increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The kinematic mechanisms perform preliminary action by pre-adjusting the container dimensions and supporting finger positions to match the required box format before the dosing operation begins. This preliminary configuration ensures that the dosing process itself remains simple and fast while achieving precise dosing accuracy, as the container is already optimally positioned and sized for the specific box type.
Data Source
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AI summary
Vertical packaging machine for packages such as boxes, bags and similar, comprising a closed path along which gripping means arc movable to grasp and carry the packages, means for feeding products to the machine and dosing means to direct a predetermined amount of product to said packages, characterized by further comprising at least one plurality of product feeding containers. The containers are disposed above a corresponding plurality of gripping means of the packages and are movable along one or more guides to follow at least part of the path of the gripping means and packages present on the gripping means. The containers are assembled on means sliding inside said guides and they arc composed of several portions and the position of said portions can be adjusted by the machine to change the dimensions of said containers.